Region IV Public Health Training Center

Note: This is a recording of a lecture held in 2011. Training Overview The Georgia Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at reducing Meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. Central to the program is a research-based marketing campaign that graphically communicates the risks of Meth use. The Meth Project has been repeatedly cited as a powerful private-sector response to a devastating social problem and was recognized by the White House as one of the nation’s most effective prevention programs. The Georgia Meth Project activities increase awareness of the critical nature of the Meth problem, influencing and escalating public dialogue to find solutions. Coordinating closely with local, state, and federal agencies, the Georgia Meth Project organizes a broad range of community outreach programs that mobilize communities across Georgia to assist in Meth awareness and prevention activities. This lecture will focus on the current state of methamphetamine use in Georgia, the Meth Project model, strategies and partners, and insights that might be incorporated into contemporary public health practice, training and education. 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 Jim Langford Jim Langford, Executive Director and Co-founder of the Georgia Prevention Project (GPP, formerly the Georgia Meth Project), brings many years of business, public service and nonprofit experience to the organization. He has been appointed by five Georgia governors to a variety of commissions and boards in the state. He also is the founder of multiple other nonprofit organizations and initiatives. 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 March 20, 2017. Training Overview This webinar recording introduces the audience to the national dialogue about public health and healthcare system integration. For the last several years, there has been an ongoing national dialogue about the need for improved coordination and integration between public health and the healthcare delivery system. With improved collaboration between these two entities, expectations are that population health objectives can be more effectively met, quality of care and services can be refined, and costs could decrease. In recent years, infectious diseases have been at the forefront of the public health portfolio and have helped demonstrate the significant need to strengthen the collaboration between public health and healthcare. 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 Previously, Dr. Montero served as VP of Population Health and Health System Integration at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene, where he helped the healthcare system advance its population health strategy. For seven years, he served as director of the Division of Public Health Services at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, he led the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based services and prompt response to public health threats and emerging issues in the state. In New Hampshire, he also served as chief of New Hampshire’s Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, deputy director for public health emergency preparedness and response, and state epidemiologist. Dr. Montero holds a medical degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He also holds an epidemiology degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, and a master’s degree in healthcare delivery science from Dartmouth College. 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 January 27, 2020. Training Overview This webinar will explore the role of stigma and how it interacts with the disease of addiction. Addiction is a chronic medical condition characterized by relapses and remissions that is often misunderstood, unrecognized and seldom appropriately treated. We shall examine stigma from three perspectives. First at the level of the individual, where the shame and guilt of addiction keeps the person suffering from a substance use disorder from self-identifying as in need of treatment and appropriately accessing resources. Second, at the level of the family and friends, stigma can prevent advocating for their loved ones as well as keeps the patient in the shadows. And finally at the level of the society stigma may lead to failure in effective treatment policy, denial of services, discrimination and marginalization of our patients.  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 Navjyot Bedi, MD is the Medical Director and Senior Addiction Psychiatrist at Talbott Recovery in Atlanta, Georgia. He started at Talbott back in 2006 as a Staff Addiction Psychiatrist. Since that time, he has been a valuable part of the treatment team in the addiction/co-occurring psychiatric disorders treatment programs at Talbott Recovery, and particularly with the Professionals Program. He obtained his medical degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi where he also completed his internship and residency. He completed psychotherapy training at the Philadelphia Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology.  He then completed a residency in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he served as Chief Resident in the Department of Psychiatry.  Subsequently he became a Fellow in Addiction Psychiatry at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  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 February 4, 2016. Training Overview According to the CDC, "in May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes." Since then, active Zika infections have been identified in Central America and the Caribbean. Cherie Drenzek, DVM, MS, State Epidemiologist, Georgia Department of Public Health will provide an overview of the Zika virus and its spread, including, what it is, how it's transmitted and who it affects. Dr. Drenzek will also discuss how to protect against Zika and how health departments can prepare to recognize, manage and report Zika infections and communicate prevention measure to the public. 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 Dr. Cherie Drenzek grew up in Detroit, Michigan and received her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and her Master’s degree in Food Microbiology from Wayne State University in Detroit. She attended Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and received her DVM in 1995; the same year, she entered the Epidemic Intelligence Service program at CDC and was stationed in the Rabies Section. Following EIS, Cherie was employed as an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. 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

Think TB: Raising Tuberculosis Awareness and Enhancing Public Health Practices  Note: This is a recording of a live webinar held on April 2, 2025. This webinar was in partnership with the Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (SNTC) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. Training Overview: Join our upcoming webinar to enhance your knowledge of tuberculosis and its implications for public health practice. This session is designed to help public health professionals recognize transmission risks, understand local and national epidemiological trends, and explore the significance of treatment burden and compliance. Learn the critical role of collaboration with state TB programs in effectively managing and preventing TB in your communities. Equip yourself to be a key player in the fight against tuberculosis. About the Presenters: Maria Lasley, BSN, RN, is a Nurse Consultant for the Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (SNTC). As a consultant, Maria is involved with planning, developing, conducting and evaluating TB-related trainings. She provides technical assistance, nursing consultation, mentoring, and education on TB nursing practices and case management, as well as facilitates the exchange of information between internal and external medical providers, state and territory TB programs, local community health departments and laboratories.  Maria is a self-motivated professional and demonstrates initiative with a focus on meeting or exceeding intended goals.  Pamela Nelson, BSN, RN, is the Regional Nursing Consultant and Area TB Coordinator for the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). Pamela has over 20 years of nursing experience with advanced training in tuberculosis, as well as emergency response and management. She is a member of the Florida Nurse Association and has received a number of honors and awards related to her work with tuberculosis and the state of Florida.   Amy Painter, BSN, RN, is the TB Division Director for the South Carolina Department of Public Health (SC DHEC). As the division director, she monitors and guides TB Control program activities to ensure compliance with state, federal, and local laws and regulations and with epidemiologic trends and grant deliverables. Amy is a self-starting, goal-oriented strategist whose confidence, perseverance, and vision promotes success. She has over twenty years of public health experience in a variety of programs and brings front-line nursing knowledge.  CERTIFICATE:  The course contains two modules: a module to access the webinar and an evaluation module. After accessing the two 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

Note: This is a recording of a webinar held on December 9, 2019. Training Overview Change can be scary. It involves terrible things like the unknown, discomfort, work, and losing control. It can also be an opportunity for discovery, growth, creativity, and letting go. In fact, these things are often two sides of the same coin. So how can we make the most out of a world where so much is constantly in flux? How can we move forward and be productive when we never seem to have enough information or time to make the right decision? Instructor Shana Merlin will be pulling tools from the world of improvisational theater, where change is happening constantly in front of a live audience. We will take a look at what our internal response is to change and see if we can shift it into something more productive. Like a good improviser,  participants will learn how to recover quickly from unexpected events, be curious about the unfamiliar, be flexible in response to new information and start things without knowing exactly how they will end. 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 The Founder of Merlin Works, Shana Merlin is one of the most experienced and effective improv-based trainers in Texas. Shana is a lecturer in the College of Medicine Texas A&M University and an associate at the Center for Health Communication at the University of Texas.Presenting and performing nationwide, some of her clients have included Dell, T-Mobile, Silicon Labs, The University of Texas and Deloitte. Winner of “Best Improv Teacher” in Austin from the Austin Improv Collective, Shana founded Merlin Works, in 2003 to provide custom training, interactive presentations, and comedy shows to businesses and organizations using improvisation.  Some of her most requested fun, interactive programs are on the topics of team building, communication, sales, persuasion, leadership, making meetings matter, medical communications, and creativity.  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