A model for training public health workers in health policy: the Nebraska Health Policy Academy.
There is growing recognition that health goals are more likely to be achieved and sustained if programs are complemented by appropriate changes in the policies, systems, and environments that shape their communities. However, the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to create and implement policy are among the major needs identified by practitioners at both the state and local levels. This article describes the structure and content of the Nebraska Health Policy Academy (the Academy), a 9-month program developed to meet the demand for this training. The Academy is a competency-based training program that aims to increase the capacity of Nebraska's state and local public health staff and their community partners to use public health policy and law as a public health tool. Our initiative allows for participation across a large, sparsely populated state; is grounded in adult learning theory; introduces the key principles and practices of policy, systems, and environmental change; and is offered free of charge to the state's public health workforce. Challenges and lessons learned when offering workforce development on public health policy efforts are discussed.
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska.
Kathleen
K
Brandert
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska.
Claudine
C
McCarthy
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, Omaha, Nebraska.
Brandon
B
Grimm
State of Nebraska, Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Colleen
C
Svoboda
State of Nebraska, Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska.
David
D
Palm
Center for Health Policy, and Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4350. E-mail: james.stimpson@unmc.edu.
Jim P
JP
Stimpson
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000458:organization & administration; D057191:Capacity Building; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods; D003479:Curriculum; D006282:Health Personnel; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D009329:Nebraska; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards*; D011640:Public Policy; D013192:Staff Development; D013219:State Government