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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) authorizes youth-focused workforce development programs such as YouthBuild, Job Corps, and Youth Activities programs, to increase economic self-sufficiency among youth and young adults (YYA). These programs vary in their funding and service delivery structure but all serve YYA with significant barriers to education and employment. The devolution of policy implementation requires research that examines the nuanced ways in which services are implemented and experienced at the community level. Our research studied the implementation contexts of five local youth workforce programs in a metropolitan area of one southern state. Participants included a total of 12 youth-serving staff, and 7 YYA. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Across providers and YYA categories related to local policy implementation included: (1) recruitment, (2) facilitators of success, (3) barriers to success, with an intersection between YYA's complex backgrounds and experiences, developmental needs, and structural inequities, and (4) opportunities to enhance supports. Overall, our findings indicate that these youth workforce programs might be promoting healthy development, whether or not the design or implementation of such an approach is explicitly mentioned. Further, implementation struggles around funding, staff, and ability to recruit hard-to-reach YYA and to provide intensive support for YYA were noted. Recommendations for policy and practice that support YYA well-being are presented, as well as implications for future research related to local youth workforce program recruitment and service delivery practices. Highlights: Local youth workforce programs provide important connections, services, and skill building activities for youth enduring marginalization. Programs used similar recruitment techniques and noted comparable facilitators and barriers to success. YYA face challenges of lacking transportation and inability to meet basic needs alongside lacking confidence, hope, and social support. Despite facing structural and personal challenges, many YYA participants are driven by a desire to succeed. Additional funding and different outcome measures might help ensure access to resources that enable YYA to meet their basic needs and thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Competency-based education has been commonly used to enhance the healthcare workforce for some time. A translational discipline that is integral to drug development and impactful on healthcare and public health is clinical pharmacology. With such contribution, it is essential that the clinical pharmacology workforce is adequately equipped to address the demands of emerging trends of drug development. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine the most significant competencies needed for a clinical pharmacologist in the regulatory environment. Methods: A two round modified Delphi technique was administered to 29 clinical pharmacologists within the Office of Clinical Pharmacology (OCP) between November 2021–January 2022. A questionnaire consisting of core and technical competencies was administered electronically using SurveyMonkey ® to gain consensus about essential clinical pharmacology competencies. Participants used a Likert scale to rank importance of competencies from strongly agree (1), agree (2), neutral (3), disagree (4), strongly disagree (5). Participants also suggested topics to be included in the next round. Consensus was set at 60%. The competencies receiving the most consensus at 60% in round one and the new topics proceeded to the second round. In the second and final round, participants ranked the suggested competencies. Descriptive statistics and a McNemar change test were utilized to analyze data. Only data from the participants who completed both rounds was used in the study. Results: In round one participants ranked all fifty-six core and technical competencies as essential with consensus of at least 60%. In round two, participants ranked sixty-two competencies as essential with consensus of at least 60%. A McNemar change test demonstrated stability of ranking between rounds. Conclusion: Essential core and technical competencies can build education programs to sustain the emerging clinical pharmacology workforce in the Office of Clinical Pharmacology. The Delphi technique is a suitable approach to determine essential competencies because it cultivates consensus and gains insight from experts in the forefront of drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) technologies have been shown to impact the affective and motivational dimensions of learning, for example increasing learners' enjoyment, confidence, and self-efficacy beliefs. While VR is increasingly being used for workforce development, research on these dimensions of learning in authentic workforce development contexts remains thin. This mixed-method case study addressed the need for more research on VR's affordances for engaging affective dimensions of learning. We investigated the impact of a job interview VR simulation on the emotions, confidence, and self-efficacy beliefs of jobseekers who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. By observing the implementation of this application in an authentic workforce development context, we also addressed questions about how VR use and facilitation vary among participants. We find compelling evidence that a VR job interview simulation tailored to the experiences of people impacted by the criminal justice system can alleviate some of the emotional toll the job search takes on this vulnerable population, but we did not find evidence of changes in their self-efficacy beliefs. We discuss ways participants described the simulation as authentic practice, and how its facilitation and use varied, emphasizing the importance of VR design as a tool within a broader instructional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study aimed to understand the perspectives of correctional officers participating in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. A total of 54 correctional officers from two State Department of Corrections participated in the study. Correctional officers completed two focus group meetings. The focus group meetings were analyzed using narrative analysis. The themes of the focus group meetings were (1) the emotional toll of working in the criminal justice system, (2) correctional officers managing poor mental health, (3) barriers to mental health-seeking behaviors, (4) benefits and facilitators to MHFA, and (5) recommendations for future MHFA training. In summary, correctional officers emphasized the need for additional mental health resources to cope with the unpredictable and challenging work environment. State Departments of Corrections should prioritize the mental health of correctional officers and work toward destigmatizing mental health across these settings by implementing MHFA for all correctional professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kentucky ranks first in the nation in cancer incidence and mortality rates, with the greatest burden of disease being in the Appalachian region. The cancer disparities in the Appalachian region of the state are tied to high poverty rates, low education attainment, low health care access, and high rates of poor health behaviors, such as tobacco use. The University of Kentucky (UK) Markey Cancer Center (MCC) developed the Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) program to address the cancer and education disparities in the region. ACTION is a two-year program that focuses on cancer education and training for high school and undergraduate students from Appalachian Kentucky and features a variety of cancer-focused training activities, including faculty-mentored cancer research, clinical shadowing opportunities, cancer education activities, career development support, and community outreach projects. ACTION has been funded by the National Cancer Institute as a Youth Enjoy Science R25 research education program since 2018. The qualitative study herein used a semi-structured interview approach to identify participants' perceptions of the program including the influential aspects that have helped students pursue their desired academic career paths. Ten ACTION alumni were chosen to participate in the study, including students currently in medical school, graduate school, physician assistant school, and pharmacy school. Thematic analysis generated five themes: motivation for participation, career development, mentorship and future opportunities, knowledge gained, and program improvements. Overall, this study