National Hispanic Health Foundation

?RECRUITING AND RETAINING A DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE PROGRAM? (RRDPHWP) - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY THE NATIONAL HISPANIC FOUNDATION (NHHF) PROPOSES TO DEVELOP THE RECRUITING AND RETAINING A DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE PROGRAM (RRDPHWP) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CDC OVER FIVE YEARS, WITH THE GOAL TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM THAT RECRUITS AND RETAINS A DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE REPRESENTING THIS COUNTRY'S RACIAL AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE RRDPHWP ARE TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES/TOOLS FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING A DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH STAKEHOLDERS. A WELL-TRAINED, RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE CAN HAVE A CENTRAL ROLE IN MITIGATING HEALTH DISPARITIES AND IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF ANY EQUITABLE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THE RRDPHWP WILL COORDINATE: 1) AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF A DOZEN PUBLIC HEALTH, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND ACADEMIC DIVERSITY EXPERTS; 2) A LITERATURE SEARCH FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND PROGRESSION ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN PUBLIC HEALTH; 3) THREE FACILITATED REGIONAL SUMMITS AND INTERVIEWS/FOCUS GROUPS TO OBTAIN FEEDBACK FROM KEY THOUGHT LEADERS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ACADEMIC EXPERTS ON BEST PRACTICES AND BARRIERS TO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF A RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE; 4) DEVELOP A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND PROGRESSIVE STRATEGY WITH AI IN COLLABORATION WITH MINORITY INSTITUTIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS AND THE CDC; 5) COORDINATE A HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN TO FIND DIVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL ALUMNI AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN PUBLIC HEALTH POSITIONS AT THE NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS; 6) DEVELOP A TRACKING AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THE PROGRAM; AND 7) PRODUCE REPORTS BASED ON THE PROGRAM EVALUATION PLAN WITH CDC. THE RRDPHWP WILL USE MULTIPLE STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION/PROGRESSION OF CLUSTERS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC CANDIDATES TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR, EMPHASIZING UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS FOR USE BY CDC AND LOCAL AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. THE RRDPHWP WILL ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOLS, MINORITY-SERVING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (HBCUS, HSIS, TCUS), STATE, COUNTY, AND CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATIONS (APHA, AASPH, ASTHO, FASHP, NACCHO) TO SUPPORT THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM INITIATIVE.