Sharing Public Health Functions and Capabilities: Leadership Strategies

Increasingly, local health officials and policymakers are turning to shared public health functions and capabilities across political boundaries to increase efficiencies and effectiveness.  The Center for Sharing Public Health services, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, supports and captures the learning from 16 teams across the country that are engaged in a range of activities related to exploring, developing, implementing, and/or improving cross-jurisdictional sharing (CJS).  The goal of this session is to share strategies from these practice-based experiences that can be applied in other jurisdictions that are exploring or pursuing CJS.  Specifically, the strategies address shared leadership, change management and public policy goals. 

Establishing shared leadership draws on attributes and skills that often run counter to what is taught regarding traditional leadership.  For example, when collaborating on CJS efforts, local health officials (LHOs) are well-served by being open-minded, able to accommodate others’ priorities, and patient; in contrast, it is often necessary to be focused, determined and decisive when managing operations – and particularly when managing a public health crisis. 

Attention to communications, staff perceptions and concerns, and the impact of potential changes on staff are the hallmarks of change management – an important element of planning and implementing CJS.  Change management is distinctly different from project management and its focus on managing tasks within a specified timeline and budget. 

Understanding policymakers’ goals and working within that context can position LHOs to be even more effective in discussions with elected officials -- a new approach for those who have traditionally focused on educating policymakers about public health and its importance.  Serving their constituents, attaining efficiencies and enhancing effectiveness are all fairly common public policy goals that have direct bearing on CJS efforts.

Specific strategies will be more fully described using practice-based examples.