Transforming Public Health: Updates from PHAB’s 21st Century Learning Community

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Travis Lee Parker

This entry is part 52 of 62 in the series Focus on Accreditation and Innovation

Public health is at a crossroads and the Public Health Accreditation Board’s (PHAB’s) 21st Century Learning Community (21C) is leading the charge to transform systems nationwide. By fostering system-wide approaches to advancing availability of the Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS), 21C has become a cornerstone for driving transformative change in public health systems. 21C states are demonstrating progress towards the FPHS through using tools to advance transformation, exploring innovative service delivery and funding structures, and understanding progress through accountability frameworks and PHAB accreditation.

Welcoming Three New States

21C continues to grow, with three new states – Illinois, Maryland, and Montana – joining recently to advance public health transformation and enrich the collective impact of 21C. These new members add to the additional 18 states (21 total) and are aligned in their dedication to addressing pressing public health challenges through innovative solutions and shared learning. The addition of these states not only strengthens the network but also amplifies the collective capacity of 21C to achieve meaningful and lasting change.

The three states are working with their statewide system partners to implement efforts to build and strengthen the FPHS Activities of focus include establishing a shared vision for a transformed public health system; utilizing tools such as the FPHS Capacity and Cost Assessment; strengthening relationships among all system partners; exploring innovative service delivery models; integrating health equity statewide; and advocating for dedicated public health infrastructure funding. Learn more about 21C at https://phaboard.org/center-for-innovation/21st-century-learning-community/.

At the heart of 21C’s work are statewide strategies that drive systems transformation and are designed to ensure a comprehensive approach to modernizing public health systems. Some examples include:

Organizing around a systems approach to drive transformation efforts and determine change opportunities across the system.
Visioning what a transformed future looks like.
Utilizing the FPHS Capacity and Cost Assessment and/or the PHAB Readiness Assessment to determine the current capacity and spending around the FPHS and inform strategic priorities and resource allocation for a desired future state.
Strengthening public health workforce capabilities through targeted recruitment, training, and retention strategies to ensure a resilient system for the future.
Developing legislation that codifies transformation efforts and advocating for sustained public health infrastructure funding to ensure the delivery of the FPHS.
Reimagining service delivery using service and resource sharing approaches to enhance capacity, efficiency, reach, and impact.

Service and Resource Sharing Strategies for Transformation

Service and resource sharing is an approach that can foster the expansion and sustainability of modernization efforts – where two or more entities, regions, or statewide systems are working together to achieve a common goal or address a common problem that cannot be easily solved by a single organization or jurisdiction. In the context of the FPHS, this strategy involves leveraging shared services and resources across jurisdictions and/or systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. By pooling resources and expertise, health departments can address capacity gaps and needs, develop models for how services are delivered across the system, and streamline operations. Service and resource sharing can support smaller or under-resourced health departments to access Foundational Capabilities, ensuring more equitable service delivery. Examples from 21C highlight how states are demonstrating the potential of resource sharing to drive innovation and improve outcomes across diverse settings by:

Defining decision-making models for how and what services are shared.
Leveraging statewide funding opportunities to pool resources, functions, and expertise to meet statutory requirements, workforce capacity, and national public health standards.
Implementing regional data-sharing platforms and regional workforce programs.
Building a centralized, enterprise-wide database that houses all population data to reduce duplicative work and allows for data to be downloaded, transformed, and aggregated.

A Call to Action

Public health leaders are encouraged to explore statewide strategies for systems transformation, and PHAB’s Tools for Transformation provide valuable resources to support the planning and implementation of these initiatives. PHAB has a variety of services available to support state systems and health departments in advancing their public health transformation efforts, including strategy development facilitation and consultation; technical assistance, training, and learning events related to the Tools for Transformation; and opportunities to join peer networks like 21C. Contact us at PHABCFI@phaboard.org to learn more.

The transformative potential of 21C lies in its ability to bring states together, fostering a shared commitment to spreading the FPHS through innovation, equity, and sustainability in public health. Statewide transformation strategies, like service and resource sharing, are powerful drivers and enable systems to modernize and better serve their populations. Together, we can build a stronger, more equitable public health system for the 21st century.

About the Author

Travis Lee Parker: Travis Parker Lee, MBA, is a Senior Specialist of Public Health Systems & Services at the Public Health Accreditation Board, where he leads and supports programs that foster innovation and transformation in public health practice within the Center for Innovation. Previously, he served as a Program Specialist, where he implemented various aspects of the public health department accreditation program. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Education from James Madison University.