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Association of Public Health Laboratories to Address National Shortage of Public Health Lab Leaders

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 November 2005, 15:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) has been awarded a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to address the leadership crisis in U.S. public health laboratories. APHL will develop a strategic plan to attract, develop and retain exceptional scientists as directors of state public health laboratories, which function as a national response system to protect Americans against infectious diseases, terrorist threats, harmful agents in food and water, and other health hazards.

APHL will document the process used to create its laboratory leadership development plan as a model for other health and health care professions, many of which confront similar workforce shortages.

APHL identified the laboratory leadership challenge in its 2002 report, "Who Will Run America's Public Health Labs? Educating Future Laboratory Directors." The report has proven to be prophetic. Vacancy rates for state public health laboratory directors are expected to climb to 26 percent in the next year, with an even higher vacancy rate anticipated over the next three to five years. To compound the problem, the skills required to direct a major public health laboratory have expanded with the demands of the job. Directors must be chief executive officers with knowledge of management, technology, funding, policy and communications.

"State public health laboratories are on the frontline of national defense," said Dr. Katherine Kelley, APHL President and director of Connecticut's public health laboratory. "Without exceptionally qualified laboratory directors, we risk the health of all Americans. We must have the right human resources to address very real threats."

The one-year, $211,000 planning grant will enable APHL to convene association members, external stakeholders, human resource professionals, academics and others to develop a three- to five- year strategy that: (a) develops existing laboratory leaders; (b) identifies and attracts emerging leaders; and (c) establishes a career path for public health laboratory scientists.

"We are pleased to receive this grant from RWJF. It allows us to focus on one of the most important issues in public health- leadership and succession planning," said Scott Becker, APHL's executive director. "We identified this issue early and now we have the resources to counter the trend and develop a national model."

The Association of Public Health Laboratories works with members to strengthen laboratories serving the public's health. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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