Enumeration of the Public Health Workforce in New York State: Workforce Changes in the Wake of COVID-19

Isaac Michaels, Sylvia Pirani, Molly Fleming, Mayela M. Arana (), Emily D’Angelo, Cristina Dyer-Drobnack, Margaret DiManno, Sarah Ravenhall and Christian T. Gloria
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Isaac Michaels: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
Sylvia Pirani: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Molly Fleming: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Mayela M. Arana: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Emily D’Angelo: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Cristina Dyer-Drobnack: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Margaret DiManno: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Sarah Ravenhall: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
Christian T. Gloria: Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-14

Abstract: The governmental public health workforce in the United States has faced staffing shortages for over a decade that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess this critical issue, the Region 2 Public Health Training Center collaborated with the New York State Association of County Health Officials to enumerate the city and county public health workforce in New York State. The organizations used an online survey to: (1) count employees and full-time equivalent (FTEs) staff in local health departments in 2021; (2) assess workforce trends since the COVID-19 pandemic; and, (3) identify challenges local health departments encounter in recruiting and retaining qualified public health workers. To assess trends, findings were compared with secondary data from 2019. Despite playing a central role in COVID-19 mitigation, local health departments experienced no overall increase in staffing in 2021 compared to 2019, with many health departments experiencing large increases in vacant positions. Recruitment challenges include noncompetitive salaries, difficulties finding qualified candidates, and lengthy hiring processes. This study complements accumulating evidence indicating that long-term investment in local public health infrastructure is needed to bolster the workforce and ensure that communities are protected from current and future health threats.

Keywords: public health practice; local health departments; governmental public health workforce; COVID-19 response; public health systems; workforce development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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