WEBVTT 00:00:00.581 --> 00:00:04.581 Welcome to Course 10. You've reached the final course. 00:00:04.898 --> 00:00:06.962 Course 10 is all about us. 00:00:07.002 --> 00:00:11.200 How we can reimagine public health practice to better tackle root causes. 00:00:11.307 --> 00:00:14.141 Public health has a long history. 00:00:14.181 --> 00:00:19.180 From its beginnings in the 1700s battling smallpox and infectious diseases, 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:22.393 to its role in having racism declared a public health crisis 00:00:22.433 --> 00:00:25.739 and its valiant efforts to achieve health equity. 00:00:25.779 --> 00:00:29.779 Public health has undergone many changes and more changes are needed. 00:00:29.830 --> 00:00:33.179 There are two overlapping groups that maintain our health. 00:00:33.219 --> 00:00:37.219 Number one: Organizational Public Health. 00:00:37.273 --> 00:00:40.665 This field is composed of the official public health agencies 00:00:40.705 --> 00:00:45.450 at all levels of government, community-based and voluntary organizations 00:00:45.525 --> 00:00:49.525 with a focus on creating healthy communities. 00:00:49.547 --> 00:00:52.630 It also includes hospitals and health care systems 00:00:52.670 --> 00:00:55.143 with public health related programming 00:00:55.183 --> 00:00:59.590 and a range of other private industry, government and voluntary sector organizations 00:01:01.142 --> 00:01:04.050 that perform public health functions. 00:01:04.150 --> 00:01:06.734 Number two: the Public Health Workforce 00:01:06.774 --> 00:01:09.364 consists of public health practitioners like you 00:01:09.404 --> 00:01:12.355 and all those who work in the field every day 00:01:12.395 --> 00:01:16.028 both within and outside of these organizations 00:01:16.068 --> 00:01:19.762 to create the conditions in which all people can be healthy. 00:01:19.802 --> 00:01:23.802 Public health practitioners operate within public health organizations 00:01:24.065 --> 00:01:28.065 but they can also and sometimes do, operate outside of them. 00:01:28.387 --> 00:01:33.380 However, organizational public health cannot run without public health practitioners. 00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:35.251 This has its pros and cons. 00:01:35.291 --> 00:01:39.291 As practitioners, you are in a unique position to create conditions 00:01:39.409 --> 00:01:42.012 that advance health equity in your community. 00:01:42.052 --> 00:01:45.589 But the current infrastructure of public health organizations 00:01:45.629 --> 00:01:49.629 often creates limitations and challenges to our work. 00:01:49.947 --> 00:01:52.343 Many of these we've seen come to a head, 00:01:52.383 --> 00:01:55.582 during and since the covid-19 pandemic. 00:01:55.622 --> 00:01:59.622 One of the core limitations public health continues to face is funding. 00:02:00.295 --> 00:02:03.649 We often are forced to operate with insufficient funding 00:02:03.689 --> 00:02:07.689 to achieve and sustain staffing levels that can support our basic operations. 00:02:08.083 --> 00:02:12.083 When we do have funding, this funding is often inconsistent 00:02:12.167 --> 00:02:16.700 or restricted to focusing solely on specific diseases or crises. 00:02:16.850 --> 00:02:19.953 While this work is critical, it can make it difficult 00:02:19.993 --> 00:02:23.993 to address structural determinants that lead to many of our public health crises. 00:02:24.123 --> 00:02:26.647 This is important ongoing work, 00:02:26.687 --> 00:02:30.515 that can't be accomplished within one or two short funding periods. 00:02:30.555 --> 00:02:36.550 It's during stable periods that we need to be educating the public, researching potential threats, 00:02:36.841 --> 00:02:40.332 and preparing materially and financially for future challenges. 00:02:40.372 --> 00:02:42.771 Because they will arise. 00:02:42.811 --> 00:02:48.500 Another core limitation we face is in strict pathways into the public health workforce. 00:02:48.658 --> 00:02:53.650 In many cases, public health practitioners must have a college degree 00:02:53.947 --> 00:02:58.940 and sometimes a terminal degree in order to practice in this field. 