By Aram Dobalian, PhD, JD, MPH, The Ohio State University College of Public Health
The Center for Public Health Practice (CPHP) has been part of The Ohio State University College of Public Health for nearly two decades. In spring 2026, a team from CPHP conducted (a) interviews with a sample of local health department (LHD) leaders in Ohio regarding their frontline practice needs and (b) comparative interviews with leaders of multiple university-based public health practice centers to learn how we and similar centers could best support the public health workforce moving forward, both independently and in collaboration with the Region V Public Health Training Center (PHTC).
Together, these inputs provide a practice-grounded understanding of what Ohio public health agencies need and what successful academic practice centers do well.
Interviews with Local Health Department Leaders
Regardless of location and size, LHDs reported:
- Substantial workforce recruitment challenges
- Widening gaps in epidemiology services, data analytics, and the integration of AI tools
- Grant development and technical expertise
- Increasing difficulty engaging high-need, at-risk populations, including people experiencing homelessness and communities impacted by lead exposure and environmental hazards.
- Uncertainty related to expiring federal funds
- Tax levy dependence
- Inflation eroding grant value
- Loss of internal expertise replaced by short-term consultants
Comparative Interviews with Academic-Practice Peer Centers
Comparative interviews with academic-practice peer centers indicated that they typically focus on:
- Strengthening student and faculty engagement with the community
- Workforce development
- Applied technical assistance
- Public health systems and practice research
Interviewees noted that when academic centers align closely with practice needs, emphasize service and responsiveness, and invest in relationships that lead to sustained impact rather than one-off projects, they become indispensable partners to health departments.
Other academic-practice centers also emphasized that they are most effective when they:
- Are deeply embedded in communities
- Utilize governance structures that include trusted community leaders
- Deliver services that are highly responsive rather than prescriptive
The Return of The Center for Public Health Practice
Following a formal pause in mid-2023, CPHP is relaunching in summer 2026 at a moment when local health departments navigate an increasingly complex landscape requiring not only technical expertise but also adaptive skills such as communication and systems thinking. Building off these findings, we plan to position CPHP as a critical bridge between academic expertise and real-world public health practice.
Historically, CPHP’s portfolio has included workforce training, accreditation support, applied research, facilitation, and program evaluation. During our first year, CPHP will establish an advisory committee of local public health and community leaders and launch new trainings that align with contemporary Ohio LHD needs.
Public health professionals are adapting to new challenges that require more than technical expertise. Participants emphasized the need for flexible, timely, and practical training opportunities in areas such as strategic planning and communication, and noted the importance of offering them in such a way that they fit into demanding schedules. LHDs cannot do all that is expected of them without support; collaboration with academic centers continues to be a cornerstone of success. These partnerships across health departments, academic institutions, and community organizations are vital to amplify the impact of LHDs and mitigate health disparities.