The development of leadership skills is essential for local health departments to continue providing the essential services of public health to their communities. Many current public health leaders are nearing retirement and there are fewer qualified individuals ready to take their place. Case-based trainings are an effective method to develop leadership skills for mid-level public health professionals. UMDNJ –SPH developed the leadership initiative to improve the capacity of local health department personnel to effectively direct, coordinate, and participate in preparedness and emergency response activities.

The Public Health Leadership Initiative for Emergency Response (PHLIER) is a case-based leadership training program, which enhances the skills and knowledge of today's mid to senior-level management. The program is designed to

1)    Foster the next generation of public health leaders;

2)    Promote excellence in leadership;

3)    Explore leadership responses to public heath emergencies; and

4)    Encourage mentoring amongst public health leaders of varying experience.

Participants were exposed to different dimensions of leadership and a variety of public health cases. They were charged with effectively applying fundamental principles, plans, and strategies of public health leadership during three simulated emergencies: pandemic influenza, food outbreak, and flood and resulting chemical disaster.

This presentation will describe how PHLIER was developed, including how a fictional health department was used as the case study. The experiences of the twenty emerging leaders located throughout the state of New Jersey who participated in the eight-month initiative will be described.