2023 was the hottest year in human history and with it came heatwaves, wildfire, hurricanes, blizzards, floods, landslides, and climate events of every variety. These environmental changes have impacted not only human, animal, and environmental health but also our relationships and interactions with both domesticated and wild species. Veterinary social workers and veterinary medicine professionals can play an important role in preventing, mitigating, and responding to the negative impacts of climate change on the HAB and advancing ecological justice in their communities of practice. This training will equip attendees with a foundational understanding of climate change as it relates to OneHealth, a functional understanding of ecological justice, an overview of how climate change is changing HAB and HAI, and exploration of VSW and Vet Meds prospective roles and practices for taking action along with related resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Learners gain functional understanding of climate change and can define key terms including environmental justice, climate justice, ecological justice

• Learners gain awareness and understanding of how climate change is impacting human animal relationships and interactions

• Learners explore prospective roles/actions for VSWs and veterinary medicine professionals to take to integrate climate and environmental justice/action into their work

• Learners are provided resources for continued learning and practice tools

Speakers: Bailey Fullwiler, MSSA, LSW and Rachel Forbes, MSW

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