Academic Health Department (AHD) partnerships enhance public health education and training, research, and service and provides a variety of benefits for the organizations involved and the community as a whole. The Public Health Foundation offers remote assistance to health departments interested in exploring and enhancing AHD partnerships.

Elements of the environmental scan include:

• Meeting with the Health Department to:
• Determine desired outcomes from an environmental scan
• Discuss potential topics to be included in interviews or focus groups
• Discuss criteria for the Health Department to use in determining institutions and individuals to be included, whether internal to the agency or external partners
• Determine institutions and individuals to be included in interviews of focus groups
• Developing an interview guide
• Conducting interviews/focus groups
• Developing a summary report from the environmental scan to include:
• Analysis of information/data obtained from interviewees
• Summary of key findings
• Meeting with the Health Department to discuss environmental scan findings and potential next steps

Ready to get started?
PHF is ready to assist. Contact Ron Bialek at 202-218-4420 or [email protected]. You can also submit your request online. 

Looking for more? View technical assistance and training on Quality Improvement, Performance Management, Workforce Development, Accreditation, Leadership and Change Management, and Population Health.