THURS-027 - From Pilot to Implementation: “Public Health 101” Workshops for the Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover best practices around developing and implementing a “Public Health 101” workshop as part of a new employee onboarding program at the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH). Presentation details include adapting national and broad public health concepts for a regionally-specific audience, and engaging participants to explore what public health means to them. The presentation also offers insight into leveraging pre-existing collaborations and partnerships between the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Department of Public Health Sciences and the DOH to create, pilot, and institutionalize PH101.

Detailed abstract description: The most recent Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey data shows an overwhelming majority (78.1%) of those in governmental public health do not have formal training in public health. Region IX, which Hawai‘i is a part of, is no exception with 74.9% of workers without a degree in public health. While the diversity in this field can offer unique perspectives and a cross-disciplinary set of problem-solvers, it is important that public health practitioners have a shared understanding of what public health is, as well as a common vocabulary of key public health terms and concepts. In 2024, faculty members from the Hawai‘i Public Health Catalyst Lab, in collaboration with the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH), developed a 90-minute, free, in person “Public Health 101” workshop that covered the Ten Essential Public Health Services, with a focus on the three core pillars of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance. The workshop design intentionally grounded examples in Hawai‘i-specific histories, resources, and activities to increase the relevance of the training to its audience. The pilot workshop included interactive discussions with ample opportunities for participants to share their insights. The workshops also served as an opportunity for existing DOH employees to develop community between and across departments and divisions, and to share resources. The participants gave overwhelmingly positive appraisal.

Presentation attendees will gain insight into the development of the “Public Health 101” workshop through collaborations with the DOH’s Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) team. Through this collaboration, the PHIG team piloted “Public Health 101” into their onboarding training series in early 2025, and have now implemented the workshop into their onboarding process. The PHIG team was instrumental in setting up key logistics to conduct the workshops, and offering initial feedback through the pilot phases. This presentation will include challenges and opportunities in scaling the workshop, particularly for rural and neighbor island communities. Participants will also learn about the process of adapting the training to align national standards and broad concepts to public health to have local resonance. The presentation will include a short overview and sample of the training. It will also highlight the 20+ years of partnership with the DOH’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division that undergirded the possibility of this work to develop the state’s public health workforce.