Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109829

Peggy A. Honoré, DHA, MHA, Office of Science, Chief Science Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health, 570 East Woodrow Wilson, P.O. Box 1700, Jackson, MS 39215-1700, 601-576-7634, peggy.honore@msdh.state.ms.us, Brian W. Amy, MD, MPH, State Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health, 570 East Woodrow Wilson, Jackson, MS 39215, Kaye Bender, RN, PhD, FAAN, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing, Professor and Dean, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, and Howell C. Garner, EdD, President, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, P O Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191.

Numerous studies document that public health workers still have insufficient levels of education to assure the delivery of essential public health services. Elevated expectations following the terrorism events of 2001 and the documentation of double digit vacancy and turnover rates magnify this problem. The Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) recognizes these workforce deficiencies as serious threats to effectively carrying-out its mission and has developed an evidence-based approach for public health workforce education in Mississippi to address the problem.

The MDH Collaboration for Public Health Workforce Education focuses on moving from training to educating existing and future workers by partnering with the statewide Community College System. The program will provide an entry into public health careers for individuals who otherwise may not be exposed to the profession until the graduate level. This collaboration will enable individuals to acquire Associate degrees through the state's 15 Community Colleges in disciplines such as Emergency Management and Nursing with an emphasis in public health competencies. Courses will be offered using on-campus and distance-learning formats utilizing technology made possible through the Mississippi Virtual Community College. Emergency Management was selected for immediate implementation because the MDH has spent a considerable amount of resources since 2001 to train 1600 employees and others without the benefit of them receiving any college credit. Other disciplines such as Epidemiology and Community Health will be added in the next phase. Associate degree courses will articulate to universities participating in the program where students can seek higher degrees in public health and nursing.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the difference between training and educating the workforce;
• Construct state-wide collaborations to improve public health workforce education and competency development;
• Create opportunities for entry-level access to public health professions.

Keywords: Workforce, Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation