Harrisburg University, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Aging, has been named a participating team in the 10th National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health (NLAPH) Cohort.
NLAPH is a national program focused on improving community health by working with collaborative, multi-sector leadership teams and training these teams through an applied, team-based, collaborative leadership development model.
The academy is operated by the Center for Health Leadership and Practice and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The core curriculum develops skills that advance leadership knowledge, attitude, and practice of individuals and teams to lead policy and systems change efforts. The Pennsylvania cohort team is one of 14 teams that will be working to improve specific, measurable and place-based public health problems, while developing their leadership skills throughout 2021.
“I am honored to join committed leaders from the Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging to continue vital work that we started as a result of COVID-19 in 2020 to address health inequities throughout our commonwealth,” said Geoffrey M. Roche, Executive Director, Strategic Healthcare Initiatives and Partnerships, Harrisburg University. “The NLAPH program is truly one of the finest national public health programs, and I am confident that both the commonwealth and Harrisburg University will greatly benefit from this amazing educational and professional development program.”
Key program elements include:
- Virtual intensive learning through participation in annual all-cohort virtual retreat and coached virtual intensive sessions;
- Distance learning through weekly updates from newsletters, interactive, synchronous and asynchronous webinars, and e-Learning events;
- Coaching provided by expert practitioners and specialists who assist with application of curriculum elements based on team and project needs;
- Custom-built tools for teams to engage at different points during the year to refine and deepen learning;
- Evaluation activities that will inform a continuous quality improvement approach to the program with a focus on understanding the leadership element in community health improvement;
- Online program portal for continuous learning, networking, program news and events and archived resources; and
- Ongoing leadership learning network which will provide a forum for continuous learning and information sharing after the program year ends.
All elements are designed to help the cohort teams successfully lead and manage their Applied Health Leadership project as well as other public health projects they may encounter in the future.
“I am extremely proud of our leaders in the Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging for partnering with Harrisburg University and being selected for the NLAPH program,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, who President Joe Biden has nominated to be the Assistant U.S. Secretary of Health. “The NLAPH is a prestigious program that will help Pennsylvania leaders build necessary skills in this time when public health leadership is crucial. Through this program, our Health, Aging, and Academia cohort team will participate in a three-day virtual retreat, commit to approximately eight hours per month over the next year in addition to the retreat, participate in an Applied Health Leadership project, and collaborate with other cohort teams across the country to improve our national public health response.”
“Pennsylvania’s older adult population is diverse with unique health-related needs. It is crucial to effectively align their health and social service needs, structure responsive policies and ensure quality care and services are provided,” Secretary of Aging Robert Torres added. “The Department of Aging is pleased to participate in the NLAPH program. The program will further strengthen our work in helping seniors maintain healthier lives. We look forward to collaborating with the Department of Health and Harrisburg University to achieve and sustain enhanced health status and outcomes for Pennsylvanians.”
About Harrisburg University
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Harrisburg University is a private nonprofit university offering bachelor and graduate degree programs in science, technology, and math fields. For more information on the University’s affordable demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, call 717-901-5146 or email, Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Follow on Twitter and Facebook.
