Competency Sets

Key public health competency sets and related resources

COL Core Competencies Developed by: The Council on Linkages (COL) between Academia and Public Health Practice.

The Public Health Competency Handbook Developed by: Jane C. Nelson, PhD, MPH, Joyce D.K. Essien, MD, MBA, Richard Loudermilk, Daniel Cohen (focuses on organizational competencies)

Preparedness competency sets for public health & emergency response partners

Bioterrorism and Emergency Readiness Competencies Developed by: CDC funded project led by Kristine Gebbie, Columbia University

Emergency Preparedness and Response Competencies for Hospital Workers Developed by: Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing in collaboration with the Greater New York Hospital Association, supported by the Commonwealth Fund

Emergency Response Clinician Competencies in Initial Assessment and Management Developed by: Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine in Collaboration with Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing

Competency sets for specific public health worker sub-groups or activities

Informatics Competencies for Public Health Professionals Developed by: Public Health Professionals Working Group led by Patrick O'Carroll

Environmental Health Competencies Developed by: National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Public Health Association sponsored expert panel

Core Legal Competencies for Public Health Professionals Developed by: Center for Law and the Public's Health at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities

Public Health Epidemiology Competency Set Developed by: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice

Related resources

Competency-to-Curriculum Tool Kit: developing curricula for public health workers Developed by: Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing & Association of Teachers of Preventative Medicine.

Emergency Preparedness Core Competencies for All Public Health Workers: An Online Course Free 1-2 hour online course (registration is required) Developed by: Columbia University Center for Public Health Preparedness

Definitions

Core Competency: The individual skills desirable for the delivery of Essential Public Health Services. Intended levels of mastery and therefore learning objectives for workers within each competency will differ depending upon their backgrounds and job duties. From Council on Linkages between Academic and Public Health Practice

Competency: A complex combination of knowledge, skills and abilities demonstrated by organization members that are critical to the effective and efficient function of the organization. From Center for Public Health Practice, at Emory University & Center for Health Policy at Columbia University (original source cited as Nelson, Essien, Latoff & Wiesner, 1997)

Public Health Informatics Competency: A public health worker's observable or measurable performance, skill, or knowledge related to the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health. From Informatics Competencies for Public Health Professionals, NWCPHP

Organizational competence: The collective demonstration of knowledge, skills, and abilities which optimize individual contribution of professional, technical, and specialized expertise. It requires communication, coordination, and collaboration within and between all levels of the public health organization. From The Public Health Competency Handbook, National Association of County and City Health Officials