what do the results mean for workforce development? september 16, 2015

What Do the Results Mean for Workforce Development?

September 16, 2015

Objectives

• Summarize data from the 2014-15 Kansas Public Health Workforce Assessment • Identify workforce competency gaps based on

local and state reporting criteria • Discuss workforce development strategies to

address competency gaps

Overview of Participation

• Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff had a 76% participation rate • Local public health department employees had a

61% participation rate• Total participation rate of 67%• A total of 1,648 respondents• Testing was conducted with representatives from

all tiers, all bureaus at KDHE, and representatives from small, medium, and large health departments

Local Health Department Participation

• 66% participation rate (875 respondents out of a total of 1,429)• 27 health departments had a 100% participation

rate• 49 health departments had a participation rate of

75% or above• 69 health departments had a participation rate of

50% or above• 96% of health departments had at least one

participant

9%

91%

Male Female

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Local Health Departments

Gender



Age



Race



Level of Education

28%

44%

28%

< Bachelors Bachelors >=Master's



Years in Public Health

14%

22%

22%

42%

< 1 1--5 6--10 > 10



Plans to Leave Position Within 5 Years

24%

35%

41%

Yes No Unsure

Tiers

• Tier A—administrative and facilities support• Tier 1--public health professionals who carry out

the day-to-day tasks of public health organizations and are not in management positions. • Tier 2--individuals with program management

and/or supervisory responsibilities• Tier 3--senior/management level and leaders of

public health organizations

Domains Covered on Assessment

• Communication• Cultural Competency• Analytical/Assessment• Policy Development/Program Planning• Community Dimensions of Practice• Public Health Sciences• Financial Planning and Management• Leadership and Systems Thinking

Respondents by Tier

Tier Total LHD Respondents

Total KDHE Respondents

Tier 1 346 (39%) 317 (41%)

Tier 2 172 (20%) 229 (30%)

Tier 3 113 (13%) 50 (6%)

Tier A 244 (28%) 177 (23%)

Total 875 773

Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills

Financial Planning and Management Skills

Public Health Sciences Skills

Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

Analytical/Assessment Skills

Cultural Competency Skills

Communication Skills

55.88%

50.58%

44.91%

60.56%

54.36%

57.14%

70.83%

71.55%

69.17%

63.43%

56.53%

71.35%

69.90%

73.75%

70.03%

80.35%

Tier 1 Comparison

KDHE Local Health Departments









67.27%

57.80%

45.35%

63.28%

58.68%

57.42%

63.13%

73.82%

77.85%

69.78%

65.46%

75.27%

75.11%

79.49%

69.35%

86.07%

Tier 2 Comparison










65.16%

62.91%

42.24%

60.96%

56.54%

48.94%

54.32%

70.34%

88.71%

84.83%

81.90%

81.79%

82.75%

79.22%

72.83%

88.56%

Tier 3 Comparison










23.04%

63.85%

25.80%

25.74%

30.33%

30.09%

13.08%

15.67%

40.59%

51.05%

50.34%

48.39%

39.04%

40.52%

43.26%

32.33%

Tier 1 Comparison--Does Not Apply to My Job










12.28%

19.81%

15.35%

13.28%

14.69%

15.68%

5.89%

10.84%

25.84%

32.00%

42.24%

34.09%

17.53%

30.37%

33.28%

17.95%











2.19%

3.93%

5.71%

3.29%

2.10%

3.22%

3.30%

2.02%

10.81%

14.10%

22.32%

21.86%

13.41%

17.35%

19.62%

14.51%



Tier A— Training/Education –KDHE

Percentage Agree/Strongly Agree

KDHE LHDs

At work, I have opportunities to learn and grow.

74.29% 77.49%

Employees are continually developed through training, education, and opportunities for promotion.

51.52% 66.67%

I have the skills I need to do my job. 96.84% 93.91%Training is implemented as part of an overall system of employee development.

66.67% 68.14%

I am comfortable with technology-based training.

