1 Workforce Development: The Role of a Board of Health National Association of Local Boards of Health, 10th Annual Conference July 11, 2002 J. Fred Agel, Southeast Region Trustee, Georgia Stacy Baker Chris Day

2 Overview l What’s driving workforce development today? l What roles do boards play in assuring a competent and diverse workforce? l What national tools and resources can help? l What strategies have communities and organizations used to meet workforce needs? l Discussion, questions, sharing of ideas

3 What’s driving workforce development today? l Bioterrorism preparedness Funding through “Focus Area G” - Education & Training Public Health Response Bioterrorism Emerging infections Other health threats Organizational Capacity Organizational Capacity Information and Knowledge Systems Information and Knowledge Systems Workforce Competency Workforce Competency Surveillance Laboratory Practice Epidemic Investigation Basic infrastructure Basic infrastructure Source: U.S. Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) Essential capabilities Essential capabilities

4 What’s driving workforce development today? l Recognition that assuring a competent workforce is an Essential Public Health Service (Public Health Functions Project, 1994)

5 What’s driving workforce development today? l Workforce performance - National Public Health Performance Standards Program l Competency development - Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice

6 What’s driving workforce development today? National objectives for a diverse and competent workforce l Objective 1-8: Racial and ethnic representation in the health professions l Objective 23-8: Agencies that incorporate competencies for Essential Public Health Services into personnel systems l Objective 23-10: Continuing education and training by public health agencies l Other objectives related to topical training The nation’s prevention agenda

7 Background The Public Health Workforce: An Agenda for the 21st Century Builds on the 1988 Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Public Health Primary recommendations: l National, state, and local leadership l Track workforce composition over time l Use competency-based curriculum l Develop distance learning systems

8 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?

9 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?

10 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?

11 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?

12 l DeKalb County Job descriptions and employee evaluation process Entry level pay and career ladder Budget increases for training Environmental health and internships l Examples from Participants Examples of Board Leadership

13 National Public Health Performance Standards Program l Essential Service #8 - Workforce l 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?

14 Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals - Council on Linkages l Defines a competent public health workforce l Consensus of 15 national organizations (including NALBOH), input of over 1,000 people nationwide l Examples of uses online What tools and resources can assist boards? workforce needs assessment performance measurement personnel system refinement curriculum review and development discipline-specific competency development

15 CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacity Inventory l State and local tools online (currently under revision) l 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?

16 l Focuses on objectives to diversify and train a competent public health workforce (Healthy People objectives 1-8, 23-8, 23-10) l 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 Development A Companion Document to Healthy People 2010

17 National, regional, and state workforce resources l Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CDC) l Public Health Training Centers (HRSA) l National Laboratory Training Network l Public Health Training Network l TrainingFinder.org l Regional Centers for Health Workforce Studies (HRSA) l Public Health Leadership Institutes l Universities and college programs l Many more What tools and resources can assist boards? Build on what’s available!

18 How have communities addressed workforce needs?