Region IV Public Health Training Center

Note: This is a recording of a webinar held on May 22, 2017. Training Overview This webinar will inspire participants to strategize to act on three dimensions of health intervention, three levels of racism, and three principles for achieving health equity. Dr. Camara Jones presents a Cliff Analogy for understanding three dimensions of health intervention: providing health services, addressing the social determinants of health (including poverty and neighborhood conditions), and addressing the social determinants of equity (including racism and other systems of structured inequity). She then turns her focus to a discussion of racism as a social determinant of equity and a root cause of”racial/ethnic differences in health outcomes. She defines racism as”a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks (which is what we call ‘race’), that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities, and saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources.” She identifies three levels of racism (institutionalized, personally-mediated, and internalized) and illustrates these three levels with her Gardener’s Tale allegory. She then generalizes her discussion of racism to encompass other systems of structured inequity. Dr. Jones defines health equity as “assurance of the conditions for optimal health for all people, identifies three principles for achieving health equity, and gives examples of how those principles can be operationalized. She closes with two additional allegories to equip attendees to name racism and other systems of structured inequity, ask “How is racism operating here?, and organize and strategize to act. The course contains two modules: a content module and a resources and evaluation module. After accessing both modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. This recording is approximately 90 minutes. There are no prerequisites. Participants will need a broadband internet connection (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers) and computer speakers. For technical support, please contact emoryphtc@emory.edu. About the Trainer Camara Jones, MD, MPH, PhD Dr. Jones is a Senior Fellow at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine. She is a family physician and epidemiologist focusing on the impacts of racism on the health and well-being of the nation.  She seeks to broaden the national health debate to include not only universal access to high quality health care, but also the social determinants of health (including poverty) and the social determinants of equity (including racism). Dr. Jones’ allegories on "race" and racism illuminate topics otherwise difficult for many to understand or discuss.  She aims to catalyze a national conversation on racism to mobilize and engage all Americans in a National Campaign Against Racism. She was Assistant Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health (1994-2000), and Medical Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2000-14). This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more

Note: This is a recording of a webinar held on April 19, 2019. Training Overview The increasingly diverse and multicultural 21st century US population requires health departments to be deliberate when it comes to ensuring their programs, services, practices and policies do not reinforce health inequities and disparities. A "one-size-fits-all" approach to public health is no longer sufficient or acceptable. How can health departments increase organizational cultural competence in order to advance health equity and mitigate the social determinants of health? During this 90-minute webinar, participants will discuss cultural competence as an important component of successful implementation of public health programing, services, practices and policies, as well as, how it can contribute to the elimination of health disparities existing within populations served by health departments. We will examine the existing sociocultural barriers (organizational, structural, and clinical) in health departments driving disparities in health status and health outcomes. The webinar’s content and dialogue will be guided by the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care, Human Impact Partners (HIP) recommendations for the Public Health Accreditation Board on Advancing Health Equity in Health Department’s Public Health Practice, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The course contains two modules: a content module and a resources and evaluation module. After accessing both modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. This recording is approximately 90 minutes. There are no prerequisites. Participants will need a broadband internet connection (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers) and computer speakers. For technical support, please contact emoryphtc@emory.edu. About the Trainer Hermence Matsotsa, MPH Hermence Matsotsa, MPH, is Founder / Principal Consultant of UbuntuSpeaks, LLC - a leading U.S.- based firm that specializes in global health workforce development cross / intercultural communication, team building and employee engagement training consulting. Ms. Matsotsa has more than 15 years of professional experience in global health, infectious disease prevention, treatment and outbreak response (HIV/AIDS, TB, Polio, sexually transmitted infections, Ebola, Malaria, and Cholera).  As well as, women and gender development, family planning, reproductive health and public health policy.   Ms. Matsotsa has a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Bachelor’s in International Affairs from Mary Washington College and Adult Education Certification from the University of the District of Columbia. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more

