FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Maurice Starks, National Network of Public Health Institutes, mstarks@nnphi.org

Carmelita Marrow, National Network of Public Health Institutes, cmarrow@nnphi.org    

The National Network of Public Health Institutes Announces New Cohort of Strategic Scholars

Seven Teams of Public Health Practitioners Have Been Selected for the Change Management Cohort of the Strategic Scholars Program

WASHINGTON, DC — The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) welcomes its newest cohort of Strategic Scholars. Comprised of 37 public health practitioners from seven health departments across the country, the newest cohort will learn and apply Change Management skills through the completion of a skill application project and individualized coaching over the next six months.

“This is such a great opportunity to gain new skills, network with others engaged in similar efforts and to work on a project with a coach” explained NNPHI Senior Program Manager Laila Fox. “I’m excited to have helped design this multi-faceted approach to learning and to create innovative ways to support the public health workforce.” 

The Strategic Scholars program, a program developed and implemented by the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI), uses a community of practice cohort model and multiple learning modalities to build governmental public health workforce capacity in eight strategic skill areas. The Strategic Scholars program is a competitive application process open to personnel working in state, tribal, territorial, or local health departments.

Scholars in this cohort will build their skills in Change Management, a critical framework for initiating, implementing, and sustaining positive changes to health department structure and functioning. NNPHI is partnering with the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) to provide training and coaching to this cohort of Scholars. NACCHO University’s Change Management for Public Health, a six-module, interactive course, will be used as the foundation of the program.

The 2021 Change Management Strategic Scholars cohort is comprised of seven health departments:

• Boston Public Health Commission (MA)
• Linn County Public Health (IA)
• San Juan Basin Public Health (CO)
• Kentucky Department for Public Health (KY)
• Stanislaus County Health Services Agency – Public Health (CA)
• New Orleans Health Department (LA)
• Texas Department of State Health Services – Laboratory Services Section (TX)

You can view the full list of current and past Strategic Scholars here. 

###

Funding for this program has been provided to the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) through a Cooperative Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (5 NU38OT000303-03-00). NNPHI has collaborated with CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to support this work. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

About the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training

The National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training has a network of public health institutes, training centers, and national partners that is intentionally designed and effectively equipped to address the urgent need to build leadership and strategic capacity nationwide by leading the development of a coordinated system of effective, efficient, and quality learning opportunities. Through the use of innovative training technologies and proven approaches grounded in adult learning theory, NCCPHT serves all public health professionals by expanding access to high-quality training, tools, and resources they need to address current and emergent public health issues.

About the National Network of Public Health Institutes

Mobilizing more than 40 public health institutes throughout 32 states along with ten university-based regional training centers and 40 training affiliates, the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) supports national public health system initiatives and strengthens public health institutes to promote multi sector activities resulting in measurable improvements of public health structures, systems, and outcomes. NNPHI also serves as the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training – NCCPHT. To learn more about NNPHI, visit www.nnphi.org.