On January 27, 2012, the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages) held its first meeting of the year. During the 90 minute conference call, the nearly 30 public health professionals in attendance were updated on Council on Linkages initiatives and how member organizations are promoting the work of the Council on Linkages.

 

During the meeting, representatives of Council on Linkages member organizations shared how their organizations promote and utilize Council on Linkages initiatives and products, particularly the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) and the Academic Health Department (AHD) Learning Community. Council on Linkages member organizations have been, and continue to be, involved in the development of discipline-specific competencies that use the Core Competencies as a framework, as well as curricula that incorporate the Core Competencies. Member organizations advocate the benefits of the AHD Learning Community within their organizations and encourage the involvement of their own members. The AHD concept and the AHD Learning Community have been featured at meetings and national conferences and will be on the agenda at several upcoming events. Additionally, member organizations disseminate information about the Council on Linkages and its activities in newsletters and other communications. The information reported during the presentations will be compiled and shared through the Council on Linkages website.

 

As part of ongoing efforts to facilitate member engagement, Council on Linkages Chair C. William Keck, MD, MPH and Director Ron Bialek, MPP will be conducting meetings with Council on Linkages member organizations’ representatives, executive directors/CEOs, and staff contacts to discuss the current and future work of the Council on Linkages, as well as how the Council on Linkages can best serve its member organizations. These conference call meetings will likely be conducted in March, and Council on Linkages staff will be contacting Council on Linkages member organizations in the next few weeks to schedule the calls.

 

In addition, Council on Linkages staff have been working to enhance communications. Current methods for communicating with the public health community include the Council on Linkages website, which features relevant information and resources, as well as news articles and blog posts; the Council on Linkages Update newsletter; attending and presenting at national conferences; and tweeting using the account @thephf. Feedback from member organizations regarding communication methods they have found effective within their organizations, how they measure their communications impact, and how they can help the Council on Linkages communicate is welcome by email to Council on Linkages Project Manager Kathleen Amos at kamos@phf.org.

 

Additional information about the meeting, including the agenda and background materials, is available on the meeting webpage.