July 2026

Celebrating the Retirement of Phuong Nguyen Congratulations to Phuong Nguyen on her retirement! Phuong is retiring this month from Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and unwavering commitment to community health. Phuong began her public health journey in Vietnam, working as an epidemiologist at Ho Chi Minh City Public Health Department for 12 years prior to immigrating to the United States. She then joined Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department in 1992 as an outreach worker in the TB-Refugee Program. Later, she worked half-time as a WIC certifier for 12 years before being reassigned back to the Communicable Disease Program full-time. Currently, she is a Case Investigator in Disease Control & Prevention Division, involved with TB & General Communicable Diseases. We wish Phuong all the best in this new chapter and thank her for sharing valuable reflections below.

1. How did you get called to this work?  Why did you stay in TB?

As an outreach worker for the TB-Refugee program, [I] participated in the Refugee Screening process including TB screening; assisted the TB nurse with the active TB & LTBI treatments (administrative & clinical works such as home visits, TB meds distribution). [I] stayed in TB due to assignment and my love to see patients recover from TB disease.

2. What is the best piece of advice you have learned from another TB staff member?

TB is NOT a “one size fits all” disease. Every case is different in some way. Evaluation of a patient should include their mental, physical, financial conditions and beyond.

3. What best practice did you learn the hard way?

Never make home visits alone to a hostile patient, always go with someone.

4. What gives you hope for the future in TB?

Modern/quick turn-around TB tests, new regimens for active TB & LTBI, increased/stricter overseas TB screening to identify LTBI.

5. What are you hoping to do as soon as you retire?

Sleep in, clean/organize my house & garden, spend time with family, travel.

Congratulations to Jen Hubber, Recipient of the 2026 NTCA TB Data Stewardship Award!

We are excited and pleased to report that Washington’s very own Jen Hubber was the 2026 recipient of the National TB Coalition of America (NTCA) TB Data Stewardship award. This award recognizes the outstanding work of a public health epidemiologist, surveillance coordinator, program evaluator, informatician, data manager, or other person working with TB program data to support and improve public health practice. We could not be prouder for this well-deserved recognition of her important work and the essential TB prevention and care role she plays in our Washington public health system! Cheers to you, Jen!

Washington State Highlights at the 30^th National TB Conference

Washington TB colleagues and partners made outstanding contributions at this year's National TB Conference, hosted by NTCA and the California TB Controllers Association, showcasing their expertise through engaging presentations, innovative posters, and impactful collaborations on national initiatives.

• Julie Ngo (CDC Evaluation Fellow) presented the poster, Estimating Cost and Time Savings of Video Directly Observed Therapy Using a Novel Cost Calculator: A Washington State Case Study (2025). The project highlights the use of Washington State data as a pilot to evaluate the cost and time savings associated with video directly observed therapy (VDOT).
• Public Health-Seattle & King County colleagues shared their work:
• Donny Lee presented the poster, Yield of Community Versus Household Contact Investigations by Index Case Infectiousness, and delivered a flash talk during the Society for Epidemiology in TB Control Professional Development Track.
• Catherine Evangelista presented the poster, LTBI Follow-Up for Class B2 Immigrants.
• Presented by Lana Kay Dov (WA DOH), the conference marked the official launch of the TB Nurse Case Manager Certificate Program, the culmination of a multi-year, multi-partner effort with significant leadership from Washington State partners. 
• Washington partners also contributed to updates to Curry's Clinician's Survival Guide, including Soyeon Lippman’s revisions to the section on drug susceptibility testing (DST) services and testing across the 7 reference laboratories.

Julie Ngo

Lana Kay Dov

Donny Lee

Catherine Evangelista

📝2026–2027 TB Elimination Alliance (TEA) Mini-Grant Program Now Accepting Proposals

Apply now for the 2026–2027 TEA Mini‑Grant Program, offering $10,000–$15,000 to support organizations improving LTBI/TB awareness, education, and care in communities at increased risk. Applications are due 5 p.m. local time on July 24, 2026.

ℹ️Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): H.R.1 Benefits Updates

The DSHS has expanded its H.R. 1 information page with updated guidance on how recent federal legislation affects public benefits in Washington. The page includes information on changes to SNAP eligibility, Medicaid/Apple Health, other benefit programs, and which immigration statuses remain eligible for federal SNAP benefits.

Information for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs)

Updated NTIP Snapshot Reports & Resources

LHJ-specific National Tuberculosis Indicators Project (NTIP) Snapshot Reports and line lists were distributed on June 18. These resources are intended to aid in the understanding of local level NTIP indicators and can help identify program strengths and areas for improvement. The WA DOH TB Program highly encourages LHJs utilize the NTIP Snapshot Report and accompanying materials to conduct your own internal review. Here is a quick description of each document for reference:

1. NTIP Snapshot Report: The Snapshot Report provides an overview of the NTIP indicators for both LHJ and state level data. The one-pager includes number of active TB cases counted, TB incidence rates, and NTIP indicators for case management, laboratory reporting, contact identification, and the examination of immigrants and refugees.
2. NTIP Line List: Using this workbook, you can see which records were included in indicator calculations, and if the indicator was met. The “introduction” sheet in the workbook will help you interpret the line lists.
3. NTIP Guide: Please utilize the *updated* NTIP Guide as a resource while reviewing your NTIP Snapshot Report and line list. This guide provides more detail for each NTIP indicator. Each page outlines the indicator calculation, considerations when reviewing the line list, and tips to meet the indicator. We recommend bookmarking this document in your web browser because it is frequently updated as more tips are learned over time. 

