Council on Linkages Meeting Summary

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Council on Linkages Meeting Summary - October 2017

Related Categories: Council on Linkages, Workforce Development

Topic: Council on Linkages, Workforce Development

Date: 10/12/2017

Council on Linkages Meeting Summary

October 2017

The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages) held its third meeting of 2017 on October 2nd. Approximately 35 Council on Linkages members and friends participated in this virtual meeting, discussing current Council on Linkages initiatives and plans for the future.

Demonstrating the Impact of the Council on Linkages

Currently in its 25th year of furthering academic/practice collaboration to ensure a well-trained, competent workforce and the development and use of a strong evidence base for public health practice, the Council on Linkages' history encompasses a variety of accomplishments. As the Council on Linkages continues its work, it is essential to highlight the value the Council on Linkages brings to public health. As discussed at previous Council on Linkages meetings, this impact is defined not only by the impact of initiatives of the Council on Linkages as a whole, but also by the impact member organizations contribute individually through activities aligned with the Council on Linkages' Strategic Directions. Throughout this year, Council on Linkages member organizations have been sharing work that helps to further these Strategic Directions, with the latest presentation from the Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI) focused on building population health competencies in hospitals and health systems. Council on Linkages member organizations are encouraged to share activities that align with, support, or reinforce the Strategic Directions; organizations interested in presenting at a future Council on Linkages meeting are invited to contact Janelle Nichols at [email protected].

Staged Model of AHD Development Released for Feedback

Earlier this year, the Academic Health Department (AHD) Learning Community began work on a staged model of AHD development, and a draft of this model is now available for public comment. This model is being created to better articulate the development of AHD partnerships and illustrates the potential development of such partnerships on a continuum of five stages, from informal relationships through comprehensive collaboration. Initial feedback on the draft model was gathered during the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Annual Meeting in July 2017 and the AHD Learning Community's most recent meeting in September 2017. Additional feedback that can help to refine the draft is welcome and may be shared with Kathleen Amos at [email protected].

Council on Linkages Work to be Featured at APHA Annual Meeting

Opportunities to engage with the Council on Linkages during the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2017 Annual Meeting are many, with work of the Council on Linkages being highlighted during presentations related to the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies), AHD Learning Community, and more. Add any of the following sessions to your meeting schedule to learn more:

Advocating for the Public Health Workforce (Session 3120.0) - Monday, November 6, 2017, from 10:30am-12pm ET
Championing Collaboration through Successful Academic Health Department Partnerships (Session 3115.0) - Monday, November 6, 2017, from 10:30-10:50am ET
Performance Improvement Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Session 3271.0) - Monday, November 6, 2017, from 12:30-12:50pm ET
Developing Priority Competencies for Population Health Professionals (Session 3271.0) - Monday, November 6, 2017, from 1:10-1:30pm ET
Determining Essential Core Competencies for Creating Job Descriptions and Other Workforce Development Activities (Session 3271.0) - Monday, November 6, 2017, from 1:30-1:50pm ET

Please contact Kathleen Amos at [email protected] with any questions.

In Other Business...

The Council on Linkages voted to grant ACHI formal membership.
A variety of data illustrating the impact of the Council on Linkages and its activities were shared, including:

The Council on Linkages' newsletter, the Council on Linkages Update, is sent monthly to more than 1,500 people.
The Core Competencies and related resources and tools were accessed nearly 135,000 times in FY2017.
The Core Competencies are used in 45% of local health departments, more than 50% of state health departments, and approximately 90% of academic public health-focused programs.
The AHD Learning Community currently has more than 750 members, and the AHD Mentorship Program has matched 15 people seeking guidance with mentors.
Council on Linkages staff answered 85 technical assistance requests related to the Council on Linkages and its activities in FY2017, serving individuals in 30 states, DC, Guam, and Nepal.
Virtual AHD Learning Community meetings were attended by more than 120 participants in FY2017 and a Core Competencies webinar reached nearly 200 people.

The Core Competencies Workgroup met in July 2017, and began discussing the value and feasibility of Council on Linkages involvement in the recognition of discipline-specific competency sets based on the Core Competencies. Further discussions will be held during the next Workgroup meeting on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.
The AHD Learning Community's meeting in July 2017 featured the AHD partnerships of East Tennessee State University's College of Public Health. An archive of this meeting is available online.
The third column of the Ask the AHD Expert series was published on the PHF Pulse blog in September 2017 and focuses on creating job descriptions for positions responsible for coordinating AHD activities.
An article describing the development of the AHD Research Agenda appears in the September 2017 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
The Public Health Foundation (PHF) has named the University of Vermont (UVM) Medical Center winner of the 2017 Future of Population Health Award for its support of Harbor Place, an innovative community partnership that lowered the cost of care and improved services for the homeless and housing-insecure population in Burlington, VT. ACHI's representative to the Council on Linkages, Penrose Jackson, Director of Community Health Improvement, UVM, along with UVM's Chief Medical Officer Stephen Leffler, led collaborations with local organizations to establish Harbor Place and will join PHF for a webinar on Monday, October 23, 2017 from 1:30-2:30pm ET to share UVM's story. Visit the webinar webpage to learn more and register.
The next meeting of the Council on Linkages will be held on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 from 1-3pm ET and will occur virtually.

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

Activities of the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice are supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Questions and comments may be emailed to Academic/Practice Linkages Assistant Director Kathleen Amos at [email protected].

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