Build and maintain strategic partnerships between State and local health department and cross-sectoral and community-based organizations - The American Public Health Association (APHA) proposes to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a vast array of national, state, tribal, local and territorial partners to provide capacity-building assistance to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the public health system. The proposed project is designed to build on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response and beyond to support (STLT) health department staff responsible for strategic and community partnerships (including community liaisons, community health specialists, community health workers, and program managers) in strengthening cross-sectoral and community-based partnerships to promote health and well-being, reduce health disparities and advance health equity. The proposed project will demonstrate measurable progress among state and local health department strategic and community partnership staff to build and maintain partnerships with cross-sectoral and community-based organizations. Program strategies and activities include: 1) Organizational Capacity and Performance Improvement, such as the identification of organizational policies and practices that center diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in developing and maintaining cross-sectoral and community-based partnerships to advance health equity or strengthen the ability of the overall public health system to act, protect and promote health; 2) Workforce activities include identifying and assessing needs and gaps related to meaningful partnerships and developing culturally-appropriate, evidence-based, or evidence-informed training to address identified needs; 3) Partnership Development and Engagement activities include engagement with governmental and nongovernmental public health professionals at the state and local level, as well as national cross-sectoral partners to identify and promote practices to build and strengthen trust and collaboration; and 4) Policy and Programs activities include identification and promotion of evidence-based and evidence-informed policies that promote equity-centered, cross-sectoral and community-based collaboration. APHA’s over 150- year history, extensive partnership network and reach, and proven success providing capacity building assistance well qualifies the organization to undertake and execute the proposed initiative.
