NEWSVol. 1 No. 1 • Autumn 2014
Welcome to WRPHTC! The Western Region Public Health Training Center (WRPHTC) is fund-ed by HRSA to support the public health workforce in HRSA Region 9, which includes Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii and US Affiliated Pacific Islands.
We are a consortium of public health professionals that have a mission to develop, provide and monitor need-based trainings for current and future community health workers to strengthen their public health competencies. We also provide additional expertise on nutrition, physical activity and obesity to the national network of PHTCs.
The consortium consists of a local performance site (LPS) in University of Nevada, Reno, School of Community Health Sciences; University of Hawai’i, Manoa, Department of Public Health Sciences; Pacific Island Health Officers Association; and University of California, San Francisco, California Area Health Education Center Program.
Our vision is to have a strong collaborative public health network and public health workforce that collectively works towards the development of healthy communities in HRSA Region 9 and the Nation.
C A L I F O R N I A Public Health
Training Center
WRPHTC Central OfficeThe Arizona Public Health Training Center (Az-PHTC) will serve as the WRPHTC central office. In collaborating with county health departments and numerous community leaders and partners, the AzPHTC was able to accomplish during its first round of funding:
• Collaborated with the Arizona Department of Health Services and AHCCCS, (Arizona’s Medicaid Office), to certify all WIC employees for Arizona, the Navajo Nation, Guam, Com-monwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, and American Samoa
• Developed and implemented an online competency and training needs assessment for 4 Arizona county health departments and other public health organizations based off the Public Health Foundation Core Com-petencies for Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 public health professionals
• Created 15 online courses for AZTRAIN and 6 in-person public health trainings
• Supported statewide and Arizona-based national conferences
• Created a AzPHTC YouTube which has had more than 39,527 views and 192 subscriptions
• Created a series of Public Health Oriented Quality Improvement Podcasts
Western Region Public Health Training CenterOperational Chart
WRPHTC CentralOffice
The AzPHTCLocal Performance Sites
Needs Assessments
Local AdvisoryCommittees
WRPHTC ExecutiveCommittee
(LPS Directors and CentralOffice Key Personnel)
WRPHTC AdvisoryCommittee
(Exec Committee and Selected Local Advisory Committee Members)
National PHTC Network
Trainings
In-personOnline
Live Broadcasts
Via TRAIN
Course and Systems Evaluation
HRSA Reporting
A Member of the Nation’s Network of Public Health Training Centers
Upcoming Activities Below is a list of some upcoming events at each LPS site. If you have any ques-tions or would like to learn more about any of these activities, please email us at [email protected]. ARIZONA1. Provide Return on Investment course in Maricopa County2. Public Health Essentials in Action training with the Gila River
Pima Tribe on November 21, 20143. Developing 3 interactive interactive, case-based learning modules using
Decision Simulation software by December 31, 20144. Implement needs assessment in Mohave County Public Health Department 5. Present at the Arizona Local Health Officials Association meeting on Dec.
11, 2014
CALIFORNIA1. Establish partnerships with California’s network of Area Health
Education Centers2. Trainings for community health workers to do outreach and
education for the health insurance exchange3. Establish a standardized needs assessment
NEVADA1. Create a database of community partners/stakeholders through-
out Nevada2. Implement a community needs assessment throughout Nevada among
public health stakeholders3. Begin planning meetings for Cultural Considerations in Health Care, a train-
ing conference for health care providers and the public health workforce that will be held in February 2015
4. Conduct in-person meetings and key informant interviews with public health workforce leaders in rural Nevada
5. Begin setup of Project ECHO, video conferenced public health cases and grand rounds with rural areas
PACIFIC ISLANDS1. Begin translating the current public health courses part of
Federated States of Micronesia College of Medicine’s Asso-ciate of Sciences Degree in Public Health into both non-accredited short courses and accredited courses
2. Begin providing courses to public health workers in Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae States of Micronesia
3. Begin providing courses to public health workers both at the Pohnpei State Department of Health Services and the National Department of Health, Federated States of Micronesia
HAWAI’I1. Community Enrichment Storytelling Event, October 30, 20142. Workshop on Health Literacy and Improving Equality, Novem-
ber 14, 20143. Homeless Awareness Conference, November 21, 20144. Workshop on HIV Counseling, December 12, 20145. Workshop on Critical Concerns in Genetic Research for Indigenous Health,
January 9, 20156. Offer trainings in collaboration with the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health
Education Center Program
Central Office Staff Spotlight
Erich Healy
Erich is the Online De-
signer for the WRPHTC.
He holds a BA in Music
with emphasis in Busi-
ness Management/Pro-
duction. Erich is skilled
in creating interactive
online and in-person
learning experiences
through web development and videography. He
has been part of the AzPHTC for the past 2 years
and is an expert at managing the State-wide LMS
(AZ-TRAIN) for the public health workforce.
In his spare time, Erich enjoys performing at
local venues playing jazz and Latin music and
upkeeps the vegetable garden at the Central
Office. He has just helped build an aquaponic
system with fish and will start growing herbs
in the systems at the central office. You are
invited to come by and see it.
ARIZONA PHTC
Douglas Taren, PhDProject Director Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public HealthUniversity of [email protected] • Phone: 520-626-8375
Lubna Govindarajan, MPHProject CoordinatorMel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public [email protected] • Phone: 520-626-1086
Raymond Andrade, M.Ed.Instruction DesignerMel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public [email protected]: 520-626-5017, Cell: 520-271-1852
Erich Healy, BAOnline Designer Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public [email protected] • Phone: 520-626-2450
James Cunningham, PhDEvaluatorMel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public [email protected]
Paul Akmajian, MA, MFAGraphics Designer/Outreach Coordinator Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public [email protected] • Phone: 520-626-5837
Additional Support for the AzPHTC is provided by Rod Gorrell, Daniel Derksen, MD and Myra Muramoto, MD, MPH
CALIFORNIA PHTC
John Blossom, MD Program DirectorCalifornia Statewide AHEC [email protected] • Phone: 559-241-7650
Brenda Mitchell Program Manager California Statewide AHEC [email protected] – Phone: 559-241-7650
NEVADA PHTC
Trudy Larson, MDProfessor and DirectorSchool of Community Health Sciences University of Nevada, Reno [email protected] • Phone: 775-682-7103
NEVADA PHTC (cont)
Gerald Ackerman DirectorNortheastern AHEC Program [email protected] • Phone: 775-738-3828
Gerold Dermid-GrayCommunity Relations and Field Studies Coordinator School of Community Health Sciences University of Nevada, [email protected] • Phone: 775-682-7096
US AFFILIATED PACIFIC ISLANDS PHTC
Greg Dever, MDRegional Human Resources for Health CoordinatorPacific Island Health Officers [email protected] • Phone: 680-488-4900
Emi ChutaroExecutive Director Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA)[email protected]
Cerina [email protected]
Mark Durand, MD, MPHPerformance & Health Information Systems Initiative [email protected] • Phone: 808-537-3131
HAWAI’I PHTC
Valerie Yontz, RN-BC, MS, MPH, PhDSpecialist & Practice CoordinatorHawai’i PI-Public Health Training Center (CALPACT)University of Hawaii [email protected] • Phone: 808-956-5771
Kelley Withy, MD, PhDProfessor and DirectorAHEC Program, University of Hawai’i [email protected] • Phone: 808-692-1070
Kevin Rogers, MA, MHAAssociate Director AHEC Program, University of Hawai’i [email protected] • Phone: 808-692-1060
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