When online learning experiences function as planned, it can be easy to forget all the quality work that goes on behind the scenes. But we all know what it's like to take an online course or participate in a webinar that doesn't go perfectly. As an organization dedicated to providing rewarding distance-based learning opportunities, NWCPHP values staff who expertly walk people through the necessary steps while providing a pleasant tech support experience.

For those who call NWCPHP wanting help with online resources, that friendly, competent voice on the other end of the line belongs to Sarah Paliulis. In the six years Sarah has been Learning Technologies Specialist at NWCPHP, she has been the reason why training activities run so smoothly.

In recognition of her excellent work, Sarah recently received two prestigious awards, one on behalf of the Health Services Department and one on behalf of the entire University of Washington School of Public Health. Colleagues nominated Sarah for the 2012 Department of Health Services Outstanding Staff Award. She was then chosen from other nominees by a selection committee. 

Receipt of the department award made Sarah eligible for the Kenneth J. Anderson Staff Award, an honor given by the Dean’s Office to one staff member in the School of Public Health who shows exemplary dedication to his or her work. From the five 2012 department award winners, the committee selected Sarah to receive this award on behalf of the entire School. 

Director of NWCPHP, Susan Allan, MD, JD, MPH, describes Sarah as “a rare and special blend of state-of-the-art technical expertise joined to outstanding skills for working with people to provide the highest level of customer service.”

Sarah works with University of Washington staff and faculty, as well as faculty from outside institutions and public health partners in the community. Those who work regularly with Sarah on projects have repeatedly commented on her exemplary work. Faculty member, Carl Osaki, RS, MSPH, calls Sarah “a consummate professional who is timely, thorough, and extremely proficient in providing assistance and help for all IT matters.” Sarah has helped Carl, and many others, develop effective slides for both presentations and teaching modules. Carl adds, “I trust her judgment and advice. Her pleasant personality and helpful approach to problem-solving and providing advice makes working with her enjoyable. I think she is a gem.”

NWCPHP’s monthly Hot Topics in Practice webinar series provides an example of how extensive Sarah’s role is. Sarah coordinates the series, trains each presenter, assists partners throughout the region with the webinar software installation and use in preparation for the webinar, moderates and runs the webinar, and then edits and archives the webinar within 24 hours for people who were unable to attend.  

One of the Hot Topics Directors, Pat Libbey, says “Sarah is extraordinary. Her remarkable combination of professionalism, thoroughness, commitment, and positive approach to her work is the foundation upon which the Hot Topics series is built.”

Sarah also oversees all technical needs for the Leadership Institute and the Public Health Management Certificate. These year-long training programs are primarily distance-based. Sarah provides support and advice to instructors about how to best utilize the distance-learning technology. She builds and maintains an online learning community commons where students and instructors can post assignments and resources, and have ongoing chats on a class-specific discussion board. Janell Blackmer, Manager of the Public Health Management Certificate, has said repeatedly how important Sarah is to the Certificate program and how grateful she is for Sarah’s services.

The praise expressed by faculty and affiliated instructors is echoed by Sarah’s fellow staff members at NWCPHP. Her skills and assistance are valued by all, and her personality makes her a joy to work with. Claire Rainey, a Research Assistant at NWCPHP says, “As part of my work, I conduct evaluations on our various training activities. In this capacity, I see how consistently Sarah is regarded by our faculty, staff, and partners.” 

Another staff member, Missie Thurston, adds, “Sarah makes my job easier and improves my ability to be effective because of her expertise, her kindness, and her patience.”

When asked about her response to receiving these awards, Sarah says, "I'm honored to be recognized in this way." She adds, "It is so rewarding to do work that I love with such wonderful and competent people."

Are you developing innovative programs, policies, and approaches, or generating new research findings that address today’s public health challenges?

If so, consider submitting an abstract for an oral or poster presentation at the annual Joint Conference on Health hosted by the Washington State Public Health Association. Submit abstracts online by May 25, 2012.

The conference takes place in Wenatchee, October 15–16, and is an opportunity to share, learn, and network with public health practitioners in Washington State. This year's theme is “Advancing Population Health with Results that Matter.” Conference tracks include:

• Community: mobilization, capacity building, partnering
• Data: research, assessment, evaluation, performance
• Environmental Public Health
• Evidence-Based Practice: promising and model practice in the field
• New Solutions: pilot tests, creative ideas, initial results
• Policy: development, advocacy, systems change
• Technology: information technology, media, marketing, surveillance
• Workforce Development: leadership and general competencies, wellness

Although the number of reported tuberculosis cases in the United States has steadily declined over the past 20 years, communicable disease specialists must conduct continuous surveillance to prevent and control outbreaks. Finding and treating Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) cases (people who are exposed to the bacteria but asymptomatic) is challenging since these individuals may not know to seek treatment.