demonstrates that the ACTION program is having a significant impact on students' career preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A truism of modern organizational life is that organizations collaborate. They may collaborate to meet client needs, acquire resources, or gain legitimacy. They may be required to collaborate by funders, but have little direction beyond this basic mandate. In this situation, how do managers choose collaborative partners? What is important to them and when is it important? While institutional and resource-dependence theories emphasize environmental factors driving collaboration, only recently has attention has been given to factors individuals identify as important when making choices about who to collaborate with, and for what purpose. This study uses the repertory grid technique, an innovative method based on personal construct theory, to explore what is important in the minds of nonprofit managers when navigating the world of collaboration and partner selection. The results reveal that managers prioritize different traits when selecting partners depending on the type of collaboration. We conclude with a review of current collaboration theories, where the findings from this study support and deviate from them and offer five new propositions about the complex, situation-dependent nature of partner selection in the minds of nonprofit practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kentucky ranks first in the nation in cancer incidence and mortality. The Appalachian region of the state experiences the highest cancer disparities due to inequities in many social determinants of health. As a strategy for addressing cancer and education disparities in the region, the Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) Program at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center engaged 16 Appalachian-native undergraduate student participants annually in cancer-related activities. Students were recruited on an annual basis for the 2-year ACTION program. Entry, mid-point, and exit surveys were administered to participants. Classical test theory and exploratory factor analysis were used to examine the instruments used for program evaluation, whereas repeated measures ANOVA, paired t-tests, chi-squared, and post hoc analyses were used to analyze 6 years of survey data. There was a significant increase in participants' understanding of cancer-related topics among the entry, midpoint, and exit surveys (p <.001) and a significant increase in comfort with research, clinical, and outreach activities between entry and midpoint and entry and exit (p <.001), but not between midpoint and exit. With respect to research skills and perceptions of the program, increases in mean scores were observed between midpoint and exit, but these increases were not statistically significant (p =.167, p = 223, respectively). ACTION increased participants' understanding of cancer-related topics; comfort with research, clinical, and outreach activities; and research skills. These data suggest that ACTION has a significant impact on participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing diversity in STEM disciplines has been a goal at scientific institutions for many decades. Black representation in STEM, however, has remained critically low at all levels (high school, undergraduate, graduate, and professional) for over 40 years, highlighting the need for innovative strategies that promote and retain Black students and professionals in STEM. We refocus efforts on increasing Black representation in STEM by promoting early exposure and continued engagement while leveraging national laboratories—an underutilized resource with immense potential to centralize diversity and inclusion efforts nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite significant interest in improving behavioral health therapists' implementation of measurement-based care (MBC)—and widespread acknowledgment of the potential importance of organization-level determinants—little is known about the extent to which therapists' use of, and attitudes toward, MBC vary across and within provider organizations or the multilevel factors that predict this variation. Methods: Data were collected from 177 therapists delivering psychotherapy to youth in 21 specialty outpatient clinics in the USA. Primary outcomes were use of MBC for progress monitoring and treatment modification, measured by the nationally-normed Current Assessment of Practice Evaluation-Revised. Secondary outcomes were therapist attitudes towards MBC. Linear multilevel regression models tested the association of theory-informed clinic and therapist characteristics with these outcomes. Results: Use of MBC varied significantly across clinics, with means on progress monitoring ranging from values at the 25th to 93rd percentiles and means on treatment modification ranging from the 18th to 71st percentiles. At the clinic level, the most robust predictor of both outcomes was clinic climate for evidence-based practice implementation; at the therapist level, the most robust predictors were: attitudes regarding practicality, exposure to MBC in graduate training, and prior experience with MBC. Attitudes were most consistently related to clinic climate for evidence-based practice implementation, exposure to MBC in graduate training, and prior experience with MBC. Conclusions: There is important variation in therapists' attitudes toward and use of MBC across clinics. Implementation strategies that target clinic climate for evidence-based practice implementation, graduate training, and practicality may enhance MBC implementation in behavioral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating residencies that produce psychiatrists who are skilled and interested in working in under resourced areas, especially in community and rural settings is challenging. State and private agency collaboration can be an effective approach to enhancing such training. These resources for education have the goals of improving access and services, addressing workforce shortages and improving physician retention. They can provide flexibility to implement innovations that enhance training and address community needs. This article describes the implementation of a psychiatry residency at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. Funding was obtained from state and private initiatives. This paper describes the implementation. Feedback was positive at all levels. This program illustrates some of the advantages of utilizing alternate funding in creating high quality residencies that are integral to the community, produce skilled collaborative physicians, provide necessary care that addresses specific community needs and potentially address workforce issues in underserved areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: State Title V programs collaborate with diverse partners to improve maternal and child health. Since 2014, the National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center has trained Title V leaders in facilitating system change. This article describes aspects of initial collaborative readiness differentiating state and jurisdiction teams that later reported meeting their goals to greater or lesser degrees. Description: We used quantitative data from initial team leader reports to characterize readiness to collaborate with external partners, and their responses twelve months later to a prompt about how fully they had accomplished their goals. In addition, we coded excerpts from team leader accounts six and twelve months into their work with the Center, and retrospective coach perspectives, to identify collaborative readiness patterns. Assessment: Teams whose leaders reported higher goal accomplishment twelve months after beginning work with the Center had initially reported higher levels of collaboration with key partners. Our analyses suggest that such teams were also better able to use their cohort experience with the Center to improve collaboration, including information sharing with external stakeholders. Challenges working with Medicaid were reported both by teams with more and less goal accomplishment. Conclusions: Title V teams with lower levels of initial collaborative readiness may benefit from additional support in skill development, connections to key partners, and convening power. Given the crucial and increasing role of Medicaid in maternal and child health systems, more attention may be warranted to supporting all Title V programs in partnering with this funder. Significance: What is already known on this subject?: Prior research has identified the ability to convene diverse stakeholders as key to achieving partnership synergies, and in turn