96.05% 89.13%

Local Health Departments Kansas Department of Health and Environment


(highest across tiers) Cultural Competency (Tier 1

only) Community Dimensions of

Practice Skills (Tiers 1 and 2) Leadership and Systems

Thinking Skills (Tiers 2 and 3)

Financial Planning and Management Skills (Tier 3 only)

Communication Skills Analytical and Assessment

Skills Leadership and Systems

Thinking Skills (Tiers 2 and 3)

Areas of Highest Proficiency

Areas of Lowest ProficiencyLocal Health Departments Kansas Department of

Health and Environment

Public Health Sciences Skills (lowest across tiers)

Financial Planning and Management Skills (Tiers 1 and 2)

Analytical and Assessment Skills (Tiers 2 and 3)

Policy Development/Program Planning (Tiers 1 and 2)

Cultural Competency (Tier 3 only)



Cultural Competency Leadership and Systems

Thinking Skills (Tier 1 only)

Areas with High Percentages Who Don’t Think Competencies Apply

Local Health Departments Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Financial Planning and Management Skills (Tiers 1 and 2)

Policy Development/Program Planning (Tier 1 only)

Analytical and Assessment Skills (Tiers 1 and 2)

Public Health Sciences Skills (Tiers 2 and 3)

Cultural Competency Public Health Sciences

Skills Community Dimensions

of Practice Skills Financial Planning and

Management Skills (Tier 1 only)

Tier 1—Prioritized Competencies

Rank 2010 Competency Domain 2014 Revised Competency Language

1 Describe the local, state, and federal public health and health care systems


Describes public health funding mechanisms (e.g., categorical grants, fees, third-party reimbursement, tobacco taxes)

2 Describe the organizational structures, functions, and authorities of local, state, and federal public health agencies


Describes the structures, functions, and authorizations of governmental public health programs and organizations

3 Describe the impact of changes in the public health system, and larger social, political, economic environment on organizational practices


Describes the impact of changes (e.g., social, political, economic, scientific) on organizational practices



1 Relate public health science skills to the Core Public Health Functions and Ten Essential Services of Public Health

Public Health Science Skills

Applies public health sciences (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and public health informatics) in the delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services

2 Implement the judicial and operational procedures of the governing body and/or administrative unit that oversees the operations of the public health organization


Implements policies and procedures of the governing body or administrative unit that oversees the organization (e.g., board of health, chief executive’s office, Tribal council)

3 Incorporate public health informatics practices

Policy Development and Program Planning Skills

Uses public health informatics in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services (e.g., integrated data systems, electronic reporting, knowledge management systems, geographic information systems)



1 Manage the implementation of the judicial and operational procedures of the administrative unit that oversees the operations of the public health organization


Manages the implementation of policies and procedures of the governing body or administrative unit that oversees the organization (e.g., board of health, chief executive’s office, Tribal council)

2 Integrate a review of the scientific evidence related to a public health/environmental issue, concern, or, intervention into the practice of public health

Public Health Science Skills

Ensures the use of evidence in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services

3 Resolves gaps in data sources Analytical and Assessment Skills

Resolves gaps in data

Major Findings The domain with the lowest proficiency rating across all tiers

for both local health departments and KDHE was Public Health Science Skills (with the exception of KDHE Tier 3).

KDHE had significant percentages of people reporting that competencies in several domains did not apply to their jobs (significantly higher in comparison with local health departments):o Cultural competence—43% for Tier 1; 33% for Tier 2; 20%

for Tier 3o Public Health Sciences—50% for Tier 1; 42% for Tier 2;

22% for Tier 3o Community Dimensions of Practice—49% for Tier 1; 34%

for Tier 2; 22% for Tier 3.

Major Findings

Significant percentages of local health department and KDHE staff reported that the competencies in the “Financial Planning and Management Skills” domain do not apply to their jobs (64% of local health departments -Tier 1; 51% of KDHE - Tier 1).

There is a significant percentage of the workforce close to retirement age with a limited number of new, young staff entering the workforce

With the exception of some specific communities, the race and ethnicity demographics of the workforce are not similar in percentage to those of the state

Major Findings

Respondents indicated interest in a public health certificate program (no specifics were defined). For local health departments, 38% reported definite interest and 31% were unsure.

The Northwest region of counties was the area of the state with lower self-reported proficiency scores than most other regions across all domains, especially for Tier 1.

For respondents in Tier A, the question with the lowest percentage of responses in the agree/strongly agree group was “Employees are continually developed through training, education, and opportunities for promotion;” KDHE—51.52%, local health departments—66.67% (lowest overall for both).