During a Special Bulletin Webinar on Wednesday, May 30 from noon to 1:00 p.m. (PDT), tuberculosis prevention and control staff from the Washington State Department of Health, Kitsap Public Health District, and Public Health - Seattle & King County will discuss the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent guidelines regarding LTBI. This presentation will feature case scenarios to assist in a facilitated discussion of screening and treatment options.

Register now to learn about diagnostics, treatment options, directly observed therapy guidelines, and a cost analysis of three drug regimens.

Latent Tuberculosis: Diagnostics and Treatment

Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012, noon to 1:00 p.m. (PDT)

Target Audiences

• Local and state public health practitioners
• Public health nurses
• Local health jurisdiction tuberculosis programs
• Tribal health providers

Presenters

Dr. Scott Lindquist is the Health Officer and Director of the Kitsap Public Health District in Washington and serves as the Tuberculosis Medical Consultant for the Washington State Department of Health. Since 2001, he has worked as a pediatrician and public health officer at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Medical Clinic. Lindquist completed his medical training at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, his residency in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an Infectious Disease Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He holds a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Masa Narita has directed the Tuberculosis Control Program for Public Health - Seattle & King County since 2002. He is also an associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington and serves on the federal advisory council for the elimination of tuberculosis.

Sheanne Allen received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. From 2005 to 2011 she served as the Tuberculosis Education Promotion Consultant for the Washington State Department of Health. In 2011, Sheanne became the Tuberculosis Controller for the State of Washington and now directs the planning, implementation, and evaluation of program activities.

In Australia, citizens suffer many of the lifestyle diseases that are reaching epidemic levels in the United States—obesity and diabetes, among others. Research has shown links between these epidemics and the design of cities, so Australian health professionals are working to influence urban planning in a five-year, $1.5 million initiative, the Healthy Built Environments Program, funded by the New South Wales Department of Health.

On Tuesday May 30, Susan Thompson, Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and Director of the program, will talk about how the program seeks to revitalize the relationship between the built environment and health sectors through policy-relevant, interdisciplinary research, education and workforce development, leadership, and advocacy. She will touch on their current activities, interdisciplinary work, and the challenges posed by working across disciplines.

Healthy Planning Down Under

When:
May 30, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Where:
Gould Hall, Rm 440
University of Washington, Seattle

Presenter:
Susan Thompson, Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales, Australia, has nearly 35 years of experience as an urban planning practitioner, teacher, and researcher. She is Director of the Healthy Built Environments Program, City Futures Research Centre, and Faculty of the Built Environment at University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Over the years, Susan has received various awards for her contributions to planning scholarship. Her prize-winning edited text, Planning Australia, published by Cambridge University Press, is now in its second edition.

About Healthy Places Research Group:
The Healthy Places Research Group is co-sponsored by the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice and the Department of Urban Design and Planning. To receive announcements about similar forums, trainings, and learning opportunities, please email NWCPHP.

Luann D’Ambrosio, NWCPHP Associate Director, has been elected as an At-Large Member of the Executive Committee of the National Public Health Leadership Development Network (NLN). The Network, a national consortium dedicated to advancing public health leadership, made the announcement at their annual conference in St. Louis, MO last week.

"It's a pleasure to be asked to serve," said D'Ambrosio. "These national collaborations are so important to support the ongoing growth and development of leadership activities."

The NLN was established to support the growth of and improve access to public health leadership institutes throughout the country. It also provides a formal means for expanding collaboration among academic and practice institute directors and coordinators, leadership institute alumni, and representatives of other federal, professional, and private organizations.

NWCPHP has a long history with NLN, especially since the launch of the Northwest Public Health Leadership Institute in 2003. The Leadership Institute is a 9-month program designed to train the next generation of public health leaders and is currently accepting applications for the next cohort, which runs from August 2012 to April 2013.   

In addition to D’Ambrosio's role in the Northwest Public Health Leadership Institute, she manages NWCPHP’s operations, leads the evaluation activities, and represents NWCPHP on a number of national networks.