improved community outcomes. What this study adds: State and territorial Title V programs may achieve greater synergies with external partners by initially assessing and strategically enhancing collaborative readiness. Training and technical assistance providers might enhance partnership synergies through focused assistance to states with lower initial levels of external collaboration. Title V leaders may improve outcomes by leveraging their strongest collaborations to foster relationships with additional stakeholders. Title V programs in general could benefit from support cultivating relationships with Medicaid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the development of the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center (MHLIC), a national initiative designed to enhance workforce capacity of maternal health professionals in the United States. Description: The mission of the MHLIC is to foster collaboration and learning among diverse stakeholders to accelerate evidence-informed approaches advancing equitable maternal health outcomes through engagement, innovation, and policy. Working to center equity in all efforts, the MHLIC builds workforce capacity through partnership, training, technical assistance, coaching, facilitation of peer learning, and a national resource repository. Assessment: The MHLIC employed several assessment strategies in its first year, including a baseline learning survey of awardees, a stakeholder survey of potential collaborators in maternal health, and advisory convenings. Internally the MHLIC team assessed its own intercultural development. Assessment results informed internal and external approaches to workforce development. Conclusions: Telehealth implementation, access to services for rural populations, racial inequities, and data use and dissemination were the primary gaps that awardees and other stakeholders identified. The MHLIC is unique in its collaborative design approach and the centering of equity as foundational to the structure, subject, and culture of its work. The MHLIC utilizes a collaborative approach that capitalizes on academic and practice partners' extensive expertise in maternal health systems. Key to the success of future maternal health efforts is workforce development that builds the awareness and capacity to advance racial and geographic equity for public health, community, and clinical professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The HRSA-funded maternal and child health pipeline training programs (MCHPTPs) are a response to the critical need to diversify the MCH workforce, as a strategy to reduce health disparities in MCH populations. These MCHPTPs support students from undergraduate to graduate education and ultimately into the MCH workforce. Description: The models and components of training across the six MCHPTPs funded in 2016–2021 are summarized, to examine the design and delivery of undergraduate pipeline training and the insights gained across programs. Assessment: Strategies that emerged across training programs were organized into three themes: recruitment, support for student persistence (in education), and pipeline-to-workforce intentionality. Support for student persistence included financial support, mentoring, creating opportunity for students to develop a sense of belonging, and the use of research as a tool to promote learning and competitiveness for graduate education. Finally, the link to Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) long-term training and other MCHB opportunities for professional development contributed significant nuance to the pipeline-to-workforce objectives of these programs. Conclusions: The MCHPTPs not only increase the diversity of the MCH workforce, they also actively prepare the next generation of MCH leaders. The intentional connection of undergraduates to the infrastructure and continuum of MCH training, underscores the comprehensive impact of this funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2021, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) released a new strategic plan to guide its work over the next 10–15 years. The plan highlights four goals—access, equity, workforce capacity, and impact—that are essential to achieving MCHB's vision. Methods: We present 13 recommendations to highlight opportunities for ongoing and new activities aligned with Goal 3 of the plan—"Strengthen Public Health Capacity and Workforce for MCH." Results: Recommendations 1–3 highlight the need to support pathways into state and local MCH public health (PH) positions, to offer accessible and high-quality training for the practicing workforce, and to build capacity to address health and social inequities. Recommendations 4–7 discuss the need to build a racially and ethnically diverse workforce, ensure equity and anti-racism are foundational concepts in training, and strengthen engagement of community members and those with lived experience as part of the MCH PH workforce. Recommendations 8–10 outline opportunities to enhance MCH workforce data and measurement frameworks, and support practice-based research. Recommendations 11–12 discuss the importance of academic-practice partnerships and the need to spur innovation. Recommendation 13 highlights the need to define and amplify the unique skillset of the MCH PH workforce. Conclusions: The release of the MCHB strategic plan comes at a time of critical need to build and sustain a MCH PH workforce to achieve equity for MCH populations. We encourage the field to engage in dialogue around the recommendations presented in this paper, and to offer additional actions to build and support the MCH PH workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This commentary proposes a new direction to train the MCH workforce by leveraging today's rapidly changing innovation and technology to address persistent health inequities. Description: We outline the creation of an MCH technology and innovation training pipeline developed by harnessing creative funding opportunities, diversifying training modalities, and expanding partnerships beyond traditional academic-practice partners, that be replicated and adapted by other academic programs. Assessment: Technology and innovation will continue to be a growing intersection between health and equity, and we must create a robust pipeline of MCH leaders prepared to collaborate with entrepreneurial and innovation leaders. Conclusion: Technology offers an important opportunity to improve MCH outcomes and reduce disparities, but only if we train the MCH workforce to seize these opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home visiting programs face many challenges when providing evidence-based services to families affected by substance use disorders (SUDs). We conducted interviews and focus groups with community stakeholders and parents to elucidate important considerations when intentionally attempting to meet the needs of families affected by SUDs through home visiting programs. We identified one primary theme "Who is the client?" that describes how to ensure caregivers perceive themselves as an important focus of the program. Collectively, participants revealed that understanding caregivers' emotional experiences was critical for effectively transforming their subjective experiences of the program. These emotional experiences were related to the quality of their relationships with their children, other family members, and service providers. Three sub-themes illustrate specific examples: 1) responding to the unique emotional needs of mothers in recovery, 2) considering emotional states to inform inclusion in programs, and 3) addressing complex family dynamics related to SUDs in the home. Implications of these findings are discussed. Highlights: Barriers to providing relationship-based interventions to families affected by substance use disorders still exist within traditionally child-focused home visiting programs. Participants revealed that understanding the caregivers' emotional experiences was critical for effectively transforming from a child-focused to a relationship-focused program that meets the needs of mothers in recovery. Responding to the emotional needs of mothers in recovery could inform changes in program inclusion criteria and address complex family dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency (JTF) conducted a global survey of clinical research professionals requesting respondents to self-assess their competencies in each of the eight domains of its Core Competency Framework version 3.1. The results were analyzed based upon role, years of experience, educational level, professional certification, institutional affiliation, and continuing education participation. Respondents