Michael A. Barry, Director of PHF Strategic Partnerships and Development, Public Health Foundation
This information was updated April 21, 2023
The recent investment of federal resources for strengthening public health infrastructure has many health departments aiming to address workforce capacity deficiencies. To help meet this need, the Public Health Foundation (PHF) has launched a new workforce capacity assessment service for local health departments (LHDs). PHF is poised to help LHDs conduct an in-depth assessment of their current workforce capacity, needs, and gaps to provide the Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) in their community.
Is your health department looking to:
- Assess the capacity of your workforce to meet the current and emerging needs of the community?
- Implement a systematic approach to workforce recruitment that addresses gaps in capacity?
PHF’s technical assistance, including both remote and on-site work, guides LHDs through a process of modeling workforce needs and costs. This process might include the use of emerging tools such as the Public Health National Center for Innovations’ (PHNCI) FPHS Capacity and Cost Assessment and Public Health Workforce Calculator. Together, these tools are aimed at helping health departments and health department systems assess their current spending and capacity allocated toward the FPHS, determine the needed investments to fully implement the FPHS, and identify the resources to transform governmental public health systems.
PHF brings added value in using these and other tools by:"Working with the PHF Team and the calculator tool we were able to engage in a thoughtful approach to better understand workforce capacities and gaps. Engaging our divisions and programs in a common methodology has allowed us to approach recruitment priorities as a group rather than what otherwise might have been a contentious process." – Kevin Dick, Washoe County District Health Officer Reno, Nevada
- Leading and supporting health departments in understanding how best to determine staffing for the FPHS
- Assisting with data collection and analyzing findings
- Identifying gaps in the minimal workforce capacity needed to effectively deliver the FPHS
- Exploring the staffing needs to provide additional, community-specific services aligned with the health department’s unique roles, responsibilities, and programs
- Providing guidance on future workforce development decision making
- Supporting presentations to health department governing bodies
PHF’s approach to technical assistance is distinctive in how it customizes each engagement based on the unique needs identified by your health department. PHF understands the critical role health departments play in the public health ecosystem and has built a team of consultants who have worked in health departments for many years and understand organizational performance improvement.
Please contact Ron Bialek at rbialek@phf.org to set up a free consultative meeting and receive a price quote for your unique engagement. PHF works on a fix-priced model for each engagement and assures all work will be completed and deliverables met to your health department’s satisfaction.
Looking for more technical assistance and support for your health department? Explore PHF’s performance improvement services in other aspects of capacity building and organizational improvement, including performance management and quality improvement.