Note: This is a recording of a lecture held in 2012. Training Overview What is this lecture about? Health literacy is essential for successful access to care and use of services, self-care of chronic conditions, and maintenance of health and wellness. Health literacy is fundamental to healthcare that requires individuals to have a more active role in decisions and management. The IOM reports that 90 million people, nearly half our adult population, lack health literacy skills needed to understand and act on health information and health system demands. Only 12% of U.S. adults have the health literacy proficiency to perform complex health tasks such as using a table to calculate an employee’s share of health insurance costs. Join us for updates on the latest research findings, policy implications, and hands-on tools for addressing the problem. The course contains two modules: a content module and a resources and evaluation module. After accessing both modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. This recording is approximately 90 minutes. There are no prerequisites. Participants will need a broadband internet connection (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers) and computer speakers. For technical support, please contact emoryphtc@emory.edu. About the Trainer Kara Jacobson received her public health training at the Rollins School of Public Health. She has integrated public health prevention strategies into clinical primary care setting with an emphasis on chronic disease prevention including smoking cessation, physical activity, and nutrition programs primarily for seniors. In addition to development, implementation, and evaluation of successful behavior modification programs, Ms. Jacobson has served as the Director for Grady’s Patient Education Committee. In this position, she provided guidance and leadership for the development and review of patient education materials for the entire health system that were culturally sensitive and of low literacy level. Additionally, she has trained physicians at both Emory and Morehouse School of Medicine on the importance of integrating lifestyle counseling into clinical practice. Kara served as the Director for Educational Programs, Research, and Development for the National Office of the Arthritis Foundation. Currently, she conducts studies that address health literacy interventions and chronic disease self-management programs. She has worked at the American College of Physicians Foundation on improving prescription bottle labels for patients and serves as the literacy consultant to industry and public health institutions. She also teaches a course here at the Rollins School of Public Health: “Health Literacy Importance as a Public Health Problem”. Dr. Ruth Parker is a professor of medicine with pediatrics and also at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her research, educational, and advocacy efforts to advance health literacy. She was the co-investigator on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Literacy and Healthcare Project and helped develop the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, the TOFHLA. She co-authored the Definition of Health Literacy for Healthy People 2010 for the Institute of Medicine and NIH and has authored many scholarly pieces on health literacy. She served in leadership roles for professional societies including the AMA, the ACP Foundation, and has consulted with many federal and state agencies. She was a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Health Literacy Committee and is currently a member of their health literacy roundtable. She has received national recognition for her work including the Silver Achievement Award from the AAMC and the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Award from the ACP in 2005 as well as the FDA Advisory Committee Service Award in 2008. In 2011, she was named national associate of the National Research Council for the National Academies. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more

Holistic Leadership: Championing Wellness and Modeling Self-Care for Your Team Note: This workshop has limited capacity. This is an online, interactive workshop on December 5, 2024 from 8:45am-12pm ET. Participants will use Zoom to join with both video and audio. This workshop is sponsored by The Region IV Public Health Training Center. Training Description: “Your vision is sometimes seen through your actions. As leaders, it's our responsibility to give our teams the experience of that vision by our work each day.” ― Janna Cachola “If I put others first, I will never find myself being last.”― Craig D. Lounsbrough “In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall, first African American on the U.S. Supreme Court This workshop will focus on helping public health leaders and managers develop the tools needed to successfully support their staff by prioritizing their mutual wellness. The pandemic has dramatically altered how many of us work and has brought increased attention to work-life balance issues. By approaching wellness from a holistic perspective, participants will leave with actionable items to develop a more supportive culture within their scope of influence. This class will teach them how to encourage diversity and inclusion, have open dialogue about issues that cause burnout and decrease staff morale, and help them identify stressors early before they develop into larger problems. When leaders invest in the overall well-being of staff and model the practice of self-care, organizations become stronger and better positioned to recruit, retain and maximize performance of top talent. About the Trainer: Lamarr Lewis, LAPC, is a dedicated public servant, mental wellness advocate, published author, and change agent. As a community-based practitioner, he has worked with such diverse groups as; individuals living with psychiatric disabilities, people in recovery, At-Hope (He does not use the term At-Risk) youth, and more. He tirelessly gives back to his community through homeless outreach initiatives, public speaking, mentoring, coaching, and finding ways to develop the next generation of leaders. He is an alumnus of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and received his master’s degree from Argosy University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He is currently a mental health therapist, trainer, and consultant. His lifelong mission is to leave the world better than when he found it. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,404,138.  The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more

