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Allison Budzinski, ASTHO senior workforce analyst, tells us small and important steps to support the public health workforce; Shane Gausepohl, communications and equity coordinator for Del Norte County Public Health, explains the Community Health...
Allison Budzinski, ASTHO senior workforce analyst, tells us small and important steps to support the public health workforce; Shane Gausepohl, communications and equity coordinator for Del Norte County Public Health, explains the Community Health Education Kiosk Project that his team has undertaken; and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, an ASTHO alum, has been named the new president and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board.
ASTHO Blog Article: Small Steps to Support and Compensate the Public Health Workforce
ASTHO Blog Article: Health Education Kiosks Meet Diverse Needs in California Community
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, December 18, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
ALLISON BUDZINSKI
Our workforce team at ASTHO has been writing a series of blogs that go off of the four different recommendations and a technical package titled strategies for enhancing governmental public health workforce, well being and retention.
JOHNSON:
That's ASTHO's Allison Budzinski. Today, we're examining the third blog in that series she's talking about, focused on the small and important steps to support and compensate the public health workforce.
BUDZINSKI
So, maybe it's first taking a look at pay structures across the organization, and just looking at the pay structures in comparison to the broader job market trends and the different demographics, such as gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability status that these internal pay structures consider.
SUMMER JOHNSON:
Budzinski says there are other things to consider, in addition to financial compensation.
BUDZINSKI
A staff person once they're onboarded, if they feel psychologically safe, and they feel like they have a mentor ,and they feel they are included in shared decision-making across the team. These are some things managers can really focus on, in conjunction with some of those monetary points of recruitment and retention.
JOHNSON:
A flexible work environment can also make a really big difference.
BUDZINSKI
We've seen in surveys, we've seen in qualitative data throughout our work at ASTHO that remote working options and that flexibility to maintain a work/life balance and that harmony between work and life, really, truly can retain your staff more than perhaps the salary could attract a staff person to leave.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO's full blog article is online now. Use the link in the show notes to read it.
California's Del Norte County is using Public Health Infrastructure Grant funds to support the Community Health Education Kiosk project, or CHEK project. Here's Shane Gausepohl with Del Norte County Public Health.
SHANE GAUSEPOHL:
They are interactive touchscreen kiosks that provide access to health resources. The primary goal is to ensure equitable access to health education for all residents of Del Norte County, regardless of location, language, or socioeconomic background.
JOHNSON:
Gausepohl says Del Norte County wants all people to have access to important public health information.
GAUSEPOHL:
The project aims to reduce barriers to vital health information. While smartphones are common, not everyone has reliable internet access or is comfortable navigating online resources.
JOHNSON:
He says the CHEK project is a positive for the entire community.
GAUSEPOHL:
And then the checkpoints also play a key role in empowering residents with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health. In doing so, it contributes to the ongoing efforts to create a healthier, more equitable Del NorteCounty, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive.
JOHNSON:
In the future, Del Norte County Public Health plans to have more kiosks that are even more accessible than they already are. There's a blog article on that project online. You can use the link in the show notes to learn more.
Also, today, we have news about an ASTHO alum. ASTHO extends a hearty congratulations to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun recently named the new president and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board. Dr. Khaldun was Michigan's chief medical executive and most recently the chief health equity officer at CVS Health.
Finally, today, once the new year begins, you'll want to make sure you're on top of the new policy trends in Washington, D.C. and in states and territories across the country, and ASTHO's Legislative Alerts can help with that. Sign up for those today, and, as always, there's a link in the show notes.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
