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Workforce Development:The Role of a Board of Health

National Association of Local Boardsof Health, 10th Annual ConferenceJuly 11, 2002

J. Fred Agel, Southeast Region

Trustee, Georgia

Stacy Baker

Chris Day

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Overview

What’s driving workforce development today? What roles do boards play in assuring a

competent and diverse workforce? What national tools and resources can help? What strategies have communities and

organizations used to meet workforce needs?

Discussion, questions, sharing of ideas

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What’s driving workforce development today?

Bioterrorism preparednessFunding through “Focus Area G” -

Education & Training Public Health

ResponseBioterrorismEmerging infectionsOther health threats

OrganizationalCapacity

OrganizationalCapacity

Information andKnowledge Systems

Information andKnowledge Systems

WorkforceCompetencyWorkforce

Competency

SurveillanceLaboratory

PracticeEpidemicInvestigation

Basicinfrastructure

Basicinfrastructure

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC)

EssentialcapabilitiesEssential

capabilities

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What’s driving workforce development today?

Recognition that assuring a competent workforce is an Essential Public Health Service (Public Health Functions Project, 1994)

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What’s driving workforce development today?

Workforce performance - National Public Health Performance Standards Program

Competency development - Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals

Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice

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What’s driving workforce development today?

National objectives for a diverse and competent workforce

Objective 1-8: Racial and ethnic representation in the health professions

Objective 23-8: Agencies that incorporate competencies for Essential Public Health Services into personnel systems

Objective 23-10: Continuing education and training by public health agencies

Other objectives related to topical training

The nation’sprevention agenda

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BackgroundThe Public Health Workforce: An Agenda for the 21st Century

Builds on the 1988 Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Public Health

Primary recommendations: National, state, and local leadership Track workforce composition over time Use competency-based curriculum Develop distance learning systems

www.health.gov/phfunctions/pubhlth.pdf

www.health.gov/phfunctions/pubhlth.pdf

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1. Provide board of health leadership on workforce issues • Put workforce issues on

the board’s agenda• Make workforce issues a

priority within the jurisdiction

What are the roles of boards of health?

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2. Oversee the development of plans for health workforce development• Identify workforce composition, supply, skills, and

capacity - current and future needs• Develop strategies to measure and improve

worker training, diversity, and performance • Identify partners that can help prepare the

workforce• Coordinate with gov’t and private sector leaders

What are the roles of boards of health?

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3. Advise or set policies on licensing, credentialing, and training• Health care workers in all settings• Public health agency officials,

employees, contractors, and volunteers

4. Advise or determine the budget and incentives for workforce development

What are the roles of boards of health?

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5. Oversee the evaluation of workforce development efforts and make changes based on findings• What do we know about our

workforce competence and needs?• Where have we been successful?• What can we do more effectively?

What are the roles of boards of health?

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DeKalb County • Job descriptions and employee

evaluation process • Entry level pay and career ladder• Budget increases for training • Environmental health and

internships

Examples from Participants

Examples of Board Leadership

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National Public Health PerformanceStandards Program Essential Service #8 - Workforce Model Standard for Oversight of Public

Health Workforce Issues

What tools and resources can assist boards?

Sample questions: Does the board of health or other governing body...

G8.7 ...routinely assure the development, implementation, and/or review of policies supporting continuing education for public health workers?

G8.8 ...identify national, state, or local resources that could be used for workforce training, leadership development, or continuing education?

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Core Competencies for Public HealthProfessionals - Council on Linkages Defines a competent public health workforce Consensus of 15 national organizations (including

NALBOH), input of over 1,000 people nationwide

Examples of uses online www.TrainingFinder.org/competencies

What tools and resources can assist boards?

• workforce needs assessment• performance measurement• personnel system refinement

• curriculum review and development

• discipline-specific competency development

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CDC Emergency Preparednessand Response Capacity Inventory State and local tools online

(currently under revision) Checklist of items related to

workforce training capacity such as:• satellite broadcast capability• staff training coordinators and trainers

What tools and resources can assist boards?

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Focuses on objectives to diversify and train a competent public health workforce (Healthy People objectives 1-8, 23-8, 23-10)

Numerous strategies, community examples, resources, and contacts across the country

What tools and resources can assist boards?

The Key Ingredient of the National Prevention Agenda: Workforce DevelopmentA Companion Document to Healthy People 2010

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National, regional, and state workforce resources Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CDC) Public Health Training Centers (HRSA) National Laboratory Training Network Public Health Training Network TrainingFinder.org Regional Centers for Health Workforce Studies

(HRSA) Public Health Leadership Institutes Universities and college programs Many more

What tools and resources can assist boards?

Build on what’s available!

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How have communities addressed workforce needs?

Reciprocalacademic/practicetraining

Credentialingand training

requirements

Universityprep. and

admissionsprograms

Mentorprograms

Competencyand training

needsassessment

Workforcepolicies to

supportlearning

Summerjobs,

internships,fellowships

RC/EZ/EC taxcredits and

partnerships

Orientationtraining forall workers

Distancelearning

partnerships

Healthprofessions

magnetschools

“Kids IntoHealth

Careers”