Contact Talia Gooch ([email protected]) or Ricke Thompson, RN, NCSN ([email protected]) for more information.

Join us for Metro Public Health Department's Continuing Education Learning Series. This session focuses on community engagement and outreach and is being offered LIVE IN PERSON and ONLINE via web streaming. 

Statement of Need and Purpose

The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) Continuing Education Learning Series is designed to strengthen the knowledge and skills of public health practitioners addressing complex and evolving public health challenges within Nashville–Davidson County and beyond. This series provides targeted learning opportunities for MPHD employees, their community partners and other public health practitioners to deepen their understanding of foundational public health principles while engaging with evidence-based strategies and practical tools to improve population health outcomes.

This educational initiative responds to identified professional practice gaps in three critical areas: public health advocacy, systems-based practice, and translation of public health data into action. Insufficient competency in public health advocacy limits practitioners’ ability to influence policy, systems, and community-level decision-making, reducing the effectiveness of efforts to address social drivers of health and improve outcomes. Additionally, limited understanding of system-level change impairs the ability to recognize and address the interconnected policies, institutions, and community factors that contribute to health inequities. Gaps in translating public health data into clear, persuasive communication further hinder engagement with policymakers, stakeholders, and the public, ultimately diminishing the impact of evidence-informed decision