1. Recruitment, Retention, and Training of the Local Health Department Workforce: Results from the 2005 National Profile of LHDs Study Carolyn Leep NACCHO

2. 2005 National Profile of Local Health Departments Study Collaboration with CDC Fourth in the Profile series Prior studies in 1989, 1992-3, and 1996-7 Census design – includes all LHDs in U.S. First National Profile to be conducted as Web-based survey Source of all data in this presentation

3. Workforce Data from 2005 Profile Data from core questionnaire (sent to all LHDs) published in main report Size and composition of LHD workforce Most data from module (sent to sample of LHDs) published in separate report Race & ethnicity of LHD staff Workforce shortages Workforce training

4. Workforce Shortages Included questions about current problems hiring and anticipated future shortages of five professions: Public health nurses EH specialists/scientists Epidemiologists Health educators IT specialists

5. Current and Anticipated Hiring Problems

6. Reasons for Current Hiring Problems ReasonFrequency Pay/benefits not competitive +++++ Cannot hire due to budgetary restrictions +++ Difficult to attract candidates to this geographic area +++ Candidates have insufficient experience +++ Candidates have insufficient education ++ LHD hiring process is cumbersome ++ Candidates have insufficient cultural and linguistic competency +

7. Public Health Nurses Current Hiring Problems: Pay/benefits (91%) Geographic area (45%) Budget restrictions (39%) Reasons for Anticipated Future Shortage: Retirement (66%) Attrition (60%)

8. EH Specialists/Scientists Current Hiring Problems: Pay/benefits (74%) Geographic area (54%) Budget restriction (46%) Insufficient experience (44%) Reasons for Anticipated Future Shortage: Retirement (49%) Attrition (40%) Program expansion (35%)

9. Epidemiologists Current Hiring Problems: Pay/benefits (61%) Geographic area (56%) Budget restriction (52%) Insufficient experience (46%) Reasons for Anticipated Future Shortage: Program expansion (55%) Some other reason (42%)

10. Health Educators Current Hiring Problems: Pay/benefits (64%) Budget restriction (44%) Geographic area (40%) Reasons for Anticipated Future Shortage: New programs (44%) Program expansion (39%)

11. IT Specialists Current Hiring Problems: Pay/benefits (82%) Budget restriction (58%) Insufficient experience (34%) Reasons for Anticipated Future Shortage: Other reason (55%) Program expansion (43%)

12. Staff Training Module included questions on Sources of training for LHD staff Learning methods that LHD leaders would support for their staff

13. Sources of Training for LHD Staff

14. Preferred Learning Methods

15. LHD Staff by Race and Ethnicity

16. Diversity of LHD Staff and Population Served