with professional certification self-assessed their competencies in all domains at higher levels than those without professional certification. The survey demonstrated that irrespective of role, experience, or educational level, training curricula in both pre-professional and continuing professional education should include additional content relating to research methods, protocol design, medical product development and regulation, and data management and informatics. These results validate and extend the recommendations of a similar 2016 JTF and other surveys. We further recommend that clinical and translational research organizations and clinical sites assess training needs locally, using both subjective and objective measures of skill and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur before 18 years. ACEs, associated with increased health-risk behaviors and chronic health disorders, disproportionately impact people from marginalized communities. Evidence shows that toxic stress from ACEs and adverse social determinants of health can be prevented and treated with trauma-informed care (TIC). The purpose of this educational program was to train a maternal and child health workforce to bring evidence-based trauma-informed care to all impacted people. Methods: Participants were professionals recruited from Federally Qualified Health Centers, community behavioral health organizations, educational institutions, and agencies serving low-income children and families. 100 unique participants representing 3 counties and 54 agencies joined sessions. Twelve virtual educational sessions were convened over 6 months using the Project ECHO® model via Zoom technology. Sessions consisted of didactic lectures and case-based discussions. Results: After completion of the series, participants reported high satisfaction and increased knowledge and confidence in using TIC best practice skills. After participation, a significant number of participants voluntarily completed an additional online training about the specific TIC best practices that had been taught in the ECHO. Participants rated the opportunity for interprofessional collaboration and peer support for vicarious trauma as program strengths. Discussion: This project demonstrated feasibility and effectiveness in delivery of a curriculum on trauma-informed care to cross-sector, multi-agency maternal and child health workforce professionals using the Project ECHO® model. Robust interprofessional collaboration and participants' request for more sessions demonstrate the potential for this model to effect change at a local systems level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The organization and operation of clinical trials have become increasingly complex requiring the coordination of a well-trained workforce to ensure that complicated protocols yield valid results that will advance human health. We hypothesized that formal education in clinical research is equivalent to a number of years of work experience as a clinical research professional in terms of self-perceived clinical research competence. Methods: Using REDCap, we conducted a survey of students and recent graduates from academic programs in clinical research in the USA using the CICRP index that consists of 20 clinical research core competencies. We compared the responses of recent graduates to CRCs wording in the USA and Canada in various research settings who responded to a similar survey conducted by the Joint Task Force and to experienced CRCs working at research-intensive CTSA hubs and their affiliated hospitals who were surveyed as part of the NIH funded DIAMOND project. Results: We found that the degree of self-perceived competence to perform advanced core competencies such as those related to regulatory affairs among new graduates of formal academic programs without research experience to be equivalent to as many as five years of on-the-job-training in a research-intensive CTSA setting and more than ten years of experience in less research-intensive community settings. Conclusions: These findings suggest that scores on both forms of the CICRP differentiate CRCs according to formal education in clinical research, years of experience as a CRC and type of research setting in which they work. Further, the self-perceived competency assessed by CICRP acquired by completing an academic program in clinical research is equivalent to years of work experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a survey of community health worker (CHW) employers in Texas to understand the employment context and workforce development needs of Texas CHWs. An electronic, mixed-methods survey was emailed to 841 CHW employers across Texas in Spring 2020. The survey consisted of 51 questions. The response rate was 22% (n = 182). Responses were analyzed using SPSS, Microsoft Excel, and N.Vivo. We found that most CHW employers directly employ their CHWs, and CHWs are typically part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Most respondents required their CHWs be certified by the state's health department and have at least a high school diploma or GED. The most common services that CHWs provide are health education/promotion and information referral. The main health issues that CHWs address are diabetes, hypertension, and mental/behavioral health. Current CHW workforce development needs include continued training on topics including chronic disease self-management and health promotion. CHW employers differ in their capacity to implement workforce development activities. There is significant variety in the employment context and workforce development needs of CHWs across Texas. Results reinforce previous findings on the need for specialized, continuing training for CHWs and the development of pathways, resources, and opportunities that could advance the CHW profession even more. These results can inform those interested in employing CHWs in their CHW program development. Findings from this study can be used to guide development of tailored curriculum for continuing education units, specialized certifications, or other professional development resources for CHWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacy has developed many novel patient-facing roles across the globe, typically delivered through the lens of pharmaceutical care. The macro-level implementation of such interventions is, however, fraught with difficulty. At an individual-level, psychological barriers of pharmacists and their ability to deliver autonomous complex clinical care are key considerations. As the United Kingdom imminently plans to launch a new advanced pharmacist practice curriculum and credentialing process to support advanced skills development, this commentary discusses where progress to date has taken us and what other developmental, environmental and cultural changes are needed to support this. The commentary also challenges some of pharmacy's historic dogma, discusses a requirement for teaching to transcend simplistic concepts of medicines-harm, considers the need for the standardisation of clinical skills and discusses the necessity of formal advanced practice programmes and preceptorship models. It finally proposes the concept of Advanced Pharmacist Practitioners as the ultimate future vision of autonomous practice and the need for Government Policy to support their creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To gain insight into how participants in the Maternal and Child Health Public Health Leadership Institute (MCH PHLI) report applying the leadership skills gained through the program at the "Others" and "Wider Community" levels of the MCH Leadership Competencies 4.0. Methods: 111 mid- to senior-level MCH leaders participating in the MCH PHLI gave < 5 min oral presentations detailing the impacts resulting from implementation of the skills gained through the leadership development training. Presentations were recorded and transcribed then qualitatively analyzed in reference to the MCH Leadership Competencies 4.0. Impacts were stratified by the "Others" and "Wider Community" levels. Results: Analysis resulted in 1510 separate coded examples, 948 of which were coded as aligning with the MCH Leadership Competency 4.0 areas of "Others", "Wider Community" and with an additional emerging competency. In many examples Participants estimated the numbers of people affected by these leadership activities, which totaled more than 80,773 people across the US. Conclusions for Practice: This analysis suggests that mid-to-senior level intensive leadership development strategies benefit organizations, communities, and systems quite broadly through a virtual "ripple effect" of training. Capturing qualitative data can help elucidate