The public health workforce is a vital part of the public health system, and ensuring a sufficient and competent workforce is critical to the success of any public health organization. The
Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) highlights the importance of the workforce for health departments seeking accreditation in its
Standards and Measures within Domain 8:
Build and support a diverse and skilled public health workforce. Included within this domain are two standards focused on the development of this workforce:
- Standard 8.1: Encourage the development and recruitment of qualified public health workers
- Standard 8.2: Build a competent public health workforce and leadership that practices cultural humility
In this context, workforce development encompasses both the current and future public health workforce, with activities aimed at promoting the development of future workers through collaborations with educational and other programs; creating health department-specific workforce development plans that include assessments of staff competencies and plans for training to address gaps; implementing workforce development strategies; crafting job descriptions that incorporate competencies; recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified staff; providing professional development opportunities; and creating a supportive work environment.
The Public Health Foundation (PHF) supports accreditation preparation efforts in the area of workforce development through:
- Staffing the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, a national collaborative focused on improving public health education and training, practice, and research, whose initiatives include:
- Powering the TRAIN Learning Network, which enables public health and other health professionals to access thousands of trainings and affiliates to create training plans, track participation in trainings, and report on workforce development activities
- Managing the Learning Resource Center, an online store with high quality training materials to assist health department staff and others with addressing public health needs
- Providing a variety of additional tools, webinars, and other resources related to workforce development
These key workforce development resources can provide support for health departments working to achieve and maintain PHAB accreditation.