A model program for training new local health officials and top executives at local health departments for success: The Survive and Thrive Program

Recent research indicates that approximately one third of Local Health Officials have been employed in their positions at Local Health Departments for two years or less. In addition, the "aging" of the public health workforce over the next several years will evidence unprecedented openings in public health leadership positions. These findings highlight the need for action-oriented programs specifically tailored to train new Local Health Officials – top executives at Local Health Departments - to effectively respond to a host of local-level challenges. In response, the Survive and Thrive program was created to prepare new Local Health Officials, by providing the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed within the multi-faceted environment of local health practice (i.e., the knowledge and skills needed to build, maintain, and enhance public health capacity and infrastructure). Although there are a number of national, regional, and state Public Health Leadership Institutes, these are broader in scope and geared toward career public health professionals who have been in the field for several years and not directed specifically to persons just becoming Local Health Officials. Not only does the Survive and Thrive program target new Local Health Officials (i.e., in their position 2 years or less) but it also incorporates a curriculum that is designed to address the challenges faced in a Local Health Department. This presentation will provide the general model for the Survive and Thrive program including program goals and objectives, major program components, and best practices identified in designing and delivering the curriculum for this nation-wide program.