Improving the public health workforce in California, Hawaii, Utah, and Nevada: Training initiatives of the Pacific Public Health Training Center (PPHTC)

The Pacific Public Health Training Center (PPHTC), a member of the HRSA-funded national Public Health Training Center program, is a collaboration of the four accredited Schools of Public Health in California (UCLA, UC Berkeley, Loma Linda University, and San Diego State University) and the University of Hawaii's Office of Public Health Studies. The primary mission of the PPHTC is to develop and maintain a skilled public health workforce in several Western states to support and enhance individual and community health. The Center collaborates with many strategic partners to provide training that is innovative and effective, and encompasses several different delivery modalities.

The PPHTC has faced many challenges during its eight years of operation, including providing training over a huge geographic area to professionals who deal with diverse populations that face distinct health issues and problems. Originally authorized to cover California, Hawaii, and the U.S. Associated Pacific Islands, its target area was expanded recently to include Utah and Nevada. The Center has worked closely with state and local health departments, community-based organizations, professional health associations, and other agencies and organizations to identify high priority needs and deliver effective training programs.

This presentation describes the history and operation of the PPHTC, the different topics covered and training modalities used, and the development of working relationships with our strategic partners, focusing on how these relationships leverage the limited resources available to provide training. There is also a discussion of short-term vs. long-term evaluation to determine the effectiveness of these training activities.