Academic Health Departments: A Liaison's Perspective on Contributions and Challenges

Proposed as a method to foster academic and public health agency collaboration, Academic Health Departments are defined as a formal affiliation between and academic institution and a local or state health department. The Public Health Foundation contends that such a collaboration can enhance public health education and training, research, and service.  

It is believed that use of the AHD model helps to strengthen the link between academia and practice.  Further the AHD could  address concerns regarding the division between the education of public health professionals and the practice of public health, as well as serving  as sites for joint research and practice. , By working together,  it could enable the academic and practice communities to build the evidence base for public health and better deliver the essential public health services. Thus, improving target health outcomes.

 

A liaison-based AHD was initiated by Mercer University and the GA Dept. of Health, North Central Health District in 2012.  The North Central Health District encompasses thriteen counties in central Georgia.  A process evaluatioin was conducted to provide an analysis of the initial logic model proposed for the affiliation.  Though inputs, activities, outputs, and short term outcomes have been evaluated, the perspectives of the liaison, serving a dual capacity of university assistant professor and District health promotions coordinator, have not been assessed. 

 

This discussion addresses the contributions of increasing community partnerships, enhancing evaluation activities, and sharing academic information.  It also addresess the challenges of developing community research projects, and  improving target health outcomes based upon work plans within the liaison-based AHD from the liaison's perspective.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Administration, management, leadership
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe the role of a liaison in a liaison-based Academic Health Department Discuss the year 1 outcomes and obstacles of serving as a liaison in a new Academic Health Department

Keyword(s): Health Promotion and Education, Public Health Administration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as the liaison for the Academic Health Department formed between Mercer Univeristy and the Georgia Department of Public Health North Central Health District. I am co-author on a peer-reviewed publication on academic health departments. I have and MD, MPH, and currently serve as the Assistant Professor of Practice within the College of Health Professions managing the public health internship experiences.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4162.0: Collaborative Connections among Communities, Universities, and Public Health Departments