Overall Themes from Comments

• Perceived lack of workforce development opportunities/training• Perceived lack of opportunities for advancement• Identified need for cross-training• Staff not utilized to full potential—skills, training,

education not utilized• Identified need for training in multiple areas

including cultural competence, specific software• Environmental staff do not see how they are

connected to public health

Results from Fort Riley









0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

84.62%

81.92%

76.07%

76.81%

85.29%

88.94%

92.31%

85.29%

62.07%

54.78%

50.27%

65.82%

61.10%

62.78%

77.46%

75.16%

55.88%

50.58%

44.91%

60.56%

54.36%

57.14%

70.83%

71.55%

Tier 1 Comparison-- Proficiency

Statewide Northeast KS Fort Riley DPH

Results from Fort Riley









0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

69.64%

53.68%

59.10%

70.00%

85.71%

80.22%

89.36%

84.44%

67.14%

61.86%

52.26%

59.14%

61.60%

63.37%

62.70%

72.70%

67.27%

57.80%

45.35%

63.28%

58.68%

57.42%

63.13%

73.82%

Tier 2 Comparison-- Proficiency

Statewide Northeast KS Fort Riley DPH

Results from an LHD Workforce Survey

• 48% of participating LHD staff are very unlikely to pursue a degree/additional degree

• 62% of those interested in pursuing a degree are very unlikely to pursue a Master of Public Health

• Major barriers to additional education included cost, family obligations, and age

• 41% would be much more likely to pursue education with scholarship support

• 41% of participating LHD staff were very/somewhat interested in an Associate’s Degree in Public Health

• 47% of participating LHD staff were very/somewhat interested in a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health

Public Health Certificate• 59.5% of participants in the local health department survey

were very/somewhat interested in attaining a public health certificate

• Regarding definition of a public health certificate, 47% preferred it as part of coursework toward a college degree while 34% preferred that it is a document that recognizes specific competencies/expertise have been attained

• 34% would be somewhat less interested and 34% would be much less interested if there was a cost to take associated courses

Workforce Development Opportunities at Kansas Health Departments

None

Only on the job

A few trainings

Several trainings

Extensive opportunities

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

14%

22%

27%

30%

7%

% of respondents

Activity

• Pair up with someone sitting next to you• Discuss the following questions:• What surprised you the most from all of the results

shared?• What do you think is most critical to address related to

workforce development? • Based on the information presented, what ideas do

you have for workforce development for your organization? The System?

• Volunteers to briefly share what you discussed

Recommendations

Develop training that is targeted to address the areas of lowest proficiency and applicability, a strategy that is already underway

Retool existing training such as the “Evidence-Based Public Health Course” to include content that specifically addresses competency gaps

Target communication efforts to assist staff in better understanding the core competencies and how the competencies apply to their work

Recommendations

Explore recruitment strategies, including use of social media, to increase awareness about the field of public health and to create interest among high school and college students

Investigate opportunities to offer additional education in public health at the bachelor’s and associate’s degree levels, which could result in a new population of public health workforce candidates

Use results to establish a direction for workforce development in the Kansas Public Health System

Resources

• Reports are available for local health departments with enough participants (at least six per tier) as well as bureaus and divisions at Kansas Department of Health and Environment• Presentations can be provided for staff about the

results and how to use them at the organizational level• Technical assistance is available for interpreting

and utilizing results (call or e-mail Cristi Cain)

Acknowledgements

Funding support was provided by the Kansas Health Foundation through the Public Health Practice Program. This report was prepared by the Kansas Public Health Workforce Development Coordinating Council. The instrument questions are based on the Council on Linkages Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.

Contact Information• For more information about the Kansas Public Health

Workforce Assessment, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/olrh/workforce_development.htm.

• Cristi Cain, Interim Director, Local Public Health Program, Kansas Department of Health and Environment,

[email protected]

http://www.kdheks.gov/olrh/workforce_development.htm

mailto:[email protected]

what do the results mean for workforce development? september 16, 2015

Documents

public health professionals

above69 health departments

management skills tier

total875773 tier

tier a244

assessment skills leadership

tierscultural competency

workforce competency