New SLGE Report Finds That Shared Staffing Approaches Can Enhance Provision of Public Health Services

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public health challenges, such as disease outbreaks and substance abuse problems, do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries. "Staff Sharing Arrangements for Local Public Health," a report released today by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE) and the Center for Sharing Public Health Services examines case studies of three cross-jurisdictional staff sharing arrangements in local public health organizations as a means to expand organizational capacity, better manage expenditures, and contain or address existing or emerging issues. 

The case studies showed that benefits of staff sharing to address challenges related to public health service delivery include:

• More effective planning and response for common infections as well as rare diseases;
• Ability to qualify for grant funding that may not have been available to an individual jurisdiction on its own;
• Ability to offer additional services, such as call-in assistance lines, that would otherwise not have been economical; and
• Dependable backup coverage and coordinated scheduling for skilled clinical positions. 

"Many of this report's findings and conclusions on staff sharing arrangements are not just applicable to public health departments, but are generalizable to a range of public organizations," said Joshua Franzel, President/CEO of SLGE. "The shared staffing approach is one key way for local health departments to continue to provide essential services against the backdrop of constrained public resources."

"Public health cooperation makes sense in terms of both clinical and environmental health expertise and operating efficiency," added Gerald Young, Senior Research Associate with SLGE.  "These jurisdictions have leveraged their respective resources to provide their local residents a wider array of services than they would have been able to deliver on their own."

"It is heartening to see the value-add potential of cross-jurisdictional staff sharing arrangements described in this report. The ability to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public health services is very clearly shown," said Patrick Libbey, co-director for the Center for Sharing public Health Services.

The Center for State and Local Government Excellence gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Center for Sharing Public Health Services to undertake this research project.

Read the full brief HERE. 

Access all of SLGE's research on state and local government workforce issues at http://slge.org/research/workforce 

About the Center for State and Local Government Excellence
The Center for State and Local Government Excellence helps state and local governments become knowledgeable and competitive employers so they can attract and retain a talented and committed workforce. The Center identifies best practices and conducts research on competitive employment practices, workforce development, pensions, retiree health security, and financial planning. The Center also brings state and local leaders together with respected researchers and features the latest demographic data on the aging workforce, research studies, and news on health care, recruitment, and succession planning on its website,  www.slge.org. Follow SLGE on twitter @4govtexcellence

For information contact: Amber Snowden, 202-962-3639, [email protected]

About the Center for Sharing Public Health Services
The Center for Sharing Public Health Services helps communities learn how to work across jurisdictional boundaries to deliver public health services. The Center serves as a national resource on cross-jurisdictional sharing (CJS), building the evidence and producing and disseminating tools, methods and models to assist public health agencies and policymakers as they consider and adopt CJS approaches. The Center is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is managed by the Kansas Health Institute. Visit the Center online at www.phsharing.org.

For information contact: Cathy McNorton, 855-476-3671, [email protected]

SOURCE Center for State and Local Government Excellence

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