As the field of public health evolves, collaboration is critical. With limited time and resources, how can health departments work to meet community health needs most effectively and academic institutions ensure they are best preparing students for the realities of the working world? Academic health department (AHD) partnerships offer one possibility for realizing the benefits of collaboration and improving community health.

 

Formed by the formal affiliation of a health department and an academic institution, AHDs strengthen the connection between public health practice and academia. AHDs exist in states and communities across the country, and the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice’s AHD Learning Community connects and supports professionals working to develop, maintain, and enhance AHD partnerships. Interested in learning more about AHDs? The Learning Community can help!

 

Start your exploration of AHDs with an introduction to the AHD model and the AHD Learning Community by Learning Community Chair Bill Keck, MD, MPH. This archived webinar provides an overview of the basic elements of AHDs, how AHDs can develop, and potential benefits of AHD partnerships for all organizations involved. Available on the PHF website, this archive is also accessible through TRAIN for those interested in keeping a record of completion in their TRAIN Transcripts (Course 1044061).

 

Ready for more? A research team led by AHD Learning Community member Paul Campbell Erwin, MD, DrPH, Professor and Head of the University of Tennessee Department of Public Health, recently conducted a survey to explore characteristics of AHDs. Distributed within the Learning Community, the survey considered items such as longevity of AHD partnerships, types of connections between AHD partners, and benefits of partnering. Results of this survey were shared with the Learning Community at its October meeting, and an archived version of the presentation is now available. Download the presentation slides for an overview and watch the recording to learn more.

 

And don’t stop there! The next meeting of the AHD Learning Community will take the exploration of potential benefits a step further and consider how AHD partnerships can support health departments working toward accreditation. Featuring guest speaker Jessica Kronstadt, MPP, Director of Research and Evaluation for the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), this virtual meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 from 2-3pm EST. Additional details will be provided on the meeting webpage over the coming months.

 

Finally, the AHD Learning Community is always working on resources and tools to further assist in the development of AHDs. Stay tuned for updates to this section of the website, as well as the official launch of the AHD Mentorship Program.

 

Membership in the AHD Learning Community is free and open to anyone interested in AHD partnerships. Visit the AHD Learning Community online for more information or contact Kathleen Amos at [email protected] to join.