Forces collects information on current full-time equivalent, part-time, contractual, and temporary positions across jurisdiction sizes and governance types; estimates are interpreted in light of recently published workforce trends from NACCHO. Prior reporting demonstrated a trend of increasing reported job losses approaching pre-pandemic levels, a net gain in jobs nationally, and a slowing of hiring, with current significant budgetary constraints among smaller and medium LHDs and anticipation of further financial challenges.

During this period of transitioning from the COVID-19 emergency, Forces measured a variety of finance and public health authority issues. For example, three in five small and medium LHDs reported local government can establish levies for public health, but the same is true for a third of larger LHDs. Unsurprisingly, centralized and non-centralized LHDs differed in their authorities and finance structures.

As there are more topic-specific areas of focus in Forces, there will be additional results shared relevant to highlighting the necessity of continued investment in public health. Some of these include data such as: nine in 10 LHDs have barriers to hosting trainees and fellows in public health and more than eight in 10 LHDs have barriers to conducting program evaluations.

Findings from this study will give us a snapshot of the state of local public health in mid-2024 for comparison in 2025 and beyond.