From competency to KSAs: An effective collaborative process

In fall 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) released the Public Health Preparedness & Response Core Competency Model for mid-tier public health workers. These 18 competencies are intended to guide training and other measures to ensure a public health workforce prepared to respond to disasters and other emergencies. Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) were tasked with collaboratively developing sub-competencies based upon measureable knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) for the competencies as an initial step towards eventual development of competency-based training materials. Based on internal expertise and a survey of state practice partners, the UNC PERLC identified 3 competencies to work on. To develop KSAs for selected competencies, a template was constructed using Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains as a guide. Using internal and external resources initial lists of potential KSAs for each competency were developed. These initial KSAs were then revised based on feedback from internal experts and collaborative discussions with other PERLCs working on the same competencies. These revised KSAs were then submitted to state practice partners for review and input. State partners were asked to answer the following questions: (1) Is this [knowledge, skill or attitude] appropriate for a mid-level public health worker? (2) Are there any gaps? and (3) Would you suggest any changes? Final KSAs, informed by internal and external research and practice partners, were submitted to the CDC and ASPH only 4 months after the announcement of the new competencies.