Public Health Core Competency Self-Assessment & Training Preferences Survey
Identifying the training needs of the public health workforce is essential. The public health field is changing at a rapid pace and its workforce need to keep abreast of current methods used to safeguard communities. Moreover, many professionals in the public health workforce were not formally trained to work in this sector; identifying and meeting their training needs is critical to ensuring public health program effectiveness.
The Western Region Public Health Training Center (WRPHTC) developed the Public Health Core Competency Self-Assessment and Training Preferences Survey (PHCCSTPS) to assess strengths and identify gaps to inform workforce development planning. The PHCCSTPS has been used by local health departments for over 10 years to identify and assess the skill sets and training needs of their workforce. Findings from the survey can be used to inform public health workforce development plans and to guide the accreditation applications of public health departments.
The Public Health Core Competency Self-Assessment and Training Preferences Survey (PHCCSTPS) is an online tool developed by the WRPHTC for assessing the competency sets and identifying the training needs and preferences of professionals working in public health. The WRPHTC works with local, state, and tribal health departments by request to customize, implement, and analyze their agency’s workforce development needs.
Format
The PHCCSTPS has two main sections. The first asks respondents to identify training needs and preferences. The second asks respondents to self-assess their level of competence in the eight public health core competency domains developed by the Council on Linkages.
Length
The PHCCSTPS takes around 30-45 minutes to complete.
Survey Components
The PHCCSTPS asks questions in four main domains:
- General background & employment: division and/or program, certification(s), job tier, years of employment in public health and at current agency
- Training preferences: training topics needed for the job and/or to support professional growth, training delivery preferences, barriers to participating in professional development opportunities
- Public Health Core Competency Self-Assessment: a self-assessment of competence within eight domains, based on the Council on Linkages Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (2021). Competency questions are tailored to the coordinating workforce tier of the individual taking the survey (i.e., support staff, non-manager public health professional, manager or supervisor, or senior leader/director).
- Workforce demographics: Educational attainment, gender, age, race/ethnicity
Survey Benefits
The PHCCSTPS offers benefits to both individuals and agencies working in public health. Take the survey to:
- Identify trainings that would support you in your job role and for your professional development
- Get automatic feedback on your public health skills and determine your competency strengths
- Find areas for improvement and potential training gaps
- Inform your agency’s workforce development plan and development of trainings
- Support your health department’s accreditation application
Survey for Health Departments
The WRPHTC implements its training needs assessment survey at an agency-level among public health departments interested in data-driven workforce development planning. The survey linked below is the standard version of our Public Health Core Competency Self-assessment & Training Preferences Survey that we implement in partnership with public health departments.
Survey For Individuals
Individuals looking to self-assess their public health skills and create a personalized professional development plan are welcome to use our training needs assessment as a starting point. The survey linked below is designed for public health professionals and students to get immediate feedback on their public health competencies and training needs, independent of an agency-wide initiative.
Public Health Core Competency Self-assessment & Training Preferences Survey: process
Step 1:
Contact the WRPHTC
Contact the WRPHTC as soon as possible if you are interested in conducting a training needs assessment so we can ensure your timeline can fit into our annual workplan.
Step 2:
Review
Review survey. Finalize any required updates or customizations & determine implementation timeline.
Step 3:
Implementation
Implement the survey among staff with weekly reminders to complete.
Duration: 2-4 weeks
Step 4:
Data Analysis
The WRPHTC will analyze the survey data and compile the report.
Duration: 2-3 months
Step 5:
Report Distribution
A report detailing the results will be provided and presented.
Duration: 1 month
Explore an Example Report
View presentation overview
If you’re an Accreditation Coordinator, Workforce Development Coordinator, or a leader in a local health department considering a workforce training needs assessment, this presentation provides an overview of our PHCCSTPS tool and process, including key data snapshots and insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should take the PHCCSTPS?
The PHCCSTPS is designed for those working in public health. We have two versions of the PHCCSTPS available: 1) one designed for health departments, to be used at the agency-level and 2) another designed for professionals interested in taking the survey on their own to assess their professional development needs. The latter can be used by both students preparing for a career in public health and professionals currently working in public health.
What are competencies?
Competencies are the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that contribute to individual and organizational performance. In public health, successful mastery of competencies is vital to developing a strong workforce that can support community and program needs.
What competencies does the PHCCSTPS use?
The Public Core Competency Self-assessment in the PHCCSTPS is based on the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals. This set of competencies provides a framework for workforce development planning and action developed specifically for the public health field. Initially developed in 1991 by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, they serve as a starting point for public health professionals and organizations to better understand and meet workforce development needs, improve performance, prepare for accreditation, and enhance the health of the communities they serve. The Core Competency domains are outlined below:
Communication
These skills focus on employing effective communication strategies to convey public health information to the public and partners appropriately.
Health Equity
These skills relate to serving diverse populations, applying principles of ethics to policies and programs, and working to reduce health inequities.
Public Health Sciences
These skills focus on applying evidence-based practices and the public health sciences to deliver public health policies, programs, and services.
Data Analytics & Assessment
The skills focus on collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to assess and address community health needs.
Community Partnerships
These skills include developing relationships within the community and collaborating with other organizations to improve community health.
Policy Development & Program Panning
These skills include planning, implementing, and evaluating programs, policies, and services to improve health.
Management & Financial Planning
These skills entail securing, managing, and sustaining human and financial resources, as well as evaluating and improving performance.
Leadership & Systems Thinking
These skills focus on building trust and collaboration across sectors to carry out a vision for a healthy community.
Can the PHCCSTPS be used for PHAB Accreditation applications?
The PHCCSTPS can be used as accreditation documentation for Domain 8: Measure 8.2.1A (Workforce Development Plan). The survey yields ample data to identify competency strengths, training needs, and professional development opportunities for an agency’s public health workforce.
Is there a cost to implement the PHCCSTPS at our organization?
The WRPHTC implements the PHCCSTPS a limited number of times per year among health departments in HRSA Region 9 (Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawaii, and USAPI) at no cost. If you are interested in fielding this survey among your workforce, please contact the WRPHTC at least 6 months in advance to initiate the process and to fit your health department into their annual work plan.
Get in touch today
If you have additional questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help!