"Effective leadership in public health is a key concern," says D'Ambrosio. "These changing times require strong leaders and we need to make sure opportunities to learn about leadership skills are available for public health practice."

In the current era of diminishing resources, public health professionals are always looking for efficient ways to improve services. For disease investigators, the Emergency Community Notification System (ECNS) can be an effective tool to reach communities during an emergency.

At the next Hot Topics in Practice webinar on Tuesday, May 8 from noon to 1:00 p.m. (PDT), emergency preparedness and response staff from Clark County Washington will discuss lessons learned from implementing ECNS.

ECNS works like 911 in reverse and allows agencies to contact pre-identified groups in the community, poll them, and record their responses. This automated, cost-effective process helps epidemiologists and public health nurses quickly identify the portion of the population that will require follow-up interviews.

Register now to learn how implementing this system in your health jurisdiction can reduce paperwork, save time and money, increase compliance with control measures, and contribute to more efficient use of staff time.

This webinar is part of an ongoing series that features current issues in public health practice. These monthly webinars can be accessed online at no charge. For more upcoming webinars or to listen to archived sessions, visit Hot Topics in Practice.

Automated Phone Surveys for Disease Investigation

Date: Tuesday, May 8, 2012, noon to 1:00 p.m. (PDT)

Target Audiences

• Local and state public health practitioners
• Emergency response coordinators
• Epidemiologists
• Public Health Nurses

Presenters
Lianne Martinez has an A.S. in Criminal Justice and a background in community corrections. She currently works as a Region IV Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator in Washington State. In this capacity, Lianne coordinates the region’s Medical Reserve Corps and serves as Sections Chief on a Type 3 All-Hazards Incident Management Team.

Richard Konrad was trained as a teacher and taught in secondary schools and community colleges before joining the Fire Service. After serving as the Operations Deputy for a mid-sized municipal fire department, he left to help develop one of the earliest Associate Degree Programs in Emergency Medical Services. After moving to the Vancouver-Portland area, he served as the administrator of a regional trauma care and Emergency Management System planning agency. Richard currently works as a Region IV Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator in Washington State.

When it comes to the future of public health, one thing is certain: It will take skilled professionals to guide organizations through the many changes ahead. To help practitioners prepare, the Summer Institute for Public Health Practice offers an intensive three and a half day training opportunity to build critical skills needed for the public health of tomorrow.

The 2012 Summer Institute takes place August 6–9, and is currently enrolling. Six courses are available for participants to choose from:

• Implementing Program Planning, Evaluation and Return on Investment
• Interpreting and Using Health Data
• Health Communication
• Preparing for Accreditation
• Presentation Tools and Technologies
• Systems and Strategies in Public Health Management

Each course emphasizes systems-level thinking, leading and embracing change, and strategic rather than short-term planning.

“When preparing each course, our goal is always to make sure that participants return to work with practical skills they can use right away,” said Jack Thompson, MSW, Director of the Summer Institute. “These aren’t just skills for the distant future—they’re to help you with your work today.”

In addition to the in-depth learning that takes place through each course focus, all participants gather daily for plenary lectures presented by national leaders and for lunch.

“The intense learning that happens in the courses when combined with plenary lectures and group lunches creates a very well-rounded experience,” said Luann D’Ambrosio, MEd, NWCPHP’s Assistant Director. “Participants hone specific skills in their chosen course, they are introduced to national public health leaders, and they are also able to establish relationships with other professionals from all over the region. Each year, we are energized by the learning that happens through each of these avenues.”

Discounts are available for early registrants through June 30 and for groups of three or more.

For 21 years, the Summer Institute has been one of the cornerstones of NWCPHP’s training opportunities to help public health professionals advance in their careers.

See the 2012 Summer Institute for Public Health Practice page for more information and to apply.

The Affordable Care Act is a complex topic with complicated implications for many areas of the health system. This week, NWCPHP’s Director, Susan Allan, MD, JD, MPH wrote a guest post for State of Reform discussing the possible impacts on public health—
whether it passes the impending Supreme Court ruling, or not.

Read her post on the State of Reform Blog.

There’s been a large-scale emergency, and your department has to call in extra resources to respond. All staff need to be trained and comfortable with the required protocols, and fast—a tall order for a stressful situation. What’s the best way to train responders in this kind of scenario?

