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PHIG-Funded Local Health Agencies Model Strong Performance Management Systems

Learn how leaders from Columbus, Philadelphia, and San Antonio health departments build performance management programs, promote quality improvement, and enhance overall performance.

Missouri Takes Strategic Steps to Improve Policy Processes

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.

DC Health Champions Workforce Well-Being with Trauma-Informed Leadership

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.

Virginia Beach Shapes Workforce Strategy with Employee Stay Survey Insights

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.

San Diego County Shares Health Data with Communities to Co-Create Solutions

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.