This presentation will provide insights on the need for the continual evolution of public health practices in light of COVID-19 and the current social movements that highlight how social determinants effect health disparities.  A focus on what trainings are needed to strengthen the current and future public health workforce will be discussed to respond to the necessity that public health services must be redefined and redesigned.  Examples of current and novel steps that are starting to be taken by health departments and public health education programs to meet this challenge will be presented.  We will conclude our presentation by proposing what new knowledge and skills are needed by the public health workforce so our current communal approach to infectious disease prevention can be leveraged to reduce a variety of health disparities including maternal and child health, and chronic disease outcomes. 

Learning Objectives

Target Audience:  Public Health Professionals

Duration:  ~ 35 minutes

Continuing Education Information:  0.5 CECH for CHES

Format: Web-based Training, Self-Study

Created/ Updated: 8/2020

Presenters: Douglas Taren, Ph.D., MS; and Betty Bekemeier, Ph.D., MPH, RN, FAAN

Douglas Taren is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. He has more than 30 years of experience conducting research and training students in international health. His research and teaching activities have included projects in Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, China, Nepal, Kenya, Senegal, and the US Associated Pacific Islands, and more.Dr. Taren currently directs the Western Region Public Health Training Center (WRPHTC)for HRSA Region 9 (Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawaii, and the US Affiliated Pacific Islands). The WRPHTC works to strengthen the public health workforce through interactive, skill-based training.

Betty Bekemeier is a professor at the University of Washington (UW) School of Nursing and Director of the UW School of Public Health’s Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. She is a distinguished public health systems researcher focused on improving the effectiveness of our prevention systems and related workforce. She has led numerous studies regarding local health department services and their impact on health outcomes and equity. She emphasizes the inclusion of rural public health jurisdictions to generate evidence that will improve the reach and distribution of services to underserved communities and meet the needs of the rural workforce. Dr. Bekemeier is also PI of the Public Health Activities and Services Tracking (PHAST) Study, initiated in 2010 through the RWJF. PHAST is a highly regarded, growing database of uniquely detailed and linked data regarding LHD services and financing, including the PHAST Uniform Chart of Accounts which is helping local health departments have better access to meaningful financial data for decision-making. Dr. Bekemeier’s projects and studies are carried out in close partnership with public health practice leaders and have been immediately relevant to addressing current policy issues. She has also held many leadership positions, including those in the Washington State Public Health Association, the American Public Health Association, NACCHO’s Profile Workgroup.