Region IV Public Health Training Center

Note: This is a recording of a webinar held on July 15, 2019. Training Overview This second webinar (part 2 of 2) will discuss a mental health response to human-created disasters. The phases of response to a human-created disaster will be described as well as the factors that lead to resilience. Case studies on recent human-created disasters will be discussed. It will also discuss the relationship between the mental health and public health sectors and how these two groups work together during a human-created disaster. 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 Will Wells, MSW and Sonya Jenkins William Wells works in Emergency Preparedness and Response for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. He coordinates behavioral health resources across the state in preparation, response and recovery activities related to natural and human-created disasters. With over 45 years of mental health experience Will has worked in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings. Will holds his Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina.   Sonya Jenkins is the County Director of the Charleston Mental Health Center West Ashley Clinic located at 2100 Charlie Hall Blvd., Charleston, S.C.  Ms. Jenkins has more than 25 years of experience in the field of mental health, providing treatment to adults, children, adolescents, and their families. As an Independent Licensed Social Worker, she serve as one of the leaders of the Mother Emmanuel A.M.E Empowerment Center. Her aim is to provide healing support in a safe and healthy environment. 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 July 15, 2019. Training Overview This webinar is part one of a two-part series. The first webinar will discuss a mental health response to both natural and human-created disasters. The differences for each type of disaster will be discussed with a focus on natural disasters. Case studies from different natural disasters will be discussed. It will also discuss the relationship between the mental health and public health sectors and how these two groups work together during a natural disaster. 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 Will Wells, MSW and Kristin James, MSW, CPM William Wells works in Emergency Preparedness and Response for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. He coordinates behavioral health resources across the state in preparation, response and recovery activities related to natural and human-created disasters. With over 45 years of mental health experience Will has worked in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings. Will holds his Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina.   Kristin James is currently the Director of the Children, Adolescents, and their Families department and the Emergency Preparedness Director at Spartanburg Area Mental Health.  She has been with the Department of Mental Health since 2001, and worked in the School Mental Health program for several years until becoming CAF Director.  Kristin is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and holds two master’s degrees:  One from UNC – Chapel Hill in Rehabilitation Psychology and a Master’s in Public Health from American Military University. 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 May 16, 2019. Training Overview Now more than ever public health is doing more with less. How can we grow, retain and better engage our best resource: our people? This webinar will expose the participant to mentorship as a way for Public Health to increase retention and engagement. Participants will be able to identify the value of mentorship, identify 4 models of mentorship, understand the benefits of having a mentorship program and identify some strategies for creating a successful program. 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 Nicholle Harrison Nicholle Harrison has over 20 years of experience in Learning and Development.  She spent 15 years as a Chief Learning Officer for the Northwest Georgia’s Public Health District where she designed and led a successful mentorship program for 8 years and more recently has spent time in Higher Education as a Talent Management Specialist.  Nicholle has a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Management and is a Master Practitioner in the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument.  She also runs a consulting company and has worked with state and federal agencies as well as several fortune 500 companies. 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 August 18, 2020. Training Overview With dozens of COVID-19 vaccine trials in development and updates changing daily, in this webinar, Dr. Carlos del Rio will discuss a few of the leading COVID-19 vaccine trials, the progress that has been made and next steps in the COVID-19 vaccine trial process. We will also explore the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine trial process. 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 Carlos del Rio, MD is the Executive Associate Dean for Grady Clinical Affairs and a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine.  Until recently, he was the Hubert Professor and Chair of the Hubert Department of Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.  Dr. del Rio currently holds joint appointments as a professor of Epidemiology and as professor of Global Health at Rollins.  He is also the Principal Investigator and co-Director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research and co-Principal Investigator of the Emory-CDC HIV Clinical Trials Unit.  Carlos del Rio is currently appointed as the Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine. He is a native of Mexico where he attended medical school at Universidad la Salle in Mexico City, graduating in 1983.  His internal medicine and infectious diseases residencies were completed at Emory. 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