the return on investment for leader development programs in terms of impacts on communities and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a looming shortage of well-trained professionals in the wood construction workforce. To challenge this shortage, we developed a simulated learning environment that leverages a novel Virtual Reality (VR) system to train novice workers in wooden wall construction. A comprehensive task analysis was first used to best identify training requirements. Then, a virtual building site was modeled and a 3D video tutorial was implemented using a VR Head-Mounted Display (HMD). To evaluate the effectiveness of this tool, participants who learned via the VR training tool were compared with participants who instead only had simple 2-D instructional video training. VR training resulted in better retention, task performance, learning speed, and engagement than the video training counterpart, maintaining system usability. This demonstrates that VR is a viable training tool for the construction sector and can produce benefits beyond those of traditional video training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vocational interest assessments are widely used to determine which jobs might be a good fit for people. However, showing a good fit to particular jobs does not necessarily mean that those jobs are available. In this respect, little is known about the alignment between people’s vocational interests and national labor demands. The current study used a national dataset comprising 1.21 million United States residents to investigate this issue empirically. Results revealed three major findings. First, around two-thirds of people were most interested in people-oriented jobs (i.e., artistic, social, or enterprising interests), with the remaining one-third being most interested in things-oriented jobs (i.e., realistic, investigative, or conventional interests). Second, the distribution of people’s interests did not align with U.S. job demands in 2014, 2019, and 2029 (projections), revealing large gaps between interest supply and demand. Notably, the most popular interest among people (artistic) was the least demanded among jobs, whereas the least popular interest among people (conventional) was highly demanded among jobs. Third, interest gaps were generally larger at lower education levels, indicating that higher education can provide more opportunities to achieve interest fit at work. We integrate these findings to discuss implications for individuals, organizations, and career guidance practitioners aimed at better coordinating people’s interests with available jobs to promote individual career success and national workforce readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Young people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can face significant challenges in their lives, including overrepresentation in the justice system from a young age. Police questioning and court proceedings can be difficult for these young people to navigate. Practice and policy responses are necessary to identify these individuals, provide appropriate support/rehabilitation, and upskill the justice workforce. The aim of this research was to determine the unmet workforce development needs of a regional workforce providing care and support to youth involved with the justice system. Interviews were conducted with 29 participants from 14 organisations to understand the support provided to youth, existence and uptake of referral pathways, and unmet needs. Results: Results revealed a workforce that wants to see improvements to outcomes for young people with FASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities who enter the youth justice system. However more support is required through training, ongoing funding, and assistance to develop FASD informed work practices. Conclusions: The workforce supporting youth to navigate the justice system requires practical interventions to achieve best practice so that young people with FASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities receive the support that they need. Following the interviews a model of care tool was developed and piloted in the sector. The tool includes current pathways through the justice system and provides resources to assist staff in achieving best practice care for young people with FASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community health workers (CHWs) are effective in improving public health, and many states are developing policy to support the workforce. In 2019, the Louisiana legislature created the CHW Workforce Study Committee (Committee) of at least half CHWs to study the workforce and provide the state with policy recommendations. The Committee followed national best practices in CHW engagement. A CHW and an academic team identified CHWs and employers statewide, administered a survey in partnership with a CHW professional association, and conducted in-depth interviews with CHWs and employers. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize survey data and applied thematic analysis was used to interpret interview transcripts. Sixty-five CHWs and 37 employers participated in the survey. Twenty-one CHWs and 15 employers completed interviews. Survey data indicated that Louisiana CHW roles and activities are consistent with national research. Interviews revealed a lack of knowledge about CHWs among key stakeholders, CHW workforce challenges including lack of community and professional resources, and differing ideas about the value of common workforce development practices such as standardized training and credentialing. Findings suggest a need for widespread education about CHWs and support for CHW participation in professional associations to address common workforce challenges. CHW co-leadership and partnering with a CHW professional association enabled successful study execution and full participation of CHWs in the formation of Committee recommendations. A subset of Committee members, made up of at least half CHWs, continues to meet to expand and support the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High attrition rates in online workforce training and development programs suggest that practitioners continue to struggle to develop relevant learner-centric experiences for their workforce. One strategy to increase learner engagement and make training more relevant is through personalizing learning. While there are several efforts to understand personalized learning within K-12 and higher education contexts, there are few published studies that focus on the use of personalized learning within workforce education. In this qualitative study, leaders in training and development (N = 10) were interviewed to uncover (a) the current operating definition of personalized learning, (b) whether or not personalized learning initiatives are occurring within the workplace setting, and (c) what obstacles exist in implementing personalized learning as well as (d) what opportunities for personalized learning exist from an organizational standpoint. Design and implementation considerations for future programs, resources, or tools that incorporate personalized learning as a learning strategy in online workforce training and development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is linked to the most economic and social issues which affect sustainable development of countries. To diversify its economy sources, Saudi Arabia has planned to exploit renewable energy sources. The objective of this study is to analyze the resources of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia and the capabilities of their exploitation in terms of human resources. Indeed, studies show that the country has huge resources of renewable energy such as wind power, solar power and geothermal energy. However, the main source for electrical energy in Saudi Arabia is the fuel due to the high quantity of fuel produced. Using renewable energy does not have just economic aspect. Indeed, the protection of the environment and the planet is another objective of such policy. Wind and solar power will contribute remarkably in the energy future of Saudi Arabia. In fact, clear policy established by the higher authority of Ministry of Energy, Industry and Minerals resources, set a target to produce more than 40 GW of electricity from renewable energy by 2030. The renewable energy production chain will include research and development, industrial manufacturing of equipment and higher education to prepare qualified human resources. Therefore, the number of college and faculty of engineering offering courses in renewable energy should increase to prepare graduates able to manage renewable energy projects. Recommendations are addressed