Office of Health Equity Partner Webinar Series: Advancing Health Equity Through Workforce Development
Posted on byOn June 5, 2024, the Office of Health Equity (OHE) hosted its fourth webinar in its Health Equity Partner Webinar series. The series showcases the importance of partnerships in reducing health disparities and advancing health equity. A total of 1169 people registered for the webinar to learn more about Advancing Health Equity Through Workforce Development.
After a brief welcome and introduction, OHE’s acting director for the Office of Minority Health (OMH), Carolina Luna-Pinto, MPH, CHES (USPHS, CAPT), kicked off the webinar stating, “to achieve health equity, it is necessary to develop and promote a diverse public health workforce.” She went on to discuss the office’s commitment to the public health workforce and how OHE is working to strengthen the workforce through learning opportunities about health equity with the Foundations of Health Equity Training Plan. The training plan is designed to facilitate foundational knowledge and skill development on topics related to health equity, health disparities, and structural and social determinants of health.
CAPT Luna-Pinto was joined by Shantrice Jones, MPH, CPH, Ferguson Fellowship Program Lead with CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, to discuss the John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (Lewis Scholars Program) and the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Disease Graduate Fellowship programs, which offer internships and fellowship opportunities for qualified undergraduate, graduate, and recently graduated students to gain meaningful experiences in public health settings. Since the start of the Lewis Scholars Program and the Ferguson Fellowship over 2000 scholars and fellows have been trained and over half have gone on to pursue advance degrees in public health or another health related field.
Next, CDC partners were able to share the important work they are doing to cultivate and support a diverse and culturally responsive public health workforce.
Linda Alexander, EdD, Chief Academic Officer for the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), spoke about the role ASPPH plays in preparing and training a diverse public health workforce using a health equity lens.
“ASPPH has established the Center for Workforce Development and Applied Practice and embraces a mission driven by the mandate for excellent health outcomes for everyone, everywhere,” Alexander shared. “We provide our over 150-member base with resources, data, and support by leveraging the collective wisdom and expertise of faculty, staff, students, and the communities that they serve, with state-of-the-science on health equity,” she continued.
Hassanatu Blake, PhD, MPH, MBA, Director of Health Equity & Social Justice for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, addressed the importance of considering health equity in workforce development and shared resources, tools, and professional opportunities to build the capacity of local health departments.
“An equitable public health workforce is a diverse public health workforce that can effectively address the social determinants that drive health inequities. A workforce that reflects all communities enhances communication, trust, and tailored services and assistance that ultimately improve partnerships with and health outcomes of marginalized communities,” stated Blake.
One tool she shared with participants to help build the capacity of local health departments is The Roots of Health Inequity course series. This comprehensive AI-assisted online course explores the historical, political, and social determinants of health inequities. “This is a resource that every health professional should have access to as they approach their work with health departments and in public health,” remarked Blake.
Michelle Taylor, MD, DrPH, MPA, Director of the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD), discussed the work the health department is doing to create a workforce that mirrors the population it serves. According to Taylor, SCHD is advancing health equity through workforce development by being intentional about the following:
- Staffing recruitment efforts that target people from diverse backgrounds; and
- Workforce trainings that foster inclusivity and empathy for patients, clients, and the community; and
- Community capacity-building efforts that build trust.
She went on to state that, “through a partnership with the University of Memphis School of Public Health, the health department has prioritized equipping public health workers for the future while rebuilding the trust in SCHD.”
The webinar concluded with a question-and-answer period and all participants were able to highlight successes and the impact of their work to advance health equity through workforce development. Working collaboratively with diverse communities is key to advance health equity. OHE and its partners are committed to addressing the needs of groups that have been historically marginalized.
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How can advancing health equity through workforce development help to reduce health disparities and advance health equity in your community or organization?
For more resources on health equity science and data materials:
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