Local Public Health

Practice standards require each local board of health to ensure that staff pursue training in addition to meeting license requirements. The NJDOH Workforce Development Program for public health officials develops and coordinates educational activities specifically developed to enhance core competencies, leadership, research, and quality improvement. The program also is responsible for the Annual Conference of State and Local Health Officials.

• Ensures that all local public health professionals attain a minimum level of continuing education
• Builds competencies in local public health through traditional and distance learning.
• Supports the implementation of Practice Standards workforce development requirements for health officers, registered environmental health specialists, public health nurses, and health educators.
• Ensures the provision of continuing education through the New Jersey Learning Management Network (NJLMN).

The Rutgers University School of Public Health – Office for Community Engagement and Public Health Practice collaborates with the NJ Association of City and County Health Officials (NJACCHO), NJDOH, as well as local health departments throughout New Jersey to accomplish the following goals: 

• continuing quality improvement activities for local health departments
• linking public health students with community organizations/community service
• increasing public health training across NJ
• working with community colleges to establish an online public health course

In addition, OPHP partners with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health to form the Region 2 Public Health Training Center, which offers ongoing continuing education for public health professionals.