Pictures: Director Sameer Vohra addresses attendees at the recent Illinois Public Health Workforce. Transformation Initiative Kick-Off Meeting held at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) Performing Arts Center.

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Sameer Vohra unveiled a groundbreaking initiative on April 17-18, 2024, aimed at strengthening the state’s public health system and addressing complex health challenges during the Illinois Public Health Workforce Transformation Initiative Kick-Off Meeting. The Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center (P3RC) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health, a co-leader of the initiative with IDPH, organized the event with coordination support from Leading Healthy Futures.

The initiative, funded by the CDC Public Health Infrastructure Grant, is a collaborative effort between IDPH, UIC School of Public Health, local health department associations, and the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA). It seeks to review and prioritize current needs, establish a shared vision for a transformed public health system, and strengthen relationships among stakeholders throughout Illinois.

Local health department administrators, IDPH staff, and IDPH program leaders were the primary attendees at the kick-off meeting. The event featured representatives from Washington Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Health, and Cook County, Illinois, who shared their experiences with similar transformation efforts. Capacity & Cost Assessment field test participants also provided valuable insights for their Illinois peers.

Director Vohra emphasized the importance of the initiative’s cost and capacity assessment process, which will provide crucial insights into the current state of the public health workforce. The assessment will generate individual reports for each local health department and a comprehensive statewide report. These will identify gaps in funding and capacity that need to be addressed.

A key component of the initiative is the development of a strategic agenda, which will tackle modernization policies, pipeline issues, and opportunities for resource sharing and training innovations. Findings from listening sessions informed the agenda. This will serve as a roadmap for addressing the identified needs of the public health system.

The Illinois Public Health Workforce Transformation Initiative Kick-Off Meeting was organized in partnership with the IPHA, Illinois Association of Public Health Administrators, Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium, and Southern Illinois Public Health Consortium.

Director Vohra’s announcement at the kick-off meeting marks a significant milestone in advancing this vital initiative. IDPH, UIC School of Public Health, and their partners commit to sharing regular updates as they collaborate to create a more responsive and equitable public health system that benefits all residents of Illinois.