Regional Network Steering Committee

In 2000, NWCPHP created a Regional Network Steering Committee (RNSC) with representatives from our partner states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.  The Committee acts as a sounding board and planning group for our regional training activities and provides a forum for creating a regional strategy for public health workforce development. In October 2003, the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB), which represents all 43 federally recognized tribes in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, became a formal member of the Committee.

The Committee's membership includes a broad representation of workforce development professionals in order to ensure integration among all workforce development activities performed by both the distance learning coordinator and the preparedness education and training coordinator in each state.

What the Committee does:

The Committee functions as a primary source of feedback for curriculum and training development. It usually meets in person twice a year, in the spring and fall, although some years we have met via Web conferencing. Partners share information on their workforce training needs and projects, coordinate trainings where appropriate, and collaborate on regional planning to address workforce development needs.

Regional Network activities include:

• Sharing of workforce development resources
• Delivery of numerous public health training events
• Analysis of current workforce trends and challenges
• Efforts to expand distance learning capacity to meet the needs of busy practitioners
• Collaboration on training and planning activities

The Regional Network’s partner agencies also receive funding from NWCPHP to support the achievement of each state’s workforce development goals. The collaborative nature of the Network has helped to foster a diverse and growing range of activities within each state and across the region.