Technical and Professional Competencies

Public Health Sciences Skills

1. Describe the core functions and the 10 Essential Public Health Services

2. Define “population-based” public health practice

3. Describe the public health aspects of emergency planning (PHEPR)

Professional Practice

1. Access resources for ongoing learning, professional development and personal productivity

2. Access and apply best practices for area of specialized expertise

3. Access peers and mentors for consultation and mutual support

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Describe the organization of the local health jurisdiction, including reporting relationships for key management and operations staff

2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of key management positions in the local health jurisdiction as expected by law, the local board of health, and organizational structure

3. Access and apply agency policies and procedures regarding everyday local health jurisdiction operations (e.g., protection of confidentiality, internal and external communications, health alert procedures, etc.)

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Systems Thinking

Washington’s Public Health System

1. Describe the framework of the public health system in Washington State

2. Describe linkages between the Department of Health, other state agencies and local health jurisdictions

3. Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of governmental public health agencies and other agencies with public health responsibilities

4. Describe the core public health functions and the essential public health services and explain their relationship to public health programs and services

5. Describe the role of the Public Health Improvement Partnership in strengthening the Washington State public health system

Local Health Jurisdictions

1. Describe common administrative structures of local health jurisdictions in Washington State

2. Describe programs and services commonly provided by local health jurisdictions in Washington State

3. Identify distinctions between different local health jurisdiction structures: departments, single and multi-county districts, and the implications for local health jurisdiction governance

4. Identify various regional structures for public health agencies and programs and explain how these relate to the local health jurisdiction

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Public Health Policy, Authority, and Responsibility

Boards of Health and Legal Authority

1. Access WACs (Washington Administrative Code) and RCWs (Revised Code of Washington) governing public health

2. Describe the appropriate protocol for interacting with the County Attorney or local health jurisdiction legal counsel

3. Describe the appropriate process to address a public health issue with the local Board of Health through problem identification, discussion, and development of action plans, and review.

4. Describe the role of the local health jurisdiction’s senior managers in local Board of Health meetings

5. Differentiate the roles and legal responsibilities of local and state Boards of Health and Health Officers

Policy Development and Implementation

1. Explain the core public health functions and the essential public health services as they pertain to policy development

2. Discuss the development of public health policy at local and state levels, including public health law, regulations and rules found in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and local ordinances

3. Define the concept of “mandated services” and identify public health laws and regulations related to specific public health programs

4. List 3 strategies for effective work within the legislative process

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New Coalitions and Alliances

1. Identify key partners and stakeholders and describe their existing linkages with the local health jurisdiction

2. List the appropriate people/groups in and outside the local health jurisdiction to include in a meeting or discussion about a particular public health problem/initiative.

3. Describe the local health jurisdiction’s involvement in community networks, advisory groups and coalitions working together on public health-related issues and services

4. Identify strategies for engaging the community in efforts to improve public health

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Communication

1. Explain the purpose of the public health communication campaign developed through the Public Health Improvement Partnership and describe how it is applied within the local health jurisdiction.

2. Explain the local health jurisdiction’s policies and procedures for external communication (responding to citizen calls, e-mails or letters, interacting with the media and distributing press releases.)

3. Describe problems that are likely to arise in a high concern/low trust situation and ways one might address these problems through risk communications

4. Access the local health jurisdiction’s communication and public information plans for a variety of public health issues, including emergency events (PHEPR)

5. List the appropriate people/groups (in and outside the local health jurisdiction) to include in a meeting or discussion about a particular public health problem/initiative

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Informatics

1. Use email, various list serves and online conferencing capabilities to support your work

2. Identify the software applications used within the local health jurisdiction to perform research, record-keeping, communication, data analysis, and reporting tasks

3. Access confidentiality laws and regulations, and identify the local policies and procedures to implement these requirements

4. Access relevant data sources to help characterize a public health problem or evaluate a public health service/program

5. List population-based health information systems (e.g. disease or immunization registries) available to the community

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Quality Improvement

1. Define core values that guide quality improvement efforts (e.g. customer-driven, results-focus, innovation, continuous learning, etc.).

2. Describe key areas of organization performance (e.g. customer focus, human resources, work processes, etc.)

3. Describe how to use the Standards for Public Health in Washington State (and the results of the baseline assessment) to develop a plan for improving local health jurisdiction performance

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Results-based Accountability

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

1. Discuss the relationship between the local health jurisdiction’s mission, goals, objectives and budget and the public health priorities identified by the community through the community health assessment process

2. Describe the local health jurisdiction’s process for program planning and evaluation

Financial and Contract Management

1. Describe the major revenue sources for the local health jurisdiction

2. Describe the local health jurisdiction’s budget development and budget management processes and identify the expectations for senior managers in these processes

3. Identify major contracts with DOH, other state agencies, county government and other sources that provide funding for local health jurisdiction programs and activities.

4. Describe how the local health jurisdiction tracks implementation of various federal and state administrative, fiscal and reporting requirements for contracts, including the DOH consolidated contract

5. Read and interpret the BARS report

6. Describe the methodology used within the agency for calculating unit costs and the principles that guide setting fees for services

7. Identify the local health jurisdiction’s cost-allocation method

Personnel Management

1. Identify the agency’s policies for staff education and training, including release time, stipends or other supports

2. Describe key elements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

3. Describe the local health jurisdiction’s approach to employee performance management

4. Describe the local health jurisdiction’s process for orienting new employees and employees assigned to new roles.

5. Access information about licensure and certification of various professionals working in public health in Washington State

6. Describe labor relations and union contract issues as they relate to the local health jurisdiction

7. Describe local health jurisdiction policies and protocols pertaining to staffing for an emergency event/response (PHEPR)

Property, Facilities, and Risk Management

1. Access and apply the local health jurisdiction’s policies and procedures for purchase, control, and maintenance of property, facilities, and other resources

2. Describe key elements of the Americans with Disabilities Act that pertain to agency facilities

3. Identify risk management strategies used within the local health jurisdiction

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Visionary Leadership

1. Define “collaborative leadership”

2. Discuss different models and styles of leadership and how they are used appropriately in different contexts

3. Describe appropriate leadership roles for bringing the community together to discuss public health issues

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