Celebrate With Us!

Join us in making some noise for the 14th annual DIS Recognition Day on Friday, October 3! Tag NCSD (@NCSDDC on Instagram or @National Coalition of STD Directors on Facebook and LinkedIn) so we can see and share.

This year’s theme is Every Connection Counts to honor the dedicated DIS workforce who serve as the vital link between communities and public health. From contact tracing to outbreak response, their work improves lives… one connection at a time.

Social Media Materials

We invite you to download and use this social media post to help create a buzz around DIS Recognition Day and the amazing work of DIS!

We also have:

• • A carousel post with information about who DIS are and what they do.
  • Prompt posts for you to edit in Canva or print out and write your response on; we encourage you to post a picture of yourself with it on social media, or share with DIS that you work with (Canva login required for editing online; also available in our Google Drive here).
  • A Zoom background to use for the days leading up to DIS Recognition Day.
  • “I’m a DIS” social media template that you can upload a photo of yourself into (Canva login required).

Draft Language

• • Today is Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Recognition Day! With the theme “Every Connection Counts,” we honor the dedicated DIS workforce who serve as the vital link between communities and public health. From contact tracing to outbreak response, their work improves lives… one connection at a time. Thank you, DIS, for being on the frontlines of prevention, protection, and care each and every day.  
  • Happy Disease Intervention Specialist Recognition Day! Today, we recognize the skilled and compassionate professionals working behind the scenes to stop the spread of disease and support our communities. This year’s theme — “Every Connection Counts” — reminds us that every call, every contact, and every conversation makes a difference in protecting public health. 
  • DIS do it all in their local communities! Providing non-judgmental and inclusive sexual health education, swiftly connecting people to screening and treatment services, and leading frontline contact tracing efforts are just the beginning of the work they do to help keep our communities healthy and make sure every connection counts. Happy DIS Recognition Day!  
  • Happy Disease Intervention Specialist Recognition Day! Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) have been on the frontlines of outbreaks since the 1930s, responding to everything from anthrax, flu, measles, food-borne illness, Zika, and Ebola to HIV, STIs, COVID-19, and mpox. This country wouldn’t be the same without them, and today we celebrate their work!   
  • From the first phone call to the last follow-up, Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) are a vital piece of the puzzle of public health. On DIS Recognition Day, we honor those who work tirelessly to protect our communities — because every connection counts. We see you, we thank you. Happy DIS Recognition Day! 

Suggested Hashtags

#DISDay2025 #DISRecognitionDay #EveryConnectionCounts 

DIS Drop-In-Social Hour

We’re hosting our third annual drop-in-social hour to celebrate DIS Recognition Day on Friday, October 3 at 12 pm ET! Join NCSD staff as well as fellow DIS across the country to connect, enjoy some mocktails, and have some fun. Courtney Brame, founder of Something Positive for Positive People, will lead us through some gentle yoga to help unwind and energize us before we head into time for games, socialization, and gratitude.

Register Here
Download our mocktail and snacks menu

Who Are DIS?

DIS are remarkable public health professionals who come from a wide variety of background skill-sets and professions. They’re a group of field epidemiologists who identify, track, and prevent the transmission of infections with rich experiences including:

• • • highly trained public health professionals
    • licensed clinicians and medical providers including nurses and physicians
    • community health workers and social workers
    • lived experiences
    • health educators

DIS provide critical services in our communities to improve sexual health education and sexual health outcomes (and sometimes new and reemerging infections also!). Here are some ways DIS work hard every day to help make sex safer:

• • • provide non-judgmental and inclusive sexual health education
    • swiftly connect individuals to screening and treatment services
    • confidentially support partner notification (also known as partner services) of individuals potentially exposed
    • make referrals to wrap-around services including housing support or syringe exchange
    • lead frontline contact tracing efforts for emerging and reemerging infections including tuberculosis, COVID-19, and mpox
    • jurisdiction unique services that vary based on the needs of their local communities!