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About Public Health – Seattle & King County
Public Health – Seattle & King County 2024 - 2029 Strategic Plan
Public Health — Seattle & King County ("PHSKC," "Public Health,"or "the department") is the public health department for King County, Washington which includes 39 cities, including the City of Seattle, and unincorporated areas. Public Health is one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the United States with about 1,600 employees. The department serves approximately 2.3 million people of King County who reside in urban, rural, shoreline, foothill, and mountain communities with distinct environments and unique public health needs. King County is an international port of entry, welcoming nearly 40 million visitors annually. Over 100 languages are spoken by King County residents.
The work of Public Health includes:
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Disease control
Protecting the public through disease control functions, such as tuberculosis, HIV, and communicable disease epidemiology and immunizations.
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Health promotion
Promoting health by leading efforts to prevent chronic conditions and promoting healthy, equitable communities by preventing chronic conditions and injuries, ensuring the air is safe to breathe, and ensuring water and food are safe to consume.
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Equitable access to healthcare
Influencing systems that enable equitable access to quality healthcare by connecting people to services and working with the healthcare system.