Health Care for the Homeless Network Shelter Health & Safety Program: Training and technical assistance

Health Care for the Homeless Network's public health nurses offer staff training, health education, and consultation to shelters, day centers, transitional housing programs, and other homeless-serving programs in King County. To request any of these services, contact Health Care for the Homeless Network at 206-296-5091.

Training topics for staff

Reducing the Risk of Communicable Diseases in Settings that Serve Homeless People: Learn about Hepatitis A, B, and C; Lice & scabies control; Bed Bugs; Cold & Flu Season; Standard (Universal) Precautions; skin and wound infections; Food borne Illness Prevention; Tuberculosis Treatment and Prevention
Our streaming video series: "Stop Germs!" This 45 minute video features tips and motivation from shelter staff, clients, and local health experts on communicable disease prevention in settings that serve homeless people.
Creating a Health Conscious Culture at Your Homeless Program Site
Recognizing and Responding to Health Emergencies (for non-health staff): Learn what to do if your client or co-worker has a diabetic emergency, signs and symptoms of stroke, heart attack, what to do about seizures, and more.

Technical assistance

We provide consultations for new and existing homeless programs, including overnight shelters hosted at religious or community facilities

We can assist you with writing health screening questions on shelter intake tools

We can provide you with posters and pamphlets

We offer Recommended Shelter Health and Safety Best Practice Guidelines and Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Guidelines for Homeless Service Agencies in Seattle-King County, Washington, 4th Edition, June 2010 (PDF)

We offer assistance writing policies and procedures (TB policies, blood borne pathogens/needle stick injury/sharps, staff health policies, etc.)

Environmental assessments- we can give you tips and suggestions about how to make your environment safer and healthier for staff and guests/residents

We have a TB and Homelessness Coalition: This group consists of staff and managers of shelters, drop-in centers, and other agencies that serve homeless people, government funders (City and County staff), and the TB Control Program. The TB and Homelessness Coalition meet 2 times a year to share information and ideas about the challenges and efforts being made to address tuberculosis in environments where homeless people congregate. For more information about the TB coalition, call 296-5091

We can help you prepare for the flu season, and with Flu Pandemic planning.

The World Health Organization has declared that the 2009-2010 H1N1 Flu Pandemic is officially over, but that does not mean the threat of future pandemics is gone. Be prepared for future events: An Influenza Pandemic Planning Guide for Homeless and Housing Service Providers

Curious about how we advised our community about H1N1? See our Flu pandemic FAQ for homeless people and Flu Pandemic FAQ for shelter providers and other homeless services providers.

Health education for shelter and day center guests

We offer tailored discussion groups for people experiencing homelessness. Topics include:

Health and hygiene

Men's health issues

Youth health issues

Women's health issues

Chronic diseases

Communicable diseases (and how to avoid them)

Preparing for cold and flu season (See also our flu pandemic FAQ for homeless people)

Health Tips for Avoiding Communicable Diseases While Living Homeless. This 17 minute video features practical tips and advice from people who are homeless, shelter staff, and health experts. This is meant to be used as a discussion starter; prepare to have a Q&A session after showing this video. Watch our Stop Germs! streaming video or contact us at 206-296-5091 to obtain a DVD.