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Gimm and Goldberg will explore financial strategies to subsidize public health workers’ certifications. This effort expands the extensive portfolio of health workforce initiatives that faculty in the College of Public Health are already leading.
An estimated 44% of public health workers are considering leaving their jobs due to low pay, limited growth opportunities, or burnout. Providing today’s public health workforce with the training, skills, and support required to maintain the nation’s health and well-being is a national priority. Associate Professors of Health Administration and Policy Gilbert Gimm and Debora Goldberg are studying ways to improve and strengthen the existing public health workforce that will build on prior research on interventions to reduce health worker burnout.
With a grant from the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH), Gimm and Goldberg will identify ways to expand the number of public health workers certified in the prevention and reduction of sexually transmitted diseases. Gimm and Goldberg will look at ways to financially subsidize Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) programs to encourage employers to make CDI training more accessible.
“Many community health workers have trusted relationships with patients and local organizations. The new CDI training and certification can build on these trusted relationships to reduce the rate of STI outbreaks,” says Gimm, who will serve as project director for the ASPPH grant. “Understanding how employers view the certification—and whether they are willing to absorb some CDI training costs—will be key to sustaining the program in the future.”
Researchers will gather baseline information on employers' needs and their perceptions of the value of CDI training for public health workers. Gimm will analyze employer financing models based on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded project in which he evaluated sustainable financing options for community health workers in Virginia. Goldberg will serve as co-PI and lead the design of the employer survey and qualitative listening sessions. This interdisciplinary project will support ASPPH’s efforts to enhance public health workforce developments.