In 2013, more than 30 national public health membership associations, federal agencies, and public health workforce peer networks came together to represent governmental public health workforce development interests across the federal, state, and local public health enterprise. Known as the National Consortium for Public Health Workforce Development, this group was convened by the de Beaumont Foundation.

Informed by the 2014 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS), the Consortium met throughout 2015 to review and discuss the importance of an emerging set of strategic skills for the public health workforce and how, if implemented, these skills could impact the public health workforce.

In 2020, de Beaumont convened a Planning Committee to relaunch the Consortium and to develop an action plan for strengthening and supporting the workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic had laid bare and exacerbated gaps in the workforce, and persistent health disparities highlighted the need to ensure the workforce could support communities.

Through research, public engagement and education, advocacy, convening, and thought leadership, the Consortium focused on ensuring that the governmental public health workforce reflects diverse backgrounds, promotes inclusive work environments, and is skilled, resourced, and supported.

Materials Produced by the Consortium

thumbnail of PublicHealthWorkForce-PathwayPrograms-Screen Pathway Programs: An Urgently Needed, Valuable Intervention to Strengthen the Government Public Health Workforce (November 2023)

The Consortium identified public health pathway programs, particularly those with a focus on people from historically underrepresented and underserved communities, as a successful intervention to diversify and strengthen the government public health workforce, in both the immediate and long term. With support, recognition, and expansion, these programs promise to be a major force in getting more people to join, stay, and advance in government public health jobs.

 

 

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Common Agenda (October 2021)

The Common Agenda defined the challenges, goals, and strategies that the Consortium and partners would undertake in pursuit of their collective vision. It held the Consortium accountable by asserting the role it would play in the work and spelled out the principles that would guide its efforts.

 

 

 

 

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Building Skills for More Strategic Public Health Workforce: A Call to Action

In 2017, the Consortium released Building Skills for a More Strategic Public Health Workforce: A Call to Action, identifying the eight skills that all public health workforce members should attain, regardless of their role.

 

 

 

 

 

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Summary of Recruitment Processes, Challenges, Practices, and Emerging Ideas for State and Local Health Departments (July 2022)

A summary of conversations with public health departments regarding recruitment — and strategies for addressing the identified challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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State Civil Service Systems and Their Impacts on State Health Agency Workforce Planning (July 2022)

Environmental scan of the landscape of state civil systems, including the assessment of select workforce development plans from accredited state health agencies.