Overview

• Heather Krasna's study introduces a two-tier framework: a core workforce within government health departments and a wider workforce across sectors delivering essential public health services.
• The model shifts workforce definitions from job titles to job impact, focusing on who delivers services aligned with CDC's 10 Essential Public Health Services and Foundational Public Health Services.
• This approach aims to identify staffing gaps, inefficiencies in outsourcing, and areas for targeted workforce development and training.
• The framework highlights the importance of including non-governmental professionals in public health planning to strengthen emergency preparedness and routine service delivery.
• The study underscores the need for precise workforce assessments to ensure effective public health responses during crises and address systemic shortcomings revealed by COVID-19.