Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) will transform the statewide public health system through complementary and interdependent strategies that aim to strengthen the workforce (Strategy A1), build the state's foundational capabilities (Strategy A2), and enhance the existing data infrastructure (Strategy A3). Through implementation across all strategies, MDPH aims to realize accelerated prevention, preparedness, and response to emerging threats; and improve other public health outcomes. Strategy A1 outcomes include hiring 24 employed and three contract staff members across the organization, including a Deputy Chief Operating Officer that will oversee Performance Management and Quality Improvement, Academic Health Department, Public Health AmeriCorps, Workforce Development, and Training and Staff Development; and an Evaluation Manager and Data Modernization Initiative Manager to meet grant requirements. Other A1 outcomes include increasing supports for staff by hiring a Health and Wellness Manager and building the Training Unit with a focus on onboarding; allocating 40% of funding to the Local Public Health System; completing an analysis to understand workforce planning, systems, processes, and policy needs; developing a Workforce Evaluation Plan and Workforce Recruitment Plan; creating a Public Health Specialist job specification. Strategy A2 outcomes include maintaining accreditation status by completing the renewal process; improving accountability and performance management by developing and implementing a strategic plan that incorporates quality goals; continuing to train staff in the Six Sigma Lean process and increasing the number of staff who are black belts and can train/coach others; improving access to training resources among external partners by implementing TRAIN; strengthening internal staff training by create a five-member Training Unit that oversees onboarding, professional development, and manager training; strengthening the Academic Health Department by hiring a dedicated Academic Health Manager to oversee relationships with academic institutions and expand opportunities for both MDPH staff, local and regional health, and students; strengthening financial management and fiscal operations by hiring new staff members and converting paper-based information management systems to virtual systems; expanding communications capacity; improving data modernization, including integration of data systems between bureaus, surveillance, and e-licensing; strengthening the Office of Local and Regional Health by hiring dedicated legal counsel and maintaining existing community partnerships; and strengthening the capacity in the Office of Health Equity in the Office of Population Health to support CLAS and interpreter services. Strategy A3 outcomes include building data modernization capacity by hiring staff members, finalizing a governance structure and user advisory group, and having each bureau identify a manager to lead data modernization initiatives; establishing an Office of Population Health Enterprise Data Support Team; finalizing an initial enterprise assessment conducted under the ELC grant; completing an inventory of state information collected through other ongoing assessments and a gap analysis to inform the Data Modernization Initiative plan; creating a plan that leverages resources, is aligned with CDC North Star Architecture, and focuses on large CDC-funded systems and a bi-directional uniform data collection system for local and regional health; developing and implementing the policy and strategy component of the enterprise modernization plan; increasing information flow between MDPH and local and regional public health partners; leveraging expert resources to identify a Service Oriented Architecture; acquiring and leveraging informatics and epidemiology expertise to inform data architecture and design.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).