in this paper to advance, boost and enrich the higher education and scientific research in renewable energy field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the peer specialist workforce continues to expand, it is critical to better understand peer providers' working conditions and workplace experiences. The current study utilized a targeted non-probability sample of 801 peer specialists to explore whether key organizational climate and support variables would yield distinct multivariate groups, and to investigate the correlates of these groups. Analyses yielded a seven-group solution, with peer run organizations comprising a substantially greater proportion of the groups with high organizational climate and support scores. In direct comparisons, peer-run programs outranked all other groups in the areas of perceived organizational climate, supports for career development and perceived service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent demands for increased care for people with behavioral health problems often miss the severe shortage of skilled workers in the field. For many years, researchers, clinical administrators and policy makers have been calling for curricula revision at professional schools, increased financial incentives for employee recruitment and retention, increased reimbursement rates, and greater attention to diversity within the health care workforce. States have created special task forces and commissions to make recommendations for improving this essential element of access to behavioral health care. A review of their findings shows a remarkable similarity of recommendations and a clear path forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, actions, and evaluation of a university-based, transdisciplinary coalition so that the model may be replicated in other university or multidisciplinary systems. The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Mental and Behavioral Health Coalition addresses Nevada's workforce shortages through multi-disciplinary faculty collaboration among seven training programs at UNLV that produce mental health professionals. The coalition's collaborative approach to solution-generating work has served as a catalyst for professional integration in the community as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives A skilled workforce is essential to advancing maternal and child health (MCH) in a rapidly changing public health system. Little is known about the MCH workforce's existing capacity to maximize opportunities afforded by ongoing change. We assessed MCH workforce capacity in three areas: Systems Integration, Evidence-Based Decision-Making, and Change Management/Adaptive Leadership. We then examined associations between workforce capacity and modifiable workforce development strategies/resources. Methods Data are from the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). The present study was limited to employees working in MCH programs (weighted N = 3062). Workforce capacity was operationalized as self-reported awareness of public health trends and proficiency to perform related skills in the three areas. Survey-weighted generalized estimating equations were used to fit logistic regression models accounting for employee clustering within states. Results While awareness of public health trends was low, the majority of employees (> 70% in each area) reported proficiency to perform skills related to these trends. Capacity was lowest in Systems Integration. Employee engagement in academic partnerships and higher state contributions to MCH program budgets were the strategies/resources most consistently associated with higher capacity. Workplace support was the strongest correlate of capacity in Change Management/Adaptive Leadership. Conclusions for Practice Although employees lacked familiarity with specific public health trends, they were proficient in skills needed to engage in related work. Still, areas for improvement remain. Results provide a baseline against which future training efforts can be evaluated. Academic partnerships and MCH program funding may be useful to prioritize in the context of health transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This article describes how implementation science informed the design of a national training and technical assistance (TA) center, and how implementation best practices have been used to improve the quality of training and technical assistance services offered to states/jurisdictions. Description An existing tool, based on the Implementation Drivers Framework (in: Fixsen et al., Implementation research: a synthesis of the literature, University of South Florida, The National Implementation Research Network, Tampa, 2005), was adapted to assess efforts of the National MCH Workforce Development Center (the Center) against known implementation best practices. Staff identified specific examples of effective practice and gaps for inclusion in this article. Assessment Using implementation science to establish, assess and improve Center practice was both feasible and practical, requiring intentionality, dedicated time, and staff committed to deepening their understanding of implementation science. The Implementation Drivers framework proved useful for creating a shared approach to analysis and identification of opportunities for improvement of Center practice. Conclusion Policymakers and funding agencies should consider how training and technical assistance programs demonstrate knowledge and use of implementation science best practices among other evidence based practices in their work. Increasing attention to the use of implementation science can contribute to a higher quality of service among technical assistance centers, with the long term goal of improving outcomes for training and assistance recipients and the communities they serve. Establishing the link between customer satisfaction and quality of technical assistance, on the one hand, and long term outcomes, on the other, remains a challenge and an area of focus and learning for the Center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A statewide Community Health Worker Employer Survey was administered to various clinical, community, and faith-based organizations (n = 240) across a range of rural and urban settings in the Midwest. At least 80% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that items characterized as supervisory support were present in their work environment. Thirty-six percent of respondents currently employed CHWs, over half (51%) of survey respondents reported seeing the need to hire/work with more CHWs, and 44% saw the need for CHWs increasing in the future. Regarding CHW support, a majority of respondents indicated networking opportunities (63%), paid time for networking (80%), adequate time for supervision (75%), orientation training (78%), mandatory training (78%), ongoing training (79%), and paid time for training (82%). Open-ended responses to the question "In your organization, what needs could CHWs meet?" resulted in the largest number of respondents reporting mental health issues as a priority, followed by connecting people with services or resources, educating the public on preventive health, family support, and home care/visitations. Our findings suggest that respondents, who largely have supervisory or managerial roles, view workplace environments in Nebraska favorably, despite the fact that nearly two-thirds of respondents typically work well over 40 h per week. In addition, CHWs could help address mental and physical health needs in a variety of community and clinical settings through primary and secondary prevention activities, such as provision of health screenings, health and nutrition education, connecting people to resources and empowering community members through these activities and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how, through its extensive network of partners, the Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partnership (National Partnership) has provided a robust array of trainings, learning institutes, webinars, workshops, mentorship programs, and direct technical assistance to comprehensive cancer control programs and coalitions over the past 20 years. Mapping these activities to specific cancer control competencies revealed that the efforts of the National Partnership adequately address the core competencies necessary for an effective workforce and have the potential to increase practitioner capacity to adopt and implement evidence-based cancer control programs. Ensuring the continued availability and uptake of these tools, trainings and partnerships could potentially address gaps and barriers in the public health workforce related to evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Engaging trusted care providers and empowering them with information and skills about abortion is a critical opportunity to improve coordination of care for women seeking abortion, if and when these services are needed. Description Provide, a nonprofit that works in partnership with health and social service providers to build a health system that is equipped to respond to women’s health care needs around abortion, launched a referrals training program in 2013. To assess the effectiveness of this training program, we conducted an evaluation of satisfaction with training and the impact of the intervention on provider knowledge of safety of abortion, self-efficacy to provide abortion referrals, and intention to provide pregnancy options counseling and referrals in the future. Assessment Approximately 90% of participants were “very satisfied” with their training experience. Results show significant increase in intention to provide non-judgmental pregnancy options counseling and referrals for abortion care after participants went through training. Post-training, significantly more reported that they would present all pregnancy options without judgment or bias (94 vs. 82%, p < .0001), provide a referral for abortion care if needed (80 vs. 50%, p < .0001), and follow-up with the client (71 vs. 39%, p < .0001). Further, more also reported they would refer a client for prenatal care if the client requested it (78 vs. 67%, p < .0001). Conclusion Our results suggest that abortion referrals training hold potential to build the capacity of health and social service providers’ ability to meet client needs related to pregnancy and could be implemented at a larger scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of the Primary Care Behavioral Health model (PCBH) nationally has highlighted and created a workforce development challenge given that most mental health professionals are not trained for primary care specialization. This work provides a review of the current efforts to retrain mental health professionals to fulfill roles as Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) including certificate programs, technical assistance programs, literature and on-the-job training, as well as detail the future needs of the workforce if the model is to sustainably proliferate. Eight recommendations are offered including: (1) the development of an interprofessional certification body for PCBH training criteria, (2) integration of PCBH model specific curricula in graduate studies, (3) integration of program development skill building in curricula, (4) efforts to develop faculty for PCBH model awareness, (5) intentional efforts to draw students to graduate programs for PCBH model training, (6) a national employment clearinghouse, (7) efforts to coalesce current knowledge around the provision of technical assistance to sites, and (8) workforce specific research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose An assessment of the National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center (the Center) was conducted to describe (1) effects of the Center's training on the use of collaborative leadership practices by MCH leaders, and (2) perceived barriers to collaboration for MCH leaders. The Center provides services to strengthen MCH professionals' skills in three core areas: Change Management/Adaptive Leadership, Evidence-Based Decision Making, and Systems Integration. Description This descriptive qualitative study compares eight interview responses from a sample of the Center's participants and findings from a document review of the training curriculum against an existing framework of collaborative leadership themes. Assessment Systems thinking tools and related training were highly referenced, and the interviewees often related process-based leadership practices with their applied learning health transformation projects. Perceived barriers to sustaining collaborative work included: (1) a tendency for state agencies to have siloed priorities, (2) difficulty achieving a consensus to move a project forward without individual partners disengaging, (3) strained organizational partnerships when the individual representative leaves that partnering organization, and (4) difficulty in sustaining project-based partnerships past the short term. Conclusion The findings in this study suggest that investments in leadership development training for MCH professionals, such as the Center, can provide opportunities for participants to utilize collaborative leadership practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing need for Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) workforce development (i.e., increase in well-trained PCBH providers) given the growth of behavioral health (BH) integration into primary care, specifically at a time when behavioral health needs are increasing because of the COVID-19 pandemic (Kanzler and Ogbeide in Psychol Trauma 12(S1):S177–S179, https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000761, 2020). Therefore, it is imperative to provide current and future behavioral health clinical supervisors in primary care settings specific competencies, given there are no current competencies specific to clinical supervision within the PCBH Model. Using a Delphi process, the authors identified and reached expert consensus on competencies for BH clinical supervisors in primary care. A purposive sample (in: Patton, Qualitative evaluation and research methods, Sage, Newbury Park, 1990) of fifteen experts (n = 15) in PCBH clinical training and education evaluated quantitative and qualitative domains and specific competencies associated with PCBH supervision gathered during an initial in-depth qualitative interview. This was followed by two subsequent rounds of quantitative Delphi surveys to reach consensus. The response rates from our panel of experts were 100% (15/15) for all stages (interviews, round one and round two surveys). Three domains (Primary Care Knowledge, Clinical Supervisor Development, and Clinical Supervision Skills) were rated as essential for providing clinical supervision with PCBH for pre-licensure level learners. The development of competencies will further support BH clinical supervisor needs, professional development, and provide a concrete way to evaluate progress towards teaching and training excellence. This will also have a great impact on the development of the future BH workforce within primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center at UNC Chapel Hill (the Center), funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, provides Title V state/jurisdiction leaders and staff and partners from other sectors with opportunities to develop skills in quality improvement, systems mapping and analysis, change management, and strategies to enhance access to care to leverage and implement health transformation opportunities to improve the health of women and children. Description Since 2013, the Center has utilized a variety of learning platforms to reach state and jurisdiction Title V leaders. In the intensive training program, new skills and knowledge are applied to a state-driven health transformation project and include distance-based learning opportunities, multi-day, in-person training and/or onsite consultation, as well as individualized coaching to develop workforce skills. Assessment The first intensive cohort of eight states reported enhanced skills in the core areas of quality improvement, systems mapping and analysis, change management, and strategies to enhance access to care which guided changes at state system and policy levels. In addition, teams reported new and/or enhanced partnerships with many sectors, thereby leveraging Title V resources to increase its impact. Conclusion The Center's provision of core workforce skills and application to state-defined goals has enabled states to undertake projects and challenges that not only have a positive impact on population health, but also encourage collaborative, productive partnerships that were once found to be challenging-creating a workforce capable of advancing the health and wellbeing of women and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have indicated a need for a diverse workforce that is more highly educated in STEM and ICT fields, and one that is capable of responding creatively to demands for continual innovation. This paper, in response, chronicles the implementation of the Digital Pathways (DP) program, a two-time ITEST recipient and an ongoing initiative of the Bay Area Video Coalition. DP has provided low-income, underrepresented minority young people with 180 contact hours of activities in digital media production to prepare