Academic Health Department Partnerships

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An academic health department (AHD) partnership is formed by the formal affiliation of a health department and an academic institution that trains future health professionals. This relationship is sometimes described as the public health equivalent of the “teaching hospital” affiliation found between hospitals and medical schools. AHD partnerships can enhance public health education and training, research, and service and may offer a variety of benefits, both for the organizations involved and for the community as a whole.

AHD partnerships help to strengthen the links between public health practice and academia and to lessen the separation between the education of public health professionals and the practice of public health. AHDs can serve as sites for joint education, research, and practice, enabling the practice and academic communities to work together to develop the current and future public health workforce, build the evidence base for public health, and better deliver the Essential Public Health Services.

AHD Partnerships in the United States
AHD partnerships are present in communities across the United States, and existing AHDs can serve as models for other organizations working to create such partnerships. The AHD Learning Community has compiled the preliminary list of AHDs provided below as a starting point for exploring how AHDs are developing nationwide. This list will be updated as new AHDs are established or discovered, and additions or modifications to the list are welcome by email to Kathleen Amos at kamos@phf.org.

Alabama

Jefferson County Department of Health & Lawson State Community College
Jefferson County Department of Health & Oakwood College
Jefferson County Department of Health & Samford University
Jefferson County Department of Health & Stanford University
Jefferson County Department of Health & University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jefferson County Department of Health & University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
Jefferson County Department of Health & Wallace State Community College

Arizona

Cochise Health and Social Services & University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Maricopa County Department of Public Health* & Arizona State University
Pima County Health Department* & University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Pinal County Public Health Services District & University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Yuma County Public Health Services District & University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Health* & University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health

California

Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership - County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency* & San Diego State University
Madera County Department of Public Health* & California State University, Fresno
Madera County Department of Public Health* & University of California, Merced
San Joaquin County Public Health Services & University of the Pacific

Colorado

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment* & Colorado School of Public Health

Florida

Florida Department of Health in Leon County*, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, and Florida State University
Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County* & Florida International University
Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County* & Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County* & Florida State University
Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County* & University of South Florida
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & AdventHealth University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & American Sentinel University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Ana G. Mendez University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Capella University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Chamberlain University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & ECPI University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Florida Southern College
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Florida State University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Grand Canyon University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Herzing University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Loyola University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Nova Southeastern University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Rasmussen University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & Simmons University
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & South University of Florida
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & University of Central Florida
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & University of Florida Pediatric Residency Program at Orlando Health
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & University of Phoenix
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & University of South Florida
Florida Department of Health in Seminole County* & University of West Florida

Georgia

DeKalb County Board of Health & Mercer University
North Central Health District* & Mercer University

Illinois

Chicago Department of Public Health*, Peoria County Health Department*, Illinois Department of Public Health*, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago, & University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health
Chicago Department of Public Health* & RUSH University Medical Center
Chicago Department of Public Health* & University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health

Indiana

Marion County Public Health Department & Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University at Indianapolis

Kansas

Johnson County Department of Health & Environment*, University of Kansas, & University of Kansas Medical Center
Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department*, University of Kansas, & University of Kansas Medical Center
Wyandotte County Public Health Department, Unified Government of Kansas City, & University of Kansas Medical Center

Kentucky

Barren River District Health Department* & Western Kentucky University’s Department of Public Health
Green River District Health Department* & University of Kentucky
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Eastern Kentucky University
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Kentucky State University
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Murray State University
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Northern Kentucky University
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Simmons College of Kentucky
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & University of Kentucky
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & University of Louisville
Kentucky Department for Public Health* & Western Kentucky University
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness* & University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Department* & University of Kentucky
Three Rivers District Health Department* & University of Kentucky

Massachusetts

City of Worcester Division of Public Health*, Clark University, Worcester State University, UMass Medical School, and UMass Memorial Medical Center
Massachusetts Academic Health Department Consortium – Massachusetts Department of Public Health*, Boston University School of Public Health, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Northern Essex Community College, Regis College, Simmons University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, University of Massachusetts, Worcester

