Regional Public Health Training Centers: An Essential Partner in Workforce Development

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically highlighted critical needs for a well-trained and robust public health workforce. Prior to the pandemic, the public health workforce was already challenged by a lack of formal public health training, employee turnover, funding inadequacies, and increasingly complex issues affecting public health practice and requiring multisector approaches. [1][2][3][4][5][6] These trends, especially those regarding the workforce, were magnified by the pandemic. An October 2021 New York Times report described more than 500 top public health officials having left their jobs in the previous 19 months 7 and more than half of public health workers surveyed in a 2021 study described stress-related symptoms of adverse mental health conditions. 8 Because of the pandemic, states have seen an influx of funding for hiring staff and temporary workers to assist with specific tasks such as contact tracing 9 ; yet, it is estimated that state and local health departments need to hire an additional 80 000 full-time equivalent positions to provide ongoing, foundational public health services. 10 As such,

The Need for Responsive Workforce Development During the Pandemic and Beyond: A Case Study of the Regional Public Health Training Centers

“…The pandemic brought with it substantial public health workforce turnover, resulting in new mid-level managers and leaders plus a national focus on the recruitment and retention of a diverse public health workforce 1,8,11,21. The Regional PHTCs described having been able to draw upon their experience, infrastructure, and partnerships to respond to workforce development needs related to COVID-19 and other emerging public health priorities as well as carry out ongoing activities in the pandemic's first 2 years.…”

“…The Public Health Training Center (PHTC) Network is a consortium of regional centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that collectively represent the nation's most comprehensive resource for public health workforce development. First established in 1999 as state-based centers, the PHTCs transitioned to a regional model in 2014 1. Each of the 10 Regional PHTCs is housed at an accredited school of public health and serves multiple states and/or territories (see Appendix Figure 1, Supplemental Digital Content, available at http://links.lww.com/JPHMP/B243).…”

“…The United States entered the pandemic with an underresourced public health workforce, despite ongoing calls to address it 3,5–7. This has recently been exacerbated by record numbers of long-standing public health leaders and staff who left or were considering leaving soon, due to retirement, stress, burnout, and trauma 1,8,9. Recommendations for strengthening the public health infrastructure,3 such as those related to the workforce pathway,5,10,11 necessitate partnerships with academic centers such as the Regional PHTCs that have strong relationships with those in practice and that are well versed in workforce development and assessment.…”

“…First established in 1999 as state-based centers, the PHTCs transitioned to a regional model in 2014. 1 Each of the 10 Regional PHTCs is housed at an accredited school of public health and serves multiple states and/or territories (see Appendix Figure 1, Supplemental Digital Content, available at http: //links.lww.com/JPHMP/B243). Each PHTC partners with state and local health departments, tribal-serving organizations, public health and primary care associations, academic institutions, and others to sustain a skilled public health workforce within its region.…”

Rural Public Health Data Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case for Building Better Systems Ahead of a Public Health Crisis

“…While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investing billions of dollars in new, multiyear funds related to US public health system data modernization and workforce development, 20,21 dedicated long-term funding is needed that ensures ongoing training and support that reaches rural public health systems and makes public health data accessible and of use to rural communities. Regional Public Health Training Centers 22 and academic institutions should also make data-related training and meeting rural public health practice needs a priority.…”