The mission of NWCPHP is to improve the quality and effectiveness of public health practice by linking academia and the practice community. We focus our efforts on six Pacific Northwest states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

Formed in 1990, NWCPHP works with state and local health agencies and tribal health organizations, primarily through a Regional Network, to develop and implement a long-term, integrated approach to workforce development. The network assists NWCPHP in setting goals and priorities and also provides mutual resources and support for its members.

NWCPHP is guided by the following principles:

• Expand current efforts in providing basic and advanced public health education and training to public health practitioners in the six-state region
• Strengthen and expand linkages with local and state public health officials in each of the states in our region
• Provide a conduit to rapidly apply new scientific findings and guidelines to local and state public health practice
• Collaborate with other Preparedness Centers to develop an integrated national system for providing basic and advanced education and training to the nation's public health workforce

NWCPHP core activities:

• Developing educational content for practice-based continuing education
• Conducting on-site and distance-learning training
• Holding workforce and leadership training institutes
• Providing technical assistance to state and local health departments
• Coordinating special projects related to workforce and public health improvement

These activities are primarily supported by two federal grants. In 2000, NWCPHP became both a Center for Public Health Preparedness, through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Associated Schools of Public Health, and a Public Health Training Center, through funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

NWCPHP also includes affiliated centers and projects that provide support and training in the areas of environmental health, pharmaceuticals, and public health informatics.

Our web site is intended to help front-line public health practitioners find information, learning resources, and online tools that support day-to-day public health practice. Let us know how we can make this site more useful to you.