NAHLN: MAINTAIN LEVEL 1 STATUS AND INCREASE NAHLN CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITY IN ADDRESSING AN ADVERSE ANIMAL HEALTH EVENT SUCH AS MAY OCCUR WITH AN EMERGING DISEASE DETECTION OR FOREIGN ANIMAL DISEASE.

Non Technical Summary
Early detection, response, and recovery to an emerging or foreign animal infectious disease agent, whether accidentally ordeliberately introduced, is dependent upon a qualified, reliable, and secure network of laboratories strategically locatedthroughout the United States. In response to this need, the USDA National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) wasestablished in 2002 as a comprehensive and fully coordinated surveillance and monitoring system of animal disease.The current proposal is for the continued participaton of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) at WashingtonState University in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) as a Level 1 Member Laboratory in FY2024. TheWADDL plan of work objectives for FY2024 are: (1) meet all responsibilities as a Level 1 NAHLN Laboratory; and 2) increase NAHLNcapabilities and capacity in addressing an adverse animal health event (i.e. FAD) with priority placed on the ability to electronicallymessage test results.This will be accomplished by supporting IT personnel to: 1) actively and consistently electronically message all diagnostic test results underour testing scope in specified timelines using HL7 standards to NAHLN or other VS systems, 2) participating in messagingcompetency events to demonstrate the ability to use HL7 standards and electronically transmit test result data to APHISdatabases, 3) develop new messages for diagnostic test results in a timeframe prescribed by NAHLN, 4) comply with IT systemaccess and connectivity requirements, 5) provide diagnostic data per the specified timelines and reporting requirements, and 6)supporting a laboratory quality management system and maintaining full accreditation by the American Association of VeterinaryLaboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD).The objectives will also include supporting laboratory and administrative personnel to, a1)accept and rapidly test samples for animaldisease investigations, surveillance, and outbreak situations, 2) assist other NAHLN laboratories during emergency situations asable, 3) utilize the APHIS NAHLN portal, and 4)maintain the ability to fulfill the administrative requirements related to federal fundingreceived for NAHLN activities.The impact of accomplishing the project goals would be to provide national laboratory capacity andcapability to quickly and effectively address an adverse animal health event such as may occur with an emerging diseasedetection or foreign animal disease outbreak.