For the last two and a half years, the Advanced Practice Center (APC) at Oregon's Multnomah County Health Department has been researching, developing, and disseminating tools to address that very question in the context of Just-In-Time-Training (JITT). Through their work, they found that during an emergency there are often gaps between JITT methods in use and best practices of adult learning.

“In emergency training situations, health departments frequently rely heavily on either pre-produced video with little context or on didactic lectures with lots of forms,” said Beth McGinnis, MPH and program supervisor for the Multnomah APC. “Practice is the huge thing that is missing. The opportunity to physically practice the job is so critical to retention and application of the information.”

With foundational work done by Christine Cress, PhD at Portland State University, the Multnomah APC went to work developing ways to incorporate adult learning concepts into emergency trainings for health department staff. The result became Inclusive Just-In-Time-Training (I-JITT) model and a suite of trainings and materials to support it.

The I-JITT Model

The I-JITT model addresses three key factors in learning: the learning dimension (intellectual, behavioral, and emotional needs of the responder), the learning style (visual, auditory, or hands-on), and cultural context (the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of the individual or group in the emergency environment).

The principles of the I-JITT model seek to satisfy these learning needs by tailoring the training to the specific response environment, so that responders can be the best prepared.

"“There is no one-size-fits all teaching technique. To convey the most information to the broadest audience, your program must employ all of the training techniques at your disposal—auditory, visual, experiential."

—from the
Inclusive Just-In-Time
Training online course

The first steps in the Multnomah APC’s process were to develop the I-JITT whitepaper, “Enhancing Training During Public Health Emergencies: An Inclusive Just-In-Time Approach," which provides a strong overview of the principles and arguments for why incorporating this type of training is so critical to a successful emergency response.

I-JITT Trainings and Toolkits

The Multnomah APC will complete its three-year grant in October 2012, so they are now working hard to spread the I-JITT concepts through trainings and toolkits that can live beyond the existence of the APC.

“Sustaining the model is the name of the game. We’ve created all these materials, but we have to help health departments learn to tailor and understand it, so they know appropriate use,” said McGinnis. “Otherwise the materials themselves will not be effective.”

To do this, they’ve created multiple electronic outreach vehicles—including webinars, podcasts, and an introductory video—so that health departments can integrate I-JITT toolkits and principles effectively. All of the I-JITT training materials and toolkits can be found on the Multnomah County Advanced Practice Center page.

Of these, McGinnis says she is particularly proud of the Inclusive Just-In-Time-Training Workshop video: “I think that the video training we created from an epi/investigation environment workshop was most helpful and a good resource for people to know how to begin working with the I-JITT curriculum.”

I-JITT: A Successful Model for Emergency Training and Beyond

The I-JITT concepts and toolkits have received an extremely positive response from trainers and training recipients. In fact, the I-JITT toolkit for Point of Dispensing (POD)/Mass Prophylaxis Operations remains the most viewed tool in the APC online toolbox, which contains tools from APCs all over the country.

Furthermore, while the main focus was to improve training techniques during emergencies, health department officials have also found that I-JITT concepts can be applied to any type of training.

“The inclusive part of the I-JITT is a concept in-and-of itself which I espouse and use in a lot of training.  It assures a better outcome for trainees,” commented Diana Yu, MD, Health Officer for Thurston and Mason Counties in Washington, who received I-JITT training in April 2011.

The CDC Department of the Strategic National Stockpile is also in the process of integrating the I-JITT model into part of their week-long preparatory course for trainers. This means that hundreds of state and local preparedness practitioners who attend the course each year will learn about this approach to training and the related toolkits—a big endorsement for the quality of the Multnomah APC’s work.

As of now, the future of the APCs is uncertain, due to potential changes in federal funding, so Multnomah County is making every effort to ensure that local health departments use the materials and trainings available to them.

To take advantage of these trainings and tools, you can find them all on the Multnomah County Advanced Practice Center website.

Northwest Health Foundation recently requested statements of interest for an exciting funding opportunity for local and tribal health departments in Oregon seeking national accreditation.

The Foundation will provide up to nine Oregon health departments with awards ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 for projects and costs related to the accreditation process. Health departments will also be able to participate in a Learning Collaborative with other departments and receive technical assistance on accreditation from the Foundation.

Interested departments must file an intent to apply by 5:00 p.m. on April 27.

This grant aims to support local and tribal departments in national accreditation, in hopes that this step will encourage engagement with Coordinated Care Organizations and support healthier communities. Coordinated Care Organizations are local health entities in Oregon that deliver health care and coverage for people eligible for the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid), including those also covered by Medicare.

