Strengthening ohio's public health infrastructure, workforce, and data systems - the mission of the ohio department of health (ODH) is advancing the health and well-being of all ohioans and we…

Strengthening ohio's public health infrastructure, workforce, and data systems - the mission of the ohio department of health (ODH) is advancing the health and well-being of all ohioans and we envision a robust, well-trained public health workforce across the state, strong partnerships with local health departments (lhds), and modernized systems that support data-driven strategies and delivery of quality services. Ohio's public health system is comprised of 112 lhds, one in each of the 88 counties plus 24 city level agencies, all of whom have home rule jurisdiction and work in partnership with guided direction from the ODH. Accreditation by the public health accreditation board (phab) is legislatively required for all of ohio's public health agencies. The requirement was enacted to ensure that ohioans, regardless of location, have access to foundational public health services and a public health department with the capacity to deliver the ten essential public health services. As part ODH's 21ST century project, an annual analysis identifies the gaps in funding needed to provide quality essential public health services. That project and the covid-19 pandemic have highlighted the need for an expanded public health workforce and capturing the opportunities that exist to leverage existing resources including workforce retention, data modernization, and foundational capacity in a more efficient way. Ohio's priority projects funded by the CDC-RFA-OE22-2203 grant will expand the strategies ODH implemented under the public health workforce crisis cooperative agreement in 2021, adding. These new funds will add workforce capacity at the state and local level, support new development and retention activities, provide a systems approach to ensuring quality delivery of essential public health services, and contribute to ohio's data modernization efforts. Key new workforce includes the addition of a workforce director, evaluation team, health equity and communications embedded in health programs to facilitate better informed planning and implementation, among other strategically created positions this grant will also enhance collaborative efforts between ODH and the association of ohio health commissioners (aohc) to provide meaningful workforce development programs to address ohio-specific needs. That collaborative approach brings to bear resources needed to expand subject matter expertise of ohio's current public health workforce, address gaps in specialties such as environmental health professionals, and engage students in mentorships that will assist in sustaining the workforce into the future. As part of a commitment to quality, ohio requires all public health departments to achieve accreditation by phab. Currently, 89% of all ohioans are served by an accredited health department. The ODH is also an accredited health department. Most lhds who have not yet become fully accredited are taking meaningful steps to complete requirements. Those who do not OPT to engage in the phab process can alternatively seek to merge with an LHD that has the capacities to do so. ODH has embarked on projects to support lhds in their efforts to achieve accreditation and this new grant will provide investments to expand programming which trains and coaches lhds about how to increase the quality of their operations and service delivery to the level required for accreditation and provides foundational framework for performance management. The timing of these funds to expand supports to lhds comes at a critical moment when the public health workforce has experienced attrition due to retirements and other exiting the workforce. IT is now that the lhds need training and technical assistance for new personnel to meet the standards required to achieve and maintain accreditation for their respective jurisdictions. ODH is committed to the following outcomes for the duration of the grant: increase hiring of diverse staff; provide workforce development programming to…