News

Greetings!

Below is a Council on Linkages Update for September 2025. Please feel free to share these opportunities in your organization’s newsletter or other communications.

Join the Council on Linkages’ September 12th Meeting

Join the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages) for its next meeting on Friday, September 12, 2025 from 1-3pm EDT. This meeting will feature insights from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, updates from Council on Linkages member organizations on their latest workforce development efforts, and an interactive discussion on how organizations are using the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals. We’ll wrap up with updates on the Academic Health Department Learning Community and Retention and Recruitment Toolkit and a look ahead at two events you won’t want to miss: the 2025 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and the Public Health Foundation’s 2025 Public Health Learning Forum. Access meeting materials and register on the meeting webpage. 

New Training: Introduction to the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals

Are you using the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) to strengthen your workforce? Developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, the Core Competencies reflect foundational knowledge and skills for professionals engaged in public health practice, education, and research and support public health workforce development nationwide. The Public Health Foundation’s (PHF’s) new free, self-paced online course introduces the Core Competencies and demonstrates how they can be applied to real-world workforce development challenges.

Interested in customizing this or other courses for your organization? Contact PHF’s eLearning Development Services team to learn more. 

Putting PH WINS to Work Using the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals and TRAIN

Ready to act on your latest Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) training needs data? Dig a little deeper and take the next steps using the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) and TRAIN Learning Network (TRAIN). The Core Competencies help to transform broad training areas to more specific skills so you know where to focus your energy, and TRAIN offers more than 5,000 free courses to meet a variety of training needs. Learn more today.

Register for the 2025 Public Health Learning Forum

November 18-21, 2025

Join the Public Health Foundation (PHF) this fall for the 2025 Public Health Learning Forum! Registration is open for this valuable learning opportunity to be held November 18-21. To help sustain performance improvement efforts when many organizations are facing funding and travel-related concerns, this event is being offered virtually and at no cost. Building on PHF’s widely used Performance Improvement Services, Forum sessions will focus on training and tools to support public health workforce development, quality improvement, and performance management to strengthen governmental public health workforce capacity. Register today to save your spot!

Interested in becoming a sponsor for this event? Learn more.

Connect with the Council on Linkages at the 2025 APHA Annual Meeting

November 2-5, 2025

The 2025 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Expo will be held November 2-5, 2025 in Washington, DC. Join the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice on Sunday afternoon for back-to-back sessions highlighting the role of academic health department partnerships in responding to community needs (2:30-4pm) and the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (4:30-6pm). Visit the meeting webpage to learn more and register for the APHA 2025​ Annual Meeting.

Performance Improvement Consulting Services for Public Health Organizations

Does your organization need support in building stronger systems, improving outcomes, or preparing for accreditation? The Public Health Foundation’s (PHF’s) Performance Improvement Consulting Services offer tailored technical assistance, expert-led training, and proven strategies to help your team succeed—providing support in workforce development, accreditation, AI integration, eLearning development, and more. These services can support academic health department partnerships and other collaborations between academia and public health practice. From advancing workforce development to supporting onboarding and continuing education, discover how PHF can support your organization’s performance improvement needs. Schedule a consultation with the PHF team today!

Join NALBOH for Their Annual Conference in Historic Savannah – Registration Now Open!

October 6-8, 2025

The 2025 National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) Annual Conference will take place October 6-8 in Savannah, GA. Join board of health members, health officials, and other public health professionals to explore issues such as public health leadership, policy, and the important role of local boards of health. Learn more and register.

Register for PHIT and Open Forum

October 7-10, 2025

Join the National Network of Public Health Institutes in Pittsburgh, PA, from October 7–10, 2025, for a week of learning, networking, and innovation. Start with the annual Public Health Improvement Training (PHIT) on October 7, featuring hands-on workshops, town halls, and skill-building sessions focused on strengthening public health systems. Then, stay for Open Forum: Next Generation, October 8–10, where new professionals, emerging leaders, and seasoned experts come together to exchange ideas, build networks, and drive innovation in public health. Learn more and register.