Michigan

Genesee County Health Department & Michigan State University
Ingham County Health Department* & Michigan State University
Washtenaw County Health Department & University of Michigan School of Public Health, Office of Public Health Practice

Missouri

St. Louis City Health Department*, St. Louis County Health Department*, & Saint Louis University

Montana

Missoula City-County Health Department* & University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences

Nebraska

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services* & University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health
Winnebago Public Health Department & Briar Cliff University
Winnebago Public Health Department & Creighton University
Winnebago Public Health Department & Little Priest Tribal College
Winnebago Public Health Department & Morningside College
Winnebago Public Health Department & University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Winnebago Public Health Department & University of Nebraska – Omaha Medical Center
Winnebago Public Health Department & University of South Dakota – Sioux Falls

Nevada

Northern Nevada Public Health* & University of Nevada, Reno
Southern Nevada Health District & Touro University Nevada
Southern Nevada Health District & University of Nevada, Las Vegas

New York

Monroe County Department of Public Health & University of Rochester
New York State Department of Health* & University of Albany-SUNY

North Carolina

Granville Vance Public Health & University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health
Mecklenburg County Health Department & University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Health and Human Services
New Hanover County Health Department & University of North Carolina Wilmington School of Nursing

Ohio

City of Canton Health Department* & Northeast Ohio Medical University
Columbus Public Health* & Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions
Columbus Public Health* & The Ohio State University College of Public Health
Mahoning County Health District* & Northeast Ohio Medical University
Kent City Health Department & Kent State University
Portage County Health District* & Northeast Ohio Medical University
Stark County Health District* & Northeast Ohio Medical University
Summit County Health District* & Northeast Ohio Medical University
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department* & University of Toledo Medical Center - Bowling Green State University
Williams County Health Department* & Bowling Green State University

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Department of Health* & University of Oklahoma
Tulsa City-County Health Department* & University of Oklahoma

Oregon

Benton County Public Health*, Lane County Public Health*, Lincoln County Public Health*, Linn County Public Health* & Oregon State University College of Public Health and Human Sciences
Clackamas County Public Health Department* & Oregon State University

Pennsylvania

Erie County Department of Health* & Mercyhurst College
Pennsylvania Department of Health* & University of Pittsburgh

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of Health* & Brown University School of Public Health
Rhode Island Department of Health* & Community College of Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Health* & Johnson & Wales University
Rhode Island Department of Health* & Rhode Island College
Rhode Island Department of Health* & Roger Williams University
Rhode Island Department of Health* & University of Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control* & University of South Carolina

Tennessee

UT-Knox County Academic Health Department – Knox County Health Department* & University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Sullivan County Regional Health Department & East Tennessee State University
Tennessee Department of Health – East Regional Health Office & University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Tennessee Department of Health – Northeast Regional Health Office & East Tennessee State University
Tennessee Department of Health – West Tennessee Regional Health Office & University of Memphis

Texas

Dallas County Health and Human Services & The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) School of Public Health
Laredo Public Health Department & University of Texas
Laredo Public Health Department & Texas A&M
Laredo Public Health Department & Laredo College
Laredo Public Health Departmen& Baylor University
Laredo Public Health Department & University of North Texas
Texas Department of State Health Services & The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) School of Public Health

Utah

Utah County Health Department & Brigham Young University
Utah County Health Department & Utah Valley University

Virginia

New River Academic Health Department – Virginia Department of Health*, New River Health District & Virginia Tech Department of Population Health Sciences

Washington

Public Health-Seattle and King County & University of Washington

West Virginia

Grafton-Taylor County Health Department & Fairmont State University
Grafton-Taylor County Health Department & Pierpont Community and Technical College
Grafton-Taylor County Health Department & Salem University
Grafton-Taylor County Health Department & West Virginia Junior College
Grafton-Taylor County Health Department & West Virginia University School of Nursing
Monongalia County Health Department & West Virginia University School of Public Health

Wisconsin

City of Milwaukee Health Department & University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health* & University of Wisconsin-Madison, Population Health Institute
Wood County Health Department* & University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Marshfield Campus

* Health department accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board