Workforce Development Plan (Capabilities Based)

Why are capabilities so important in emergency preparedness?

In 2011, the state of Wisconsin adopted the CDC Public Health Preparedness Capabilities, of which there are 15.  This shifted the Workforce Development Plan from a Focus Area approach to the newer Capabilities based approach.  Also, the shift went from individual assessments to agency assessments.  As you will see, a major focus of Capabilities Based Planning is the concept of a community (county/tribe/city) to be able to collectively show that they are able to meet a capability, and not just one agency or individual, as has been the focus in the past.

Process
Since 2003, the WRPPHP has been coordinating public health emergency preparedness competency development activities within the region.  In 2009, the WRPPHP implemented a new process for assessing, developing, and evaluating the public health workforce's knowledge and skill pertinent to emergency preparedness:

• 2011:  The new PHEP 5 Year Cooperative Agreement shifted from a competency focus to a 'Capabilities Based Focus'.  Capabilities are defined as ...  Here are the 15 new Capabilities that each LPHA will be evaluated against:

  1. Community Preparedness

  2. Community Recovery

  3. Emergency Operations Coordination

  4. Emergency Public Information and Warning

  5. Fatality Management

  6. Information Sharing

  7. Mass Care

  8. Medical Countermeasure Dispensing

  9. Medical Material Management and Distribution

  10. Medical Surge

  11. Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions

  12. Public Health Laboratory Testing

  13. Public Health Surveillance and Epidemiological Investigation

  14. Responder Safety and Health

  15. Volunteer Management

Results
The results of the 2010 Knowledge and Skills Inventory help guide the WRPPHP trainings, exercises, and educational opportunities.  In all 353 public health staff completed the Inventory.  13 of 15 focus area scores improved from 2009 and all 3 identified regional areas for improvement from 2009 have been improved. 

• 2012 Data: 2012 Data will be Rolled Out upon data from the Capabilities Assessments being distributed from DHS

• 2011 Data: Due to the shortened grant year (8 months), there was no Capabilities Assessment this year, and therefore, no data.

• 2010 Individual, LPHA, and Regional Data

• 2009 Individual, LPHA, and Regional Data

Plan of Action
Between August and December of 2011, your agency completed 15 Capabilities Based online assessments, encompassing over 750 questions.  This data is now in the hands of Wisconsin DHS.  They will analyze the data and report out on statewide, regional, and local results.  It is these regional and local results that the WWPHRC will focus on to develop it's 5 Year Workforce Development Plan.  Once this data is made available, the lowest scoring capabilities will be prioritized and trainings will be targeted to fill in gaps.  This will be done using a multi-layered approach to Capabilities Based enhancements:

1. INDIVIDUAL LEVEL: LPHA staff will participate in at least one training, exercise, or other activity that will strengthen individual knowledge and skills for identified weak capabilities.

2. AGENCY LEVEL: LPHAs will provide or coordinate at least one training, exercise, or other activity that will strengthen agency knowledge and skills for identified weak capabilities.

3. REGIONAL LEVEL:  The WWPHRC will provide or coordinate at least one training, exercise, or activity that will strengthen regional knowledge and skills for identified weak capabilities.  

LPHA staff and LPHA leadership are encouraged to use any of the resources identified on this webpage, the Wisconsin TRAIN, or other reputable public health training resources (such as the Center's for Public Health Preparedness) to identify applicable trainings, exercises, or other activities that meet individual and agency needs. 

Tracking Progress
Based on the 2009 Competency Inventory results, each LPHA staff has been provided an Individual Competency Development Plan by their agency.  The Individual Competency Development Plan highlights a personalized plan of action for each of the 15 focus areas.   

To help track the progress of the Individual Competency Development Plans, Local Public Health Agency staff are expected to use the Wisconsin TRAIN Learning Management System (LMS).  

Once registered, LPHA staff will be able to search and register for trainings, and access "My Learning Record."  In the "My Learning Record" tab, under "Transcripts", LPHA staff can view their training plan, review trainings, email transcripts, download transcripts, or manage training records.  All trainings and courses that are accessed on the WI TRAIN are added automatically to an individual's transcripts.  Non-TRAIN courses and trainings (courses not listed on the WI TRAIN) that have been taken by an individual need to be manually entered into an individual's transcript.  To do this, scroll down on the transcript page and click on "Add" a non-TRAIN Courses to add the completed training to your transcript. 

The progress of an  Individual's Competency Development Plan will be monitored by accessing an individual's Transcript from the WI TRAIN on a regular basis, so it is important to keep your transcript up-to-date.  In addition the WRPPHP's Public Health Emergency Preparedness Competency Inventory will be annually conducted in November to assess and monitor individual, agency, and regional progress on competency development.  With limited consortium resources, new employees will need to wait until November to be assessed on the public health emergency readiness competencies. 

Evaluation
Evaluation of the Competency Inventory process is extremely important to the WRPPHP and our member agencies.  Evaluation of the Competency Inventory process will include the following indicators:

• Comparison of mean regional competency scores year-to-year

• Comparison of individual total competency scores from year-to-year

• Comparison of individual focus area scores from year-to-year

• Comparison of LPHA competency scores from year-to-year (both mean and by focus area)

• Comparison of LPHA Performance Measures indicators year-to-year

• Information from HSEEP Compliant After-Action-Report / Improvement Plans

Preparedness Orientation for New Public Health Workers
Twice a year, the WRPPHP will host a face-to-face public health emergency preparedness orientation for new public health workers.  The orientation will cover the history of preparedness, the consortium model, review of policy, procedures, and plans, and attendees will complete the ICS 100 training.  For those new public health workers who cannot attend the orientation, the WRPPHP suggests that all public health workers complete the following core preparedness trainings as part of their orientation to public health preparedness, in addition to role specific trainings. 

• (REQUIRED)  IS 700.a- An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS)

• (REQUIRED)  Incident Command System 100: An Introduction to ICS

• Webinar Wednesday: Public Health Emergency Plan (PHEP) Overview

• Webinar Wednesday: Understanding Mass Clinic Operations