The Michigan Public Health Training Center (Michigan PHTC) and the Prevention Research Center of Michigan presented a training opportunity for those working in local health departments. The course, Evidence-Based Public Health, was held May 30, 2013 – June 18th, in Lansing, Michigan. There were two onsite classes and five one-hour webcasts.
Participants received insights into using evidence-based practices for your public health initiatives. They received guidance on using Michigan specific data from experts and leaders in public health. Topics, techniques and tools provided through this training course enhanced participants’ understanding of principles of health assessment, community improvement planning, and program evaluation — all phases of evidence-based practice.
Course topics included:
- Community assessment
- Clarifying and quantifying an issue
- Data resources
- Evidence-based interventions
- Economic evaluation as a strategic tool
- Successful action plans
- Program and policy evaluation approaches
- Quality improvement frameworks
The project was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the Prevention Research Center-St. Louis at Washington University. The project based at University of Michigan’s PRC and Michigan PHTC was one of four across the country working to tailor and develop this training for local health departments. The original course was developed by Dr. Ross Brownson and colleagues, the CDC, and the World Health Organization.
The lead instructor was local health officer, Mary Kushion. She brings more than 20 years of experience in local health leadership. Additional instructors drawn from Michigan’s academic and local public health settings included:
- Rebecca Head, PhD
- Phyllis Meadows, PhD, MSN, RN
- Janet L. Ray, LMSW (Program Evaluation)
- Eden Wells, MD, MPH (Epidemiology)
- Jack Wheeler, PhD (Economic Evaluation)
