NWCPHP - for 20 years.

Idaho

Idaho's Public Health System

Idaho has a regionalized, local health department system composed of seven multi-county District Health Departments, which collaborate at the state level with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW). These eight separate agencies work together as a system, Idaho Health Districtsplaying different but complementary roles in the planning, funding, delivery, and evaluation of health services in Idaho. Primary health-related responsibilities within IDHW are delegated to the Division of Health (DOH), which has 206 full-time equivalent staff. Local boards of health govern the autonomous seven multi-county district health departments.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare also coordinates public health and emergency preparedness services with tribal nations across the state.

Idaho Department of Health & Welfare

Activities

In Idaho, NWCPHP works actively with public health colleagues to design and implement specific training activities, assist in the development of a statewide workforce development strategy and support efforts to build greater capacity for public health education and training.  Examples include:

  • H1N1-specific trainings targeted at local health districts.
  • Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) developed a PSA campaign based on a television campaign about bird flu awareness created by the Florida health department.
  • Idaho partners participated in cross-border training with British Columbia: collaborating with Coeur D’Alene tribes; psychological first aid courses; and special populations – focusing on the elderly.
  • Prior to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, IDHW created a locally focused pan-flu web site, which became quite useful in the wake of the current pandemic.
  • Dr. Randy Beaton of NWCPHP developed and presented a training program on Mental Health Preparedness to public health professionals and hospital liaisons in each of Idaho's seven health districts.
  • NWCPHP faculty helped facilitate the first Cross-Borders Conference on "Emerging Public Health Threats: Tracking Infectious Disease across Borders." The conference was sponsored jointly by the IDHW and Washington State Department of Health.
  • NWCPHP, the IDHW, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) conducted a detailed assessment of bioterrorism and emergency preparedness training needs for a number of Idaho’s Native American tribes.
  • NWCPHP’s curriculum "Preparing for and Responding to Bioterrorism: Information for the Public Health Workforce" was provided in CD-ROM format as a resource in a Smallpox Mass Vaccination Training Toolbox developed by the IDHW. This toolbox was distributed to Idaho’s seven District Health Departments.
  • The Idaho Summer Institute was conducted by the IDHW with a keynote address by NWCPHP Director Jack Thompson. The three-day Institute focused on Strategic Planning and Leadership Skills for Idaho’s key public health leaders at the district and state levels.
  • NWCPHP assisted in the development and implementation of a Bioterrorism Competencies survey that was conducted by IDHW and Idaho's seven District Health Departments, resulting in surveys of around 800 state and local public health workers.