Taking the training to the people: Workforce development for rural public health

MAPHTC has provided training to many rural Illinois public health practitioners that was unavailable to them 10 years ago. For the past eight years, the MidAmerica Public Health Training Center (MAPHTC), a HRSA-funded training center, has successfully organized the Rural Public Health Institute (RPHI), a training conference in rural Illinois. To address the needs of rural public health professionals, a rural advisory committee comprised of representatives from academic and practice organizations serving rural public health interests works with MAPHTC to identify gaps, as well as to develop and deliver training. This conference provides 25 full and half-day workshops in the areas of skills building, preparedness, emerging issues, and public health and primary care as linked to the workforce competencies of the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Practice. Since inception, the number of trainings offered has increased by over 50% during the 3 day conference to offer a wide-variety of trainings to meet specific needs.

This presentation describes the Institutes and their role in enhancing rural organizational capacity. This Institute is designed to provide an opportunity for professional growth, educational enrichment, and networking to public health professionals.

Rural health departments and community organizations often do not have the capacity or resources for adequate training and continuing education, with much training being inaccessible geographically and/or financially. The expertise of the rural public health practitioners as the Advisory Committee, MAPHTC has provided the only annual venue for hands-on training that is both geographically and financially accessible.