Workforce development planning is key for ensuring a skilled workforce. Examples in this section highlight how the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are playing a role in workforce development planning.
Competency-Based Workforce Development Plans Collection
The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice maintains a collection of workforce development plans that incorporate the Core Competencies. This collection includes more than 20 examples of competency-based workforce development plans and resources used to develop them to assist organizations in incorporating the Core Competencies into their own workforce development plans. View the collection.
City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals Prioritization Process
In late 2023 and early 2024, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) implemented the initiatives outlined in its 2021 strategic plan. Ensuring authentic and impactful efforts to dismantle racism were included in its policies and programs. To do so, MHD worked with the Public Health Foundation to engage a Prioritization Process using both the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals and the Racial Justice Competencies for Public Health Professionals. Deliberately and meaningfully integrating anti-racist frameworks and core competencies to build organizational structure and staff development creates the essential building blocks of dismantling racism in our communities. View the video to learn more about the process taken by MHD!
Denver Public Health Workforce Development Committee
Denver Public Health (CO) established a Workforce Development Committee to foster a culture of professional development for all employees. Among its activities, the Workforce Development Committee is responsible for fully implementing the Core Competencies, including identifying areas in which to focus improvement efforts, conducting an annual Core Competency Survey, and recommending organization-wide training opportunities. The committee is limited to 12 members, members are selected through an open application process and commit to serving a minimum of two years, and the committee meets monthly. To learn more,
view Denver Public Health's workforce development plan.
Public Health Accreditation Board Standards & Measures Version 1.5
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) sets the standards for national public health department accreditation. The PHAB Standards & Measures Version 1.5 details the standards and measures that must be met by health departments for initial accreditation. To receive accreditation, one item health departments must provide is a workforce development plan that includes an assessment of staff competencies. The Core Competencies are referenced within the Standards & Measures Version 1.5 as the example of nationally adopted core competencies. View the PHAB Standards & Measures.
Additional Resources