Trainings by Core Public Health Competency

Use this page to find learning opportunities related to specific knowledge and skill sets identified for each of the Core Public Health Competencies.

1. Analytical/Assessment Skills

Analytical/Assessment Skills focus on identifying and understanding data, turning data into information for action, assessing needs and assets to address community health needs, developing community health assessments, and using evidence for decision making.*

Topics: Social Determinants of Health, Population-Based Health Status, Data Collection Instruments and Methods, Public Health Applications of Data, Data Sources and Integrity...

• Population health status and determinants of health
• Population-based health problem
• Variables that measure public health conditions
• Data collection methods and instruments
• Sources of public health data
• Data integrity
• Gaps in data sources
• Ethical principles of data management
• Public health applications of data
• Community-focused data collection
• IT data collection
• Using data to solve public health concerns
• Resources to meet health needs

2. Policy Developmental/Program Planning Skills

Policy Development/Program Planning Skills focus on determining needed policies and programs; advocating for policies and programs; planning, implementing, and evaluating policies and programs; developing and implementing strategies for continuous quality improvement; and developing and implementing community health improvement plans and strategic plans.*

Topics: Policy Issues, Options and Implications for Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Program Planning, Quality Improvement, Emerging Trends in the Political Environment...

• Public health policy issues
• Policy options for public health
• Expected outcomes
• Policy options and implications
• 2C5. Organization governing body guidance
  2B5. Decision analysis;
  2A5. Public health laws and regulations
• Program planning processes
• Policy integration
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Public health informatics
• Continuous quality improvement
• Public health informatics
• Quality improvement
• Emerging trends of the fiscal, social and political enivronment

3. Communication Skills

Communication Skills focus on assessing and addressing population literacy; soliciting and using community input; communicating data and information; facilitating communications; and communicating the roles of government, health care, and others.*

Topics: Written, Verbal and Electronic Communication, Health Literacy, Social Media, MCH Presentations, Group Dynamic Strategies...

• Health literacy
• Written, verbal and electronic communication
• Organization and individual input
• Social media
• Scientific presentations
• Group dynamic strategies
• Role of public health in overall health system

4. Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency Skills focus on understanding and responding to diverse needs, assessing organizational cultural diversity and competence, assessing effects of policies and programs on different populations, and taking action to support a diverse public health workforce.*

Topics: Culturally Competent Strategies and Health Services, Culturally Diverse Workforce, Organization and Individual Culturally Competent Self-Assessments...

• Cultural competence strategies
• Public health cultural competence health services
• Response to diverse needs
• Dynamic forces of cultural diversity
• Diverse public health workforce
• Cultural competence assessment
• Public health organization cultural competence

5. Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

Community Dimensions of Practice Skills focus on evaluating and developing linkages and relationships within the community, maintaining and advancing partnerships and community involvement, negotiating for use of community assets, defending public health policies and programs, and evaluating effectiveness and improving community engagement.*

Topics: Community Linkages with Key Stakeholders, Other Partner Collaborations, Government and Non-Government Organizations, Community-Based Research, Policies, Programs and Resources...

• Community linkages
• Community-based participatory research
• Linkages with stakeholders
• Community partner collaboration
• Partnerships with key stakeholders
• Group processes to advance involvement
• Government and non-government organizations
• Community assets and resources
• Community input for public health policies and programs
• Public health policies, programs and resources
• Community engagement strategies

6. Public Health Sciences Skill

Public Health Sciences Skills focus on understanding the foundation and prominent events of public health, applying public sciences to practice, critiquing and developing research, using evidence when developing policies and programs, and establishing academic partnerships.*

Topics: Basic Public Health Sciences, History of Public Health Professions, 10 Essential Services of Public Health, Scientific Evidence, Ethics in Research, Academic Partnerships...

• Public health scientific foundation
• History of the public health profession
• Core public health functions and 10 essential services of public health
• Basic public health sciences
• Scientific evidence of public health issues
• Scientific evidence from electronic sources
• Research limitations
• Ethical conduct of research
• Scientific base of public health
• Academic partnerships

7. Financial Planning and Management Skills

Financial Planning and Management Skills focus on engaging other government agencies that can address community health needs, leveraging public health and health care funding mechanisms, developing and defending budgets, motivating personnel, evaluating and improving program and organization performance, and establishing and using performance management systems to improve organization performance.*

Topics: Local, State and Federal Systems, Policies and Procedures, Budget Management, Informatics, Contracts, Cost-Benefit Analyses, Performance Management Processes...

• Local, state and federal public health systems
• Structure, functions and authorities of public health agencies
• Organizational policies and procedures
• 7B4. Judicial and operational procedures
  7A4. Programmatic budget
• Budget constraints
• Budget priorities based on federal, state and local financial contributions
• Program performance
• 7A8. Report translation;
  7C8. Organization budget priorities
• Proposals for funding from external sources
• Basic human relation skills
• Public health informatics
• Contracts/other agreements
• Cost-effectiveness and benefit analyses
• Contracts and agreements
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Data use for organizational processes
• Performance management system

8. Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills

Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills focus on incorporating ethical standards into the organization; creating opportunities for collaboration among public health, health care, and other organizations; mentoring personnel; adjusting practice to address changing needs and environment; ensuring continuous quality improvement; managing organizational change; and advocating for the role of governmental public health.*

Topics: Key Public Health Values and Vision, Ethical Standards of Practice, Mentoring and Peer Review, Continuous Quality Improvement...

• Ethical standards of practice
• Public health within larger systems
• Key public health values and vision
• Internal/external problems affecting delivery of public health services
• Learning opportunities for personal/professional development
• Mentoring, peer review, coaching
• Continuous quality improvement
• Public health system impact of change
• Organizational change

* Descriptions from: Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals: Domains