Navigating the Public Health Data Landscape with Data Governance, Literacy, and Equity Note: This is a recording of a live webinar held on November 19, 2024.  Training Overview: In today’s rapidly evolving public health environment, building a strong foundation in data governance, literacy, and equity is essential for creating a data-driven and equitable public health system. This webinar explores how these foundational components can empower public health organizations to better serve communities and address health disparities. These efforts are essential for ensuring that public health workers are well-equipped to collect, manage, and utilize data responsibly and effectively. By fostering internal understanding and collaboration, public health organizations can lay the groundwork for supporting communities with the data-driven insights needed to improve health outcomes.   About the Presenter: Jonathan Ong brings over 20 years of exceptional management and organizational development experience. With a solid public health, hospital, government, and regulatory leadership background, Jonathan has proven expertise in overseeing applications, analytics, and data strategy. He has successfully guided health IT innovation and strategy to build data-driven public health organizations. His accomplishments include building a solid informatics framework at Mecklenburg County Public Health and optimizing various EMRs and applications across multiple services. His team played a crucial role in the county’s COVID-19 response, developing a cohesive set of applications for case investigation, contact tracing, communication, and training.  Jonathan oversees the Informatics program and will be providing direction and oversight for the department’s data and data systems development and management, including the informatics program.  Lauren Cook is a Management Analyst under the Public Health Informatics Program at Mecklenburg County Health Department. With a data science and business analytics background, Lauren’s sharp analytical skills and attention to detail translate well with collaborating across the department to create innovative data solutions, dynamic Power Bi dashboards, and detailed analytical reports. She also plays a pivotal role in co-leading the data governance program at Mecklenburg County Public Health alongside her esteemed colleague, Jonathan.  At her essence, Lauren is driven by a passion for data and a commitment to enlightening others about the significance and transformative potential of their data assets.   CERTIFICATE: The course contains two modules: a module to access the webinar and an evaluation module. After accessing the three modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. When the certificate is available, learners will see a Certificate button on their dashboard. 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

On the Road Across the Lifespan Note: This is a recording of a live webinar held on December 15, 2025. This webinar is in partnership with the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University (IPRCE) and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Training Overview: Join us for an insightful webinar focused on transportation safety across all stages of life. From the earliest years to aging adults, ensuring safety on the road is a shared responsibility that evolves with age and experience. This session will highlight key aspects of transportation safety, providing valuable information and practical strategies for everyone involved in travel, whether as passengers or drivers.   About the Presenters: Maneesha Agarwal, MD, is an associate professor in pediatrics and emergency medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and an attending physician in pediatric emergency medicine at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She completed her undergraduate and medical school degrees at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill followed by pediatrics residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.  Dr. Agarwal is a grant-funded injury prevention researcher whose work spans poisoning prevention, child passenger safety, teen driving, firearm safety, consumer product safety, and adverse childhood experiences. She is the co-founder of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Injury Prevention Program (CHIPP) and serves as a pediatric injury prevention expert for the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory.  Dr. Agarwal serves on national committees for the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, where she has helped shape policy and educational initiatives to reduce childhood injuries.  She is a sought-after speaker at national conferences and has contributed to technical reports and policy statements on helmet use and injury prevention. Through her leadership and advocacy, Dr. Agarwal works to advance evidence-based strategies that keep children safe in vehicles, on bikes, and in all aspects of daily life.  Elizabeth Head, MPH, specializes in aging and injury prevention. As deputy director for Injury Prevention at the Georgia Department of Public Health, Elizabeth manages staff working on injury prevention across the lifespan. She also coordinates Georgia’s CDC BOLD project. This project aims to incorporate public health into dementia work happening in the state. Ms. Head works with national, state, and local partners to achieve equitable and sustainable approaches to Injury Prevention.  Jonathan Rupp, PhD, MS, is a Professor in the Emory Department of Emergency Medicine, Director of the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE), and Vice Chair for Innovation and Discovery in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Rupp’s research incorporates aspects of engineering, epidemiology, and behavioral science to further knowledge on the causes of injury and violence and to develop, test, and implement interventions to prevent injury, violence, and overdose.  His research involves (1) monitoring rates of seat belt use and distracted driving in the State of Georgia, (2) characterizing the factors that influence injury in motor-vehicle crashes, (3) developing tools that safety engineers can use to assess the performance of occupant protection systems, (4) leading surveillance of adverse and positive childhood experiences in the Georgia, and (5) studying ED based methods to reduce suicide.  Lin Snowe, CPST-I, is Senior Program Coordinator at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and serves on the state office team of Safe Kids Georgia. Her work focuses on supporting over 30 local statewide coalitions with programming and coalition development/management with the goal of preventing unintentional injuries in children. Her primary areas of work have been with underserved communities and building partnerships with key stakeholders to effectively disseminate injury prevention education and safety equipment where needed. She is an executive member of the Georgia Child Passenger Safety Board and is a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor, with active involvement in Georgia’s occupant safety task teams. Lin graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a B.S. in Business Administration and has spent most of her professional career in medical devices and technology sales. CERTIFICATE:  The course contains two modules: a module to access the webinar and an evaluation module. After accessing these modules, learners will earn a certificate of completion. 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