Envision a future with a more robust public health system where community health workers are highly valued and sufficiently supported. It’s possible! This is already happening in some communities. However, significantly more work is needed to ensure these essential workers are more widely available and that the CHW workforce is bolstered well into the 21st Century.
Legislative oversight of higher education may further weaken the public health workforce pipeline and limit the profession’s ability to serve communities.
By promoting a better understanding of microaggressions, bias, and diversity, public health practitioners can create more equitable workplaces and ultimately improve the health outcomes of the communities they serve.
Public Health Corps recently launched in response to COVID-19 to support state and local health departments across the country. This blog highlights the experiences of current MN Public Health Corps members.
With public health facing staffing shortages, worker burnout, and 20 percent of the workforce nearing retirement, the field needs to attract new talent (de Beaumont Foundation and Association of State and Territorial Health). One new program, Public Health AmeriCorps, aims to be part of the solution.
Indiana’s public health system has long been underfunded and under-resourced, leading to poor health outcomes for our communities. Governor Eric J. Holcomb established the trailblazing Governor’s Public Health Commission to launch an assessment of the state’s public health system, and this legislative session, we hope to see a much-needed financial investment to improve statewide public health service delivery and create a healthier future for all Hoosiers.