Workshop Description: The Learning Agenda for Systems Change is a tool that can help health departments connect community health assessment data to their workforce development planning process in a way that fosters systems change. The Learning Agenda for Systems Change provides a framework for a new way of thinking for workforce development. It offers an action-oriented process for health departments and their partners to use transformative learning as a driver for systems change. The Learning Agenda for Systems Change provides a stepwise and yet iterative approach to collectively identifying the root causes of today’s complex challenges and developing a multi-level, multi-pronged learning approach to address conditions needed for systems change. Moreover, the Learning Agenda for Systems Change offers health departments an opportunity to advance their practice by better integrating existing assessment and planning efforts related to accreditation, including Community Health Assessments (CHAs), Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs), Strategic Plans, and Workforce Development Plans.

Ideal For: Public health professionals working for a state, local, territorial, or tribal health department to support workforce development planning efforts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the Learning Agenda for Systems Change framework and its relevance to the work of health departments.
2. Describe how the Learning Agenda for Systems Change can be used as a tool to align workforce development planning efforts with community challenges.
3. Distinguish between technical and adaptive challenges.
4. Create a challenge statement focused on root causes of a community challenge that can inform a learning approach that prepares their workforce to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities.
5. Identify next steps for continued application of the Learning Agenda for Systems Change to support workforce development planning efforts.