The Potential for Total Worker Health ® Approaches in State and Territorial Health Departments

In Brief Objective To document the extent to which state and territorial health departments (SHDs) integrate their occupational safety and health (OSH) and workplace health promotion (WHP) activities consistent with a Total Worker Health (TWH) approach. Methods Nationally representative survey of OSH and WHP practitioners at 56 SHDs followed by in-depth interviews. Results Despite reporting limited awareness of the TWH initiative and TWH resources, most respondents (57% OSH, 64% WHP) reported collaboration between OSH and WHP staff in their departments. Collaborations were described in-depth. Barriers to OSH-WHP collaborations included resource insufficiencies, organizational structure in the SHD, and conflicting practices. Facilitators included knowledge of TWH approaches, proximity to TWH Centers of Excellence, proximity between OSH/WHP programs, and leadership initiative. Motivations for collaboration were enumerated. Conclusions Strategies for building TWH capacity and activity among SHDs are discussed. State and Territorial Health Departments (SHDs) are a key part of the nation’s infrastructure for maintaining population health, including that of workers. Total Worker Health® collaborations between occupational safety and health and workplace health promotion staff in SHDs are emerging. Implications for advancing TWH approaches nationally are discussed.