00:02:59.175 --> 00:03:02.431 This limits the type of people who can enter the workforce, 00:03:02.471 --> 00:03:06.471 marginalizes those without access to higher education, 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:10.520 and devalues the wisdom that comes with lived experience. 00:03:11.104 --> 00:03:15.104 This also creates additional barriers for working equitably 00:03:15.221 --> 00:03:18.346 with community members we want to practice with. 00:03:18.386 --> 00:03:22.042 There are many different roles we can fulfill in public health. 00:03:22.082 --> 00:03:25.696 Some of these should require an advanced degree, 00:03:25.736 --> 00:03:27.772 but not all of them have to. 00:03:27.812 --> 00:03:29.936 There should be a balance. 00:03:29.976 --> 00:03:31.707 Another core challenge we face, 00:03:31.747 --> 00:03:34.800 is that many of our public health organizations 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:39.840 can mirror the types of inequities we hope to address in our communities. 00:03:40.116 --> 00:03:43.769 Building a diverse workforce is one challenge. 00:03:43.809 --> 00:03:47.809 But so are issues around inclusion, belonging, and power. 00:03:48.386 --> 00:03:51.505 Inequities within our work environments can delay 00:03:51.545 --> 00:03:53.979 or even stop progress altogether. 00:03:54.019 --> 00:03:57.464 And without meaning to, we can become our own worst enemy 00:03:57.504 --> 00:04:00.154 when it comes to how we engage with our communities. 00:04:00.194 --> 00:04:05.190 Our organizations must continually evolve to meet ongoing challenges. 00:04:05.366 --> 00:04:08.969 Organizational transformation is difficult and time consuming 00:04:09.009 --> 00:04:12.330 but entirely necessary if we are to succeed. 00:04:12.370 --> 00:04:15.767 Part of that change means not remaining in our silos. 00:04:15.807 --> 00:04:19.432 So don't stay there. Reach out to your community. 00:04:19.472 --> 00:04:23.472 Engage with your peers. With researchers, academics and advocates. 00:04:24.064 --> 00:04:29.500 Build strong networks and use them to build support from government and the public. 00:04:29.658 --> 00:04:33.302 Upgrade your learning. Both in the field and in the classroom. 00:04:33.342 --> 00:04:37.259 And lean on each other for lessons on how to navigate limitations. 00:04:37.299 --> 00:04:43.200 As a public health workforce, we must dig deeper into our roles as agents of social change. 00:04:43.308 --> 00:04:46.303 Because public health isn't just about disease. 00:04:46.343 --> 00:04:49.825 It's about creating conditions that minimize disease. 00:04:49.865 --> 00:04:53.701 And create healthy, whole, communities for everyone. 00:04:53.741 --> 00:04:57.741 That means we have to play a broader role in eradicating injustice. 00:04:58.492 --> 00:05:02.218 Injustice is at the root of many public health issues. 00:05:02.258 --> 00:05:06.258 So combating injustice should be at the root of our work. 00:05:07.348 --> 00:05:10.433 It's important to recognize that public health 00:05:10.473 --> 00:05:13.371 has made incredible strides since its inception. 00:05:13.411 --> 00:05:17.227 And we will continue centering health equity in public health practice. 00:05:17.267 --> 00:05:19.084 Challenges will always be there. 00:05:19.124 --> 00:05:21.247 It's how we meet them that counts. 00:05:21.287 --> 00:05:25.287 So course 10 is both a look back and a look forward. 00:05:26.126 --> 00:05:29.964 How did we get here? Why did we get here? 00:05:30.004 --> 00:05:33.004 What challenges do we face staying where we are? 00:05:33.044 --> 00:05:36.083 And what challenges do we face to move forward? 00:05:36.123 --> 00:05:40.123 And most importantly, what are the tools available to help us 00:05:40.624 --> 00:05:46.300 evolve and improve, to make sure the public stays healthy, now and in the future. 00:05:46.442 --> 00:05:50.442 So jump into the readings. Explore the interactives. 00:05:50.508 --> 00:05:53.508 And prepare to take action for the road ahead.