The nation’s Regional Public Health Training Centers serve the governmental public health workforce, a group of professionals who, under normal times, are generally overstretched and under-resourced. As the U.S. confronts the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, these individuals deserve extra support of all kinds: emotional, instrumental and informational. The Region IV Public Health Training Center, with its network of almost 9,000 public health professionals, is uniquely poised to facilitate supportive connections between those on the frontlines of COVID-19.
Who is eligible to participate?
The Communities of Support initiative is designed for staff of local, tribal and state health departments. Priority will be given to those working in Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Others will be considered if resources allow.
What will Community of Support participation look like?
This will largely be determined by group members. Communities can stick with group email threads, or switch to another mode of communication (text, Zoom, WhatsApp, Slack, etc.). These communications will be informal and private to the community members. All community members are expected to participate in some capacity and should participate as much as they like or can.
Who will be in my Community of Support?
Region IV Public Health Training Center staff will create groups of 2-8 public health professionals. Members will be matched based on the preferences they indicate during the registration process, to the greatest extent possible. Participants will have the opportunity to indicate if they prefer to be matched with others within or outside of their discipline, geographic location and agency type.
When will Communities of Support begin and end?
Participants will be recruited beginning March 23, 2020. Communities will be formed starting March 30, 2020. Communities may be continue to be created after that date if staff capacity permits. For the time being, this iniative has an open end date.
What support will the Region IV Public Health Training Center provide?
Each group will be assigned a technical assistance (TA) contact from the Region IV Public Health Training Center. The TA contact will start a group email thread for each Community of Support. The TA contact will provide 1-2 weekly prompts (introductions, discussion questions, resources, self-care tips, etc.) to get and keep community conversations going. The TA contact will check in with participants periodically to see how their experience has been and will also be available if someone needs to be reassigned or otherwise needs technical assistance.
If you have any questions prior to registering, please contact hilary.merlin@emory.edu.
Community of Support members can help one another get through this current challenge.
- Coach
- Learn
- Mentor
- Share
- Support