Thirty-Second International Conference on Learning

Abstract

The public health workforce in the United States was forever changed post-COVID. Along with the urgent need to build capacity for an understaffed and traumatized staff, there was an opportunity to restore trust in public health. Public health workforce development requires assessment, planning, implementation, and follow-up for trainings and resources. Intentionality is key. This study shares how North Carolina Public Health Region 5 utilized $2.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding over a three-year period to assess workforce development needs, design and implement a comprehensive training program, and monitor and measure training outcomes. To determine training needs, the workforce development director utilized interviews, surveys, and site visits with health directors. The workforce development director then contracted with expert facilitators to deliver training on communications/media, leadership, productivity, emotional intelligence, change management, resilience, data analysis, team building, and culture/trust/organizational development. Over a three-year period, 200+ training sessions were offered across more than 100 unique topics with 4500 (non-unique) staff. Facilitators were expected to make the sessions highly interactive and to prioritize application and practice appropriate for adult learners. To evaluate training impacts and benefits, participants self-reported levels of confidence and competence for the training topics prior to and at the end of each training session via surveys accessed through QR codes, as well as provided qualitative feedback. Sustainable workforce development practices in public health require stable, multi-year funding to develop and maintain effective, forward-thinking programs that can adapt to a region’s changing health landscapes and needs.