 Note: This is a recording of a webinar held on May 24, 2022. Training Overview Veterans experience higher rates of both homelessness and suicide compared with their non-Veterans peers. In addition, Veterans experiencing adverse social determinants of health—such as homelessness—are at increased risk of suicide and other poor health outcomes. This webinar will explore the concept of homelessness and housing instability generally and experiences among Veterans specifically. We will discuss how homelessness is defined and enumerated, pathways into homelessness, trajectories of homelessness, and multi-level interventions to prevent and end homelessness. We will also explore the intersection among homelessness (and other adverse social determinants of health), Veterans’ use of tailored services to address these needs, and their experience of particular health conditions and outcomes, including suicide ideation, attempt, and death. This recording is approximately 90 minutes. There are no prerequisites. Participants will need a broadband internet connection (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers) and computer speakers. For technical support, please contact emoryphtc@emory.edu. CERTIFICATE:  The course contains two modules: a module to access the webinar and an evaluation module. After accessing both modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. About the Trainer Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, PhD has more than 20 years experience working in the field of homelessness and housing. Since its inception in 2009, she has worked with the National Center on Homelessness among Veterans (NCHAV) to develop and implement a diverse research agenda emphasizing homelessness prevention, interventions to prevent and end homelessness among high-need Veterans, and the demography, epidemiology, and services utilization of Veterans experiencing homelessness. She has extensive experience using VA administrative data sources to address her primary research interests: identifying homelessness and risk among Veterans seeking healthcare, assessing interventions intended to mitigate this risk, and studying vulnerable populations and related health disparities. Her work focuses largely on addressing social determinants of health—including housing instability, gender, violence, rurality, employment, and justice involvement—to improve the health of Veterans.  This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more

Note: This is a recording of a lecture held on February 25, 2014. Training Overview This presentation will focus on immunization in Georgia.  Dr. Patrick O’Neal, Director of Health Protection in the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and Mr. Steve Mitchell, Georgia Immunization Director with DPH will provide an overview of the value of immunization for community resilience and efforts by DPH to improve vaccine coverage statewide, particularly in those ages 3 and under.   The course contains two modules: a content module and a resources and evaluation module. After accessing both modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. This recording is approximately 90 minutes. There are no prerequisites. Participants will need a broadband internet connection (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers) and computer speakers. For technical support, please contact emoryphtc@emory.edu. About the Trainer J. Patrick O’Neal, MD, and Steve Mitchell, MPH Over the years Dr. O'Neal's role has expanded and currently he is functioning as the Director of Health Protection in the Georgia Department of Public Health.  He has oversight responsibility for EMS, Trauma, Injury Prevention, Emergency Preparedness, Epidemiology, the Georgia Public Health Laboratories, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases and Immunizations, Refugee Health, Public Health Volunteer Programs, and the Office of Pharmacy. Steve Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Morehouse College and a Master in Public Health from Mercer University School of Medicine.  Previously, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and was the Public Health Flight Commander for Patrick Air Force Base located in Melbourne, Florida.  As Flight Commander, he was responsible for all aspects of preventive medicine which included:  Immunizations, Deployment Medicine, Communicable Disease, Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31680, Public Health Training Centers for $4,348,992. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Read more