Public Health Toolkit

The PH WINS Training Needs & Development Data Dashboard is is the most thorough approach when you need a systematic assessment with state and national benchmarking to develop a comprehensive WFD plan. This methodology uses the PH WINS survey to identify internal workforce capabilities and gaps across all competency domains to pinpoint areas requiring staff development. Assessment frequency follows the established PH WINS triennial cycle, and questions are also available for conducting your own assessment.

The comprehensive Needs Assessment and Training Needs Analysis Process from the CDC featuresa structured framework requiring significant staff resources and 6-12 monthscompletion time. Not sure you’re prepared? This handy checklist lets youpreview each step within the 6 major phases: plan assessment goals and engagestakeholders, collect data through environmental scans and interviews, analyzeperformance gaps, conduct training needs analysis, review findings withpartners, and develop formal recommendations.

Cathy Moore's Will Training Help? is a flowchart to help determine if performance gaps require training or alternative interventions. This analytical approach evaluates whether workforce problems stem from knowledge/skill deficiencies or other factors that require different solutions. Featuring 10 questions with corresponding next steps, the tool requires collaborative assessment with department leadership and key staff to evaluate organizational needs.

The smartest approach when you need maximum insight with minimal effort. PH WINS delivers comprehensive workforce assessment data addressing both capacity and competency requirements. Through a single, well-established survey process that takes just weeks to complete, you'll identify capacity constraints, burnout levels, and intent-to-leave data. With national benchmarking, the dashboard provides critical insights on staff tenure, full-time/part-time distribution, and skill proficiency across nine strategic competency domains to help identify critical gaps and satisfy multiple PHAB indicators.

When precision matters most, the PHAB Workforce Calculator provides the gold standard for evidence-based staffing decisions. This systematic tool transforms population data and service requirements into concrete FTE recommendations based on the required Foundational Public Health Services, giving you the detailed projections needed to justify budget requests, plan organizational restructuring, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders with mathematical certainty.

The most accessible path to workforce capacity clarity is Staffing Up from the de Beaumont Foundation. Based on a national study, the report cuts through complexity to deliver straightforward guidance on workforce adequacy and strategic planning. Perfect for departments needing immediate direction without extensive technical expertise, Staffing Up provides research-backed frameworks and recommendations for developing your own capacity-building strategies, allowing you to implement action plans right away.

Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals is the most thorough tool for understanding whether staff have the skills needed to perform their job functions. This evidence-based self-assessment evaluates all 8 foundational competency domains across 56 detailed competency statements, providing complete skill mapping against nationally recognized standards. You'll receive comprehensive individual and organizational profiles that demonstrate staff capabilities, supporting PHAB documentation requirements with credible, systematic results.

The Public Health Foundation offers a Prioritization Process that allows departments to identify which specific competencies are most essential for each job role rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. The toolbox includes worksheets, templates, and a voting template that can be adapted to specific roles and needs, making competency assessment more relevant to actual job functions. Note: requires a dedicated facilitator and additional planning time to implement staff sessions effectively.

The Strategic Skills Core Competencies Assessment offers a focused approach for understanding whether staff have the skills needed for strategic job functions across nine essential competencies such as effective communication, data-based decision making, resource management, and community engagement. Using a detailed spreadsheet provided as a link within the tool, departments can create a customized evaluation that concentrates on competencies with the highest strategic impact while maintaining connection to the nationally recognized framework.