Success Stories
See firsthand stories of impact from the PHIG grant. From small wins to transformative changes, PHIG is fostering widespread innovation in public health systems and structures.
Effective administrative policies are vital for public health agencies, ensuring clear expectations, fair decision-making, and high-quality services. Learn how MO DHSS partnered with ASTHO to enhance policy development.
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In 2024, DC Health’s PHIG-supported workforce team prioritized well-being and strong organizational culture by introducing servant leadership principles to define culture and provide training, application, and recognition of these values to improve engagement and retention at the agency. This plan reflected key concepts informing DC Health’s agency goals, including core themes from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)’s Worker Well-Being Framework, the Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-being, and DC Health’s own workforce development plan. Phase 1 of the initiative included the implementation of Trauma-Informed Servant Leadership Training from April to August 2024 that trained 85% (530) of agency staff across more than 25 sessions. The training focused on learning, practice, and action planning through the introduction of Servant Leadership Performance Competency and supporting Servant Leadership Action Plan to guide individual achievement, which was submitted to the online database for reference by leaders during performance management interactions.
The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health has leveraged PHIG funding to engage and retain its workforce and recruit new public health practitioners. One major activity was a district-wide “stay survey” designed to gain deeper insight into why employees remain with the agency. Questions focused on work-life balance, job satisfaction, growth opportunities, and organizational culture. The survey yielded valuable insights and highlighted several priority areas focused on training and professional development, communication, employee recognition, and work-life balance. The survey results also reinforced what worked well, including how supervisors, managers, and the health director are leading the district. The agency will apply survey findings and use PHIG support to implement changes that align with the needs and aspirations of our employees, ensuring that Virginia Beach has the workforce needed to provide consistent public health services and programs to its communities.
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is using PHIG to better assess and respond to community health needs. The agency’s Public Health Services Department used PHIG to bolster its Community Health Statistics Unit and hire staff and consultants to convene community meetings. At these meetings, experts shared data and collaborated with community members to identify top health issues across the county’s five regions. This process revealed local and cross-cutting issues, like housing, behavioral health, and food insecurity. Regional Teams created community health enrichment plans to address these issues, including strategies such as creating a centralized food hub where public, private, and community partners will distribute food to residents in the county’s South Region. The strengthened Community Health Statistics Unit also helps bring additional funding into the county, supplying specific data to help regional teams and communities apply for grants.
In October 2023, Riverside University Health System – Public Health established its Community Health Worker (CHW) Hub to establish, standardize, and expedite the hiring and training process for CHWs employed throughout Riverside University Health System. Part of establishing the CHW Hub involved setting up reimbursement mechanisms, including billing and electronic health record systems, to ensure the sustainability of CHW positions and the hub model. The health department utilized PHIG dollars and funding from other sources to seed new CHW positions as they established patient caseloads and ramped up billing of productivity hours. As of October 2024, CHWs within Riverside University Health System have reported over 2300 billable encounters and assisted over 2000 patients.
Building on successful partnerships with community-based organizations developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health developed its Community Public Health Teams framework in 2022. A Community Public Health Team is a formal, five-year partnership between a community-based organization, a health care partner, and dedicated public health staff. Using PHIG funding, LA County Public Health brought this framework to life by selecting Rising Communities as a third-party administrator, who then selected and funded ten teams. The teams conduct annual home visits to at least 8,000 households, assessing their health needs and connecting them to care. They also host community convenings to identify and address their community’s biggest concerns. This initiative uses face-to-face engagement to build trust and long-term relationships, connect residents to health resources, and empower communities as active partners in shaping public health efforts.
