The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice is conducting a demonstration project in Ohio to help build academic linkages with health departments. The purpose of the demonstration project is to identify the degree to which academic/practice linkages currently exist in Ohio and what can be done to further promote existing and future linkages in Ohio and nationwide. This information will be obtained through written surveys, focus groups, and meetings. The information will be analyzed and used to develop technical assistance tools that can be used in Ohio and nationwide.
Despite the raised visibility and continued support for the Council on Linkages by public health agencies and academic institutions, the “worth” of academic/practice linkages is still questioned. While the Council on Linkages continues to disseminate information about successful linkages, a need exists for a demonstrated “how-to model” for actually making the link between state and local public health agencies and academic institutions. The results of this demonstration project will provide valuable up-to-date information on academic/practice linkages and ways to make linkages successful. Specific end results will include the development of “lessons learned,” tools/models for other states to use, and a better idea of “what it takes” to make linkages actually happen.
The advantages of this activity to both the practice and academic communities include: improved skills and capacity sensitivity from working with one another; improving community health through joint problem identification and solving; creating new knowledge through identification of research needs and jointly conducting applied research.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe what it takes to help make linkages successful. 2. List the lessons learned from academic/practice linkages in Ohio 3. Apply the technical assistance tools available for promoting academic/practice linkages
Keywords: Community Collaboration, Health Departments
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.