RVPHTC Blog
Welcome to our blog! Covering classic and topical public health themes, we hope you find new and interesting information through our blog posts, published weekly to keep you in the know on all things public health!
Interested in contributing or have a topic you’d like to see? Email us at rvphtc@umich.edu.
Bridging the Gap: Telehealth, Broadband, and Equity in Healthcare Access
The COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted telehealth’s potential, but revealed a stark reality: 14.5 million Americans lack broadband access, disproportionately affecting rural and tribal communities. Telehealth offers hope, but its promise is hindered by access inequities. Recognizing broadband as a crucial determinant of health, policymakers are acting, ranging from state-level initiatives to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. However, broadband expansion is just the beginning. Achieving healthcare equity demands policy reforms, workforce training, and collaboration. The pandemic taught us that telehealth is transformative, but its benefits must reach every corner of our nation, leaving no one behind in the pursuit of health and equity.
But First, Health First Indiana
Health First Indiana is an initiative created by Senate Enrolled Act 4, legislation passed by the 2023 Indiana General Assembly that will transform Indiana’s public health infrastructure. The legislation provides funding so local health departments (LHDs) can determine the health needs of their community and implement evidence-based programs focused on prevention. Health First Indiana establishes a public health infrastructure through a state and local partnership where services are delivered at the county level. Counties decide whether to opt-in to the new funding to provide and/or expand upon the core public health services, including trauma and injury prevention, chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, and more.
Public Health Boot Camps for Local Health Officers and Administrators
In April 2023, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 4, which included a requirement for new health officers to complete a foundational public health training. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) contracted with the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health (FSPH) to manage the logistics and development of this training.
The Public Health Leadership Institute for System Change: Pilot Approach to Address Complex Problems
Through the Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change, Illinois health departments work to uncover root causes for complex issues and create meaningful change.
Healthy Work Collaborative: a Step-by-Step Video Series
The University of Illinois Chicago Center for Healthy Work aims to share a variety of resources to build awareness and knowledge to academics, employers, policymakers, and workers to help establish and maintain the belief that all workers deserve healthy work.The Healthy Work Collaborative Step-by-Step Videos promote collaborative approaches to advancing worker health by helping organizations:
Develop a shared understanding of precarious work and pathways to healthier work
Explore how policy, systems, and environmental changes can improve health in the context of precarious work
For support implementing any of the Healthy Work Collaborative tools within your own organizations, contact us at healthywork@uic.edu.
What can the state of Michigan tell us about the state of the public health workforce?
By JP Leider, PhD, Center for Public Health Systems, University of Minnesota School of Public Health and Laura Power, MD, MPH, Preventive Medicine Residency and Office of Public Health Practice, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Region V Public Health Training Center, Public Health Prepared Last week was the Michigan Premier Public Health conference, held in the scenic Shanty Creek Resort in northern Michigan. Imagine fall colors on water. It beats, by a long shot,...
Compensating Community Wisdom in Public Health
By Janine O’Donnell, MPH, Kent County Health Department The field of public health has been chronically underfunded for decades. A persistent lack of resources hampers efforts to promote health equity, address the growing burden of chronic disease, effectively combat behavioral and mental health concerns, and proactively respond to emerging issues (Trust for America’s Health [TFAH], 2023). It’s no wonder state and local health departments rely heavily on creative, cost-saving...
Do Definitions Matter?
By Sheri Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Population Health Institute, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health Current, commonly used definitions of health equity are useful tools for public health practitioners who are responsible for engaging residents and leaders in community health improvement planning and implementation. Widely circulated definitions include important concepts that can guide analysis and spark action. As the field evolves, it's...
Community Engagement in Root Cause Analysis for Policy/Advocacy in Public Health
Engaging and including community partners to address public health root causes may require a complete paradigm shift.
Want to Reach Teenagers About Mental Health? Engage Them in the Conversation!
Through the power of our BWell Saginaw partnership, which includes the Saginaw County ISD, we met the Youth Ambassadors, a unique group of high school seniors representing each one of our rural, suburban and urban school districts. They have been serving together as a cohort for three years, participating in leadership development and community service. And they have been craving opportunities to share their mental health struggles without fear of stigma or reprisal. They want to cultivate safe spaces in their schools to “chill,” turn to trained and caring adults when needed during the school day, and understand if what they are feeling is “normal.”