Northwest Health Foundation's mission is to advance, support, and promote the health of the people of Oregon and southwest Washington through a variety of means, including grantmaking, technical assistance and training, convening, commissioning research, and supporting policy advocacy.

Find out more about Northwest Health Foundation’s Public Health for the Next Generation: Investing in Healthier Communities grant.

Health departments across the country are implementing Quality Improvement (QI) measures to improve performance and demonstrate accountability in preparation for national public health accreditation. This is no small process. That's why Idaho’s North Central Public Health District invited NWCPHP faculty member Bud Nicola, MD, MHSA, to lead a training about the role of accreditation in public health and common QI tools and techniques.

"The accreditation process gives us a roadmap to demonstrate the value we provide to our community," said Carol Moehrle, North Central District Director, explaining why she requested the training. "We already collect data and document much of our work, but now we want to make a major organizational shift to use that data to improve our processes and performance."

She also praised her leadership team and board of health for supporting the district-wide effort.

Although accreditation is voluntary, Nicola encourages all health departments to participate. He explained, "Accreditation provides a system of accountability—something all organizations should strive for. Using QI techniques in the process is good management."

Good managers also look for ways to maximize their resources. With a staff of only 50 people to cover 13,000 square miles, Moehrle does this by cross-training everyone, including herself, on job duties outside their primary position.

"I sometimes cover for staff when they are gone, and it really helps me appreciate their work," she said.

Because they are busy covering such a large region, staff at the North Central Health District have few opportunities to get together as one group. This training was a special event involving everyone and every level of the organization in the accreditation process.

"The best thing I can do for my staff is keep them well trained. Increased skills and knowledge contribute to job satisfaction and retention," said Moerle.

Moehrle explained that staff are being asked to do more and more, which makes training essential. This strong emphasis on training, especially in the current economic climate, may sound unique, but it is based on years of experience. In 1991, at the age of 35, Moehrle became the youngest health district director in Idaho and the first female director for her district. Those early learning years prepared her for the current challenges of public health management.

"We've had rocky times and staff have gone without," said Moerle. "They just got their first raise in five years. We also have 20 fewer employees compared to five years ago, and that loss is hard."

Despite the challenges, Moehrle says she is continually amazed by the resilience of the public health workforce, and she is hopeful about the implications of national accreditation.

"My father is a clockmaker, and he always tells me 'Timing is everything.' He's right. Timing is everything, and the time for accreditation is now."

The hardest part of the national public health accreditation process may be found in the details. Correctly compiling all the required elements for your unique organization is no easy task.

That’s why NWCPHP is offering a pilot coaching series at no cost to help public health agencies that have started the process and would like more guidance from accreditation experts.

“There are plenty of opportunities available for generalized training about national accreditation,” said Jack Thompson, MSW, one of the series’ instructors. “We have found that a number of our partners need more support once their organizations get started.”

Once an agency commits to earning national accreditation, lots of questions begin to arise like: What’s the first step in doing our Community Health Assessment? How do we create a Community Health Improvement Plan? What kind of documentation fits the bill for our evidence of process?

The pilot coaching series, available for 10–15 participants, will address questions like these through three one-on-one sessions and three web-based group sessions, led by Thompson and Grace Gorenflo, MPH, RN. Both instructors have been closely involved with the national accreditation movement.

Participants will be matched up with either Thompson or Gorenflo, who will then review and give individualized feedback. Group sessions will address broader topics and facilitate an ongoing learning community that participants can also use for support.

“This series is really meant for people who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work on the process,” said Gorenflo. “Our goal is to give each participant practical feedback based on their unique organization and put them on the road to successful accreditation.”

The coaching series kicks off with a general update on current accreditation issues at the Hot Topics webinar on April 24, which can either be viewed live or on-demand. One-on-one and group sessions will take place from May through July.

Applications are due May 1. For more information and to apply, see the Public Health Accreditation Coaching Series page.

In an effort to improve access to multilingual health information, University of Washington researchers will conduct a survey to better understand current communication and translation practices in public health. This survey, which will be sent to local health districts in the Pacific Northwest on April 10, is another exciting step in the TransPHorm project.

"Despite the need for translated public health materials, health departments face challenges providing accurate, multilingual health information due to lack of time and resources. The goal of this survey is to learn from local departments in Health and Human Services Region 10 (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska) about their modes of communication and translation so we can design systems to assist the translation process," said Anne Turner, MD, MLIS, MPH, one of the primary investigators of the study.

