NACCHO and ChangeLab Solutions hosted local health department staff for a pilot training introducing concepts in public health law, including a discussion on the newly developed Public Health Competency Model for Attorneys (PHCMA) on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. The recording of the training can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3CK6gmp.
The law is essential to public health practice as it requires practitioners to consider the balance between individual rights and public responsibilities when making decisions. The intersection of law and public health practice is constantly evolving and requires public health professionals to adjust as new issues emerge; however, there are principles and concepts to guide practitioners through these matters.
Developed by the Public Health Law Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with a multidisciplinary Expert Review Workgroup, the PHCMA aims to specify the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities in public health that are fundamental to attorneys working in and representing public health agencies.
In addition, attendees had the opportunity to provide feedback on how the PHCMA may be enhanced to best meet the needs of the public health workforce. The discussion during the training focused on the following questions:
- What knowledge, skills, or abilities in public health does one need to practice public health law?
- Does the PHCMA facilitate the assessment of skills or knowledge in public health that public health attorneys may be expected to reach to achieve satisfactory to exceptional performance in their role?
- Does the PHCMA accurately reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities in public health that attorneys must demonstrate as they work with YOUR organization?
- How might you use the PHCMA?
If you were unable to attend the training or if you would like to provide additional feedback, please complete this form by Friday, October 8 to be incorporated into the next version of the PHCMA. The current version of the PHCMA can be found here: https://bit.ly/3CjSiHA. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alix Ware ([email protected]).