If you did not receive these materials and believe you should have, or if you have questions about NTIP or program evaluation, please reach out to the TB Services Inbox at tbservices@doh.wa.gov.

❗Important WDRS Data Point Please complete the “Type of insurance” field in WDRS TB records to document your patients' insurance information.  It will save you time in an audit. If DOH is audited by HRSA, it could reduce the chance of us having to ask you for more information.

This field can be located two different ways in WDRS:

• TB Wizard: top section under Administrative Information.
  Or
• Additional Information Question Package: Additional Information section.

Drop-down options include a variety of insurance types.

Upcoming Events and Education Opportunities

June 15  –  August 21, 2026 | Level 2: TB Case Management

CITC has updated its Tuberculosis Case Management and Contact Investigation Intensive by shifting from a series of live virtual trainings to a hybrid format. This includes six online self-paced modules, and one live interactive session. This online, asynchronous training for TB case managers working with persons with TB disease can be accessed, started, and revisited at any time during the course term.

July 16, 2026 | Managing Post-TB Lung Health

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar is a summary of post-TB respiratory problems, how to assess them, and evidence-based options for managing long-term lung health.

July 23, 2026 | Pediatric TB Webcast Series 1: Adolescent TB

Designed for healthcare professionals, the Heartland National TB Center series highlights real-world challenges and evidence-based strategies to improve TB care across pediatric populations.

August 13, 2026 | TB Screening and Referral Updates for Civil Surgeons

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar reviews the updated CDC Tuberculosis Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons, focusing on screening, diagnosing, and referring applicants with infectious TB. Key updates and procedural guidance will be highlighted to support compliance with CDC requirements. 

August 20, 2026 | TB Contact Investigations: Family, School, and Community Cases

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar outlines the process of conducting TB contact investigations and highlights effective school coordination and follow-up practices.

Level 1: TB Basics, Contact Investigation, and Latent TB Infection

The CITC online, asynchronous training for nurses and public health/disease control investigators can be accessed, started, and revisited at any time during the 10-week course term. 

• August 24 – October 30, 2026 (registration opens August 24)

September 3, 2026 | TB Champions Network

Stop TB USA and Mayo Clinic Center for Tuberculosis are partnering to build a network of frontline clinicians as "TB Champions" to raise awareness, serve as resources, and empower peers to "think TB."  This four-week orientation is designed to build foundational knowledge, foster peer connections, and introduce key TB resources.

September 8, 2026 | TB Nurse Case Management Level 1

This Mayo Clinic TB Center course equips nurses new to TB case management with a strong foundational understanding of the principles, practices, and responsibilities necessary to effectively manage patients with tuberculosis.

September 17, 2026 | Integrating TDM into Pediatric Care: Practical Strategies

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar reviews therapeutic drug monitoring, focusing on pediatric candidates and practical strategies for routine integration. 

October 15, 2026 | Clinical Management of Tuberculosis in Older Adults

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB course is designed for allied health professionals, nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, resident/fellows, and healthcare professionals working in a public healthcare setting.

October 15 – 16, 2026 | International Workshop on Clinical Pharmacology of Tuberculosis Drugs

This abstract-driven workshop has been a leading annual meeting in the field of tuberculosis (TB) pharmacology since 2008. The aim of the meeting is to contribute to the optimization of TB treatment by providing an independent platform for the presentation and discussion of the latest scientific developments in TB pharmacology.

November 17 – 20, 2026 | 2026 Union World Conference on Lung Health

The Union World Conference on Lung Health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil brings together researchers, practitioners, advocates, policymakers and communities from around the world to share knowledge, exchange ideas and accelerate progress in lung health.

Washington's TB Project ECHO

On select Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. PT, join the lunch-time virtual discussion about real TB cases with your peers. This free interactive event is guided by a panel of local TB experts. Click here for more information about this local project and our partners who make this ongoing event possible.

SEATRAC Seminar Series

SEATRAC hosts and promotes seminars, one Friday session per month from 12 –1 p.m., focused on TB basic and clinical sciences by local trainees', local and visiting faculty, and special guests.

Video Recordings and Education Opportunities

Mayo Clinic Center for TB

• Recorded Webinars (credits not available)
• Foundations in Tuberculosis Course (credits available)
• LTBI 101 for Healthcare Professionals (credits not available)

CITC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units not available for most of these trainings.

Rutgers TB Institute Webinar Archives
CE units are not available for these archives. 

SNTC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units are not offered for these trainings. 

SNTC Online Courses
CME units are offered for these trainings. . 

The Union

• Free Online Course - Interpretation of Chest X-Rays in Children with Presumptive TB
• Online Course on Management of Child and Adolescent Tuberculosis

TB ECHO Recorded Archives
Missed a TB ECHO^® session? TB ECHO^® has didactic presentations available for viewing on YouTube. Handouts related to the presentation are included where appropriate. Watch recorded TB ECHO®.

Tools and Resources

Minnesota's Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

• Access helpful tools, trainings, and updates for newcomers and refugee health here.

CDC

• CDC Learning Connection.
• CDC TRAIN is a comprehensive catalog of free public health training opportunities from the Public Health Foundation. For TB-related trainings, click here.
• Visit Everyday Words for Public Health Communication to find plain language alternatives for public health jargon.
• TB Personal Stories patient videos to help raise awareness about TB in the US.
• we are TB offers comprehensive peer support for current TB patients and TB clinics, including weekly live support group sessions.

DOH Refugee and Immigrant Health Program

• Afghan Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources (scroll down for TB resources).
• Ukrainian Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources to support new arrivals from Ukraine (scroll down for TB resources).

Southeastern National TB Center

• Individualized Country Guides

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