"The vast majority of health information is available only in English, which can make obtaining accurate and up-to-date health information very difficult for the over 46 million people living in the US with limited English proficiency," said Turner.

The aim of the TransPHorm project, a collaborative research project funded by National Library of Medicine and conducted by principal investigators Turner and Katrin Kirchhoff, PhD, is to study the use of machine translation (known as statistical machine translation technology) to translate public health materials.

If the UW-based machine translation technology proves to be effective in providing accurate, cost-effective translations in a timely manner, it would have the potential to greatly improve access to multilingual public health materials.

In the first year of the project, TransPHorm researchers interviewed 22 staff from the health department in Seattle, Wash., to identify current translation activities and processes. More interviews are now being conducted with Washington State’s Department of Health, with plans to also interview individuals at a rural health department. Researchers want to assess feasibility and barriers associated with incorporating automated translation into public health practice.

Though she’s only been with Northwest Center for Public Health Practice since October, Barb Rose is already a very familiar face to many of our regional partners. As NWCPHP’s Outreach and Training Specialist, she can be found “womaning” our booth at a conference, helping public health professionals find the right learning resource, or visiting your local health department to lead a training.

When she’s not working, Barb enjoys a very different kind of training. An avid backcountry skier and mountain climber, Barb is usually preparing to conquer a new slice of the Pacific Northwest wilderness. Just this past February, she and her husband enjoyed a trip to the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon, exploring the backcountry on skis and making use of Forest Service huts that are available only during winter months.

“Not a lot of people know the Wallowas are there,” she said. “Before you get to them you’re in a high desert terrain, and the mountains pop out of nowhere.”

Both Barb and her husband grew up in Kansas, but during college, they spent summers working at Yellowstone and Glacier Bay National Parks. After that, according to her, the two of them just got addicted to the landscape of the West.

It seems they haven’t looked back since, and have truly made the Pacific Northwest their playground. They’re already training for the summer climbing season, and deciding which peaks to attempt–Challenger and Glacier Peak are both on the short list.

When asked if she ever plans to take on Mt. Rainier, Barb scrunched her nose a bit. Her husband has done it, but Barb prefers quieter, lesser known places.

“There are just too many trails, teams, and guided groups on Rainier,” she said. “I like the rarer places, where you have to navigate and you really get away from the city noise.”

Her favorite places to go are the North Cascades and deep into the rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula.

“For my job I need to be very extroverted, and I love that,” she says. “But I have this very quiet hobby because it nurtures this other side of me that loves deep solitude and places where you feel like you’re the only person in the world.”

On March 20, Dean Frumkin and Larry Kessler, ScD, Health Services Department Chair, kicked off this biannual meeting with a brief presentation of the School of Public Health’s new strategic plan. They then handed over the floor to public health representatives from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, so they could offer advice and suggestions for NWCPHP’s future in the context of many coming changes.

These changes come from many directions: shifting expectations for public health, the new strategic plan for the UW School of Public Health, and an upcoming change in NWCPHP leadership. (It was recently announced that Director Susan Allan, MD, JD, MPH will be changing her role with NWCPHP.)

“We want to know how to make this really wonderful institution even better, not just for tomorrow, but for many years ahead,” said Kessler.

NWCPHP faculty and staff hope to make the most of this chance to re-evaluate how the School and the Center can be of greater service to the future of public health. Thoughtful comments from the committee gave valuable insight about the needs of the public health workforce, the current role of NWCPHP, and possible ways NWCPHP can better support excellence in public health practice.

“We rely on this advisory group to help direct our activities,” said NWCPHP Associate Director Luann D’Ambrosio. “We want to ensure that our trainings and services are relevant to public health practice, and this meeting allows us to share our activities and hear what’s happening around the region. This session’s additional discussion about vision as we move forward only reinforces the value of their input.”

NWCPHP has served the public health practice community for more than 20 years, and for the past 12 years the regional steering committee has met to help inform NWCPHP activities. Public health representatives from state, local, tribal, and academic agencies convene to provide updates on their programs, give NWCPHP feedback on needed services, as well as offer insight into ongoing research projects.

Through the end of March, feedback will be collected from both internal and external community members to guide the future direction of the Center.

If you have recommendations you would like considered, please contact:

Luann D’Ambrosio, NWCPHP Associate Director
206.543.2659
ldambr@u.washington.edu