Enabling competency-based public health workforce development

The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are a set of skills desirable for the broad practice of public health that have been used in the workforce development efforts of hundreds of health departments and academic institutions since their creation in 2001. To facilitate the use of the Core Competencies by public health practitioners and organizations, a collection of tools has been developed. This session will highlight two categories of tools contained within this collection – competency assessments and quality improvement tools – along with feedback on initial use of the tools. Competency assessments assist individuals with determining their level of expertise related to each of the competencies addressed in the Core Competencies and identifying areas for professional development. Assessments are available for each of the three career stages delineated in the 2010 version of the Core Competencies: entry level, program management/supervisory level, and senior management/executive level. Quality improvement tools enable public health organizations to recognize areas of strength related to the Core Competencies, as well as areas for further development, and to prioritize development needs. Additional tools include clarifications to the language of the Core Competencies, examples of ways to demonstrate attainment of competence, competency-based job descriptions, and an illustration of cultural competence as it relates to the Core Competencies. Tools are available online at no cost and may be modified to meet local needs.