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Training for Public Health Employees in Wisconsin

Training materials are intended for state, regional, and local public health employees in Wisconsin.

These training materials are free of charge and are for educational use only. If you have any questions, please email Christie Reese at Christie.Reese@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Public Health 101

Public Health 101, formerly known as Public Health Employee Orientation, will be offered beginning in January 2024. Public Health 101 covers the following topics:

  • Introduction to Working in Public Health
  • Public Health System in Wisconsin
  • Health Equity
  • Performance Excellence
  • Self-Care and Workplace Well-Being.

This foundational public health orientation includes virtual trainings that will be available on an on-demand basis through TRAIN (in February 2024), as well as live workshops offered quarterly.

Public Health 101 offers many benefits for local and Tribal health staff to participate! Just a few of the benefits include:

  • Connecting participants with the mission of public health in Wisconsin.
  • Learning how to apply public health theory and frameworks.
  • Fostering connection and collaboration between state, local, and Tribal public health.
  • Focusing on health equity and self-care/workplace wellbeing.

For more information on Public Health 101, please refer to the frequently asked questions below or email Christie Reese at Christie.Reese@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Answers to frequently asked questions

New employees often participate in team- or organization-level onboarding, but how do they get oriented to the bigger systems they work within? Enter PH 101! In this training, there are four modules and one live session that cover:

  • Public health system in Wisconsin: public health models and practices, requirements and responsibilities.
  • Health equity.
  • Performance excellence: quality improvement, performance management, and results-based accountability.
  • Self-care and workplace wellbeing.

Public Health 101 is for all governmental public health staff in Wisconsin! This includes staff from local health departments or divisions, Tribal health centers, and the Division of Public Health.

The sessions were created through the lens of new staff working in governmental public health in Wisconsin. However, all governmental public health staff would benefit from this training if they have not taken it before!

The online, self-guided modules take about three hours to complete.

The live session is a 3.5-hour workshop focused on applying the content and building connections.

You are encouraged to complete the whole course of modules and attend the follow-up workshop. 

If you are unable to complete a module for whatever reason, you are still encouraged to take what is useful to you and apply it.

Nothing! The online trainings and live workshops are free for governmental public health staff.

It does not require travel! We understand travel can be a barrier and want to make this as accessible as possible.

The live workshops are offered both in-person and virtually. Twice per year there will be live in-person PH 101 trainings and twice per year there will be live virtual PH 101 trainings.

If you do choose to travel to the live workshop, your travel costs are the responsibility of your organization or work unit.

The four self-guided virtual modules will be available on Train in Quarter 1 of 2024.

The live workshops will be offered quarterly in January, April, July, and October 2024.

The live workshop will be offered virtually in January 2024 and in-person in April.

The in-person workshops will rotate around Wisconsin to make it more accessible for all local public health staff wishing to attend in-person.

Are you new to your organization or role? Are you new to public health? Come get oriented to the public health system in Wisconsin! You will gain valuable knowledge about foundational topics including administrative rule, health equity, workplace wellbeing, performance excellence, and home rule.

You will also have access to statewide experts and resources to set you up for success in your work. Come grow with us and see how Public Health 101 can help you!

Come get the latest and best on evolving topics like health equity, performance management, and public health systems-change!

Get connected to statewide leaders and join a cohort of peers at the state, local, and Tribal levels.

This orientation is targeted for a mixed audience, so no matter your professional experience there will be something for you.

Yes! All new staff are encouraged to attend to help orient them to the public health system and set them up for success in their work.

Workshops will be offered quarterly, so staff can choose the workshop that best fits their schedule.

Resource documents

Framing for Social Change webinar series

Framing for Social Change is a three-part webinar with the FrameWorks Institute, a think tank known for its empirical approach to communication on social issues.

Part One: Why Does Framing Matter

How we say what we say has consequences for policy support. Framing theory will be used to look at how our brains process information. Examples will show how small changes in communication can yield big differences in response.

Part Two: Anticipating Public Thinking and Common Communications Traps

This webinar draws on the FrameWorks Institute’s body of research on the communications aspects of public health and other related issues. Strategies to avoid when trying to engage the public on public health policy issues will also be covered

Part Three: Framing Health Equity

Explore the FrameWorks Institute’s research on the communications aspects of health equity. Practical takeaways include evidence-based recommendations on how to frame racial equity and racial disparities and a tested approach for explaining the social determinants of health.

Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance Program

Provides data, fact sheets and information on occupational injuries and illnesses. Staff can assist local health departments with questions related to workplace exposures or outbreaks. Contact us at dhsocchealth@dhs.wi.gov or visit the occupational health page.

Occupational Health and Safety Resources (PDF)

Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene’s occupational health training and consultation resources

WisCon at WSLH provides occupational health trainings and free consultation services to both businesses and public agencies. In 2023, DHS has partnered with WisCon to create trainings of particular interest to local public health. These trainings and services are designed to enhance local health departments capacity to handle relevant workplace health and safety concerns in their jurisdictions and can also help local health departments protect the health and safety of their workforce.

The Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (WCLPPP)

WCLPPP supports local health departments, health care providers, and community groups that work to prevent, identify, and treat childhood lead poisoning. The program also maintains the Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Surveillance System. For more information, email DHSLeadPoisoningPrevention@dhs.wisconsin.gov, visit the Lead-Safe Wisconsin website, or explore the links below.

Health Equity Assessment and Resource Team (HEART) learning communities

Vimeo showcase of recorded presentations (Slide decks for presentation listed below)

Health equity resource guides

Housing as a social determinant of health

Health equity survey summary

LTHD Health Equity Strengths and Needs Survey Results Summary, P-03277 (PDF)

Region V Public Health Training Center

The Region V Public Health Training Center (RVPHTC) seeks to advance the skills of the current and future public health workforce to improve population health outcomes. Part of the Public Health Learning Network (PHLN), the RVPHTC develops online and in-person trainings on a variety of public health topics.

Learn more about our available trainings, including our Training Needs Assessment.

Public Health Learning Navigator

The Public Health Learning Navigator is an interactive resource for finding public health learning modules that includes a vetting process. Before a training module is made available, the content is reviewed and screened for quality standards.

Learn more about the quality review process, or browse available training modules.

New to Public Health Residency Program

The New to Public Health (N2PH) Residency Program is an innovative, professional development program designed to support new public health professionals transitioning into a local, regional, tribal, or state public health agency.

Visit the New to Public Health Residency Program to learn more.

Archived resources

Last revised March 1, 2024