them to pursue higher education and technology careers. A design-based research approach synthesizes staff interviews with student observations, interviews and artifacts to identify a set of generalizable best practices or design principles for empowering young people to move from being consumers of digital media to producers. These principles are illustrated with a case study of the 3D Animation and Gaming track from the second ITEST grant. Researchers argue for the importance of attending to the noncognitive elements of learning and illustrate ways in which instructors encouraged creative expression, personal agency, and collaboration through long-term projects. They also identify strategies for sustaining young people's participation through the establishment of a supportive community environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral health agencies have been encouraged to monitor performance and improve service quality. This paper characterizes the workforce charged with these tasks through a national survey of 238 behavioral health quality professionals. A latent class analysis suggests only 30 % of these workers report skills in both basic research and quality-specific skills. Respondents wanted to learn a variety of research and data analytic skills. The results call into question the quality of data collected in behavioral health agencies and the conclusions agencies are drawing from their data. Professional school and continuing education programs are needed to prepare this workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of a workforce crisis in behavioral health has been recognized for decades. However, workforce problems often have been viewed as too large, too complex, and too daunting for individual states to tackle. This article reviews the progress of one state in systematically strengthening its workforce as part of a federally supported effort to transform mental health services. The workforce priorities in Connecticut are identified and the specific workforce transformation projects and their impact are described. The success in sustaining these initiatives after cessation of federal support is reviewed. The authors conclude by offering five recommendations to guide comprehensive state workforce development. This work has particular salience for the many states across the nation that have identified behavioral health service and workforce needs as obstacles to comprehensive health care reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in criminal justice reform. Movements such as the #cut50 campaign, a bipartisan effort to reduce the prison population by 50 % in 10 years, demonstrates how much things have changed from the 'tough on crime' rhetoric which dominated much of the 1980's. Philanthropy has historically and will continue to play a large role in the reform movement. As this paper suggests, however, if the current momentum is to continue, there must be a push towards a 'collective impact,' collaborative approach in the field of prisoner reentry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes findings from a national search to identify innovative workforce practices designed to improve the lives of direct care workers serving individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, while simultaneously improving client care, and the business vitality of the employer. The search process, conducted by The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce, resulted in the selection of five programs to receive the Pacesetter Award from among 51 nominations received. Awardees understood the value of investing in direct care workers, who constitute an essential, but often overlooked, group within the behavioral health workforce. A review of these innovations yielded six cross-cutting principles that should inform future workforce efforts (a) supporting educational and career development (b) increasing wages and benefits (c) creating workforce development partnerships (d) using evidence-based practices to train staff and assess service fidelity (e) strengthening supervision and (f) employing people in recovery in direct care roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical students have limited exposure to field epidemiology, even though will assume public health roles after graduation. We established a 10-week elective in field epidemiology during medical school. Students attended one-week didactic sessions on epidemiology, and nine weeks in field placement sites. We administered pre- and post-tests to evaluate the training. We enrolled 34 students in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, we enrolled five of 24 applicants from a class of 280 medical students. In 2012, we enrolled 18 of 81 applicants from a class of 360 students; plus 11 who participated in the didactic sessions only. Among the 34 students who completed the didactic sessions, 74% were male, and their median age was 24 years (range: 22–26). The median pre-test score was 64% (range: 47–88%) and the median post-test score was 82% (range: 72–100%). Successful completion of the field projects was 100%. Six (30%) students were not aware of public health as a career option before this elective, 56% rated the field experience as outstanding, and 100% reported it increased their understanding of epidemiology. Implementing an elective in field epidemiology within the medical training is a highly acceptable strategy to increase awareness for public health among medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workforce development is a priority across many state Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Title V programs. Three case studies were conducted to explore varied state implementations of MCH workforce development initiatives. Three states utilized the online MCH Navigator resource to support orientation and ongoing professional development for staff and other partners. Key informant interviews and surveys were utilized to gather staff feedback on practical aspects of the project and to ascertain lessons learned by state MCH leadership during project implementation. Staff impressions of the MCH Navigator were generally positive. Staff reported that Navigator modules were useful to their current work and that completion of the modules resulted in expanded knowledge in key MCH competency areas and contributed to their professional development. Many indicated that they would recommend use of the Navigator to colleagues. State leaders found that utilization of introductory training sessions or the Navigator's online orientation modules were helpful in acclimating staff to the Navigator, although some staff still experienced minor technical challenges. State leaders across all three sites reported the value of pre-existing tools on the Navigator site, including core competency self-assessments and orientation bundles; the leaders also noted that the Navigator represents a useful and thorough resource that can be integrated into state efforts to enhance professional development for MCH staff. The significant variation between the three states' implementations demonstrates the flexibility of the Navigator, highlighting its utility to meet state-specific needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the influence of intensive focused leadership training on self-evaluation of leadership skills among Maternal and Child Health (MCH) professionals enrolled in the Maternal and Child Health Public Health Leadership Institute (MCH PHLI). Senior-level MCH leaders (n = 54) participated in the first two cohorts of the MCH PHLI, a senior-level training program funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Participants were asked to complete a retrospective pre- and post-test rating inventory at program completion. Participants self-identified their skill level across 20 leadership skills that were the focus of the training program. These skills were derived from the MCH Leadership Competencies, 3.0 and literature reviews, and then divided into two domains: Core leadership skills and Organizational/Institutional leadership skills. Data were analyzed to determine whether participants perceived skill level increased by the end of their training year. A one-sided (upper) paired T Test and a Wilcoxen Signed Rank Sum Test were used to determine statistical significance. Increases in perceived skill levels were found to be statistically significant at the alpha = .01 level for all 20 target skills. The MCH PHLI model of intensive leadership development, incorporating a hybrid approach of onsite and distance-based learning, was broadly effective in building targeted leadership skills as perceived by participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]