Workforce Development

CLHO provides workforce development support to the 33 LPHAs in Oregon. This includes working with LPHAs and system partners to research, produce reports, provide learning opportunities, administer workforce-related grants, and advocate for policies and funding that support the local public health workforce.

CLHO Local Public Health Workforce Report

In March 2022, the Coalition of Local Health Officials released its first Local Public Health Workforce Report. This report captures the full-time equivalents working in Oregon Local Public Health, pay scales for key positions in public health departments, and themes about recruiting, hiring, and retaining the local public health workforce.

CLHO is currently working on the second edition of the Workforce Report, to be released in late 2024. Stay tuned for more details.

Oregon’s Local Public Health Workforce Report, 2021.
CLHO Workforce Report One-Pager
Press Release: Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials Release Workforce Report Highlighting Challenges to Hiring Local Public Health Professionals
Willamette Week: Oregon Faces Public Health Nurse Shortage

National Research on the Public Health Workforce

De Beaumont Foundation and the Public Health National Center for Innovations, 2021: Staffing Up: Investing in the Public Health Workforce Report

”...state and local health departments need to hire a minimum of 80,000 more full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) — an increase of nearly 80% — to provide adequate infrastructure and a minimum package of public health services…based on existing shortages, approximately 54,000 of these additional FTEs should be deployed to local health departments and 26,000 to state health departments.”

Health Affairs, 2021: US Public Health Neglected - Flat Or Declining Spending Left States Ill Equipped To Respond To COVID-19

“Without substantial and sustained investment by states and ongoing robust federal support, the US may well continue its ‘default’ approach to public health funding: ‘neglect, panic, repeat.’”

National Academy of Medicine, 2021: Public Health COVID-19 Impact Assessment: Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs

“COVID-19 provides a stark reminder of the tremendous social value of robust public health systems and the harrowing consequences for populations when those capabilities are allowed to atrophy through neglect and underinvestment.”

Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 2020: Public health prevention and emergency preparedness funding in the United States: Are we ready for the next pandemic?

“Public health emergencies place a significant burden on the nation and yet, the CDC Public Health and HPP funding continues to decrease. Increasing the HPP, CDC Public Health funding, and other public health bills provides an avenue to pursue in order to lessen the burden public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic place on the nation.”

American Journal of Public Health, 2020: Inaccuracy of Official Estimates of Public Health Spending in the United States, 2000–2018

“Closer scrutiny of the actual spending records shows that the United States spent far less on public health than the official PHAE of $93 billion in 2018. Given available data, actual public health spending is estimated to range between $35 billion and $64 billion (34%–61% of the official estimate).”

National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2020: Forces of Change Survey

“Following years of chronic under-resourcing, the pandemic stretched the local public health infrastructure to its limits, with LHDs spending already strained financial and staffing capacities to respond. To reallocate capacity for the critical frontline response, LHDs suspended foundational public health services, further exacerbating health inequities and existing community epidemics. LHDs need long-term resource investments expanding capacity for preparedness planning, health equity, and community recovery to bolster response to future public health emergencies.”

National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2019: National Profile of Local Health Departments

“Since 2008, the estimated number of LHD employees has decreased from 184,000 in 2008 to 153,000 in 2019—a decrease of 17%...Overall, LHDs lost 21% of their workforce capacity since 2008.”

American Journal of Public Health, 2022: Pandemic-Related Workplace Violence and Its Impact on Public Health Officials, March 2020‒January 2021

“A national survey of 583 LHDs (fielded October 2020‒February 2021) identified 1499 reports of unique forms and targets of harassment across 57% of responding departments. Of surveyed officials, 43% said they had been targeted.”

Centers for Disease Control, 2021: Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicidal Ideation Among State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, March–April 2021.

“The overall prevalence of symptoms of mental health conditions among public health workers was higher than previously reported in the general population (approximately 40.9%).”

De Beaumont Foundation, 2022: Public Health Workforce Interest and Needs Survey (PH WINS) 2021 Findings

“56% of public health workers reported at least one symptom of PTSD… nearly half of all employees (44%) said they are planning on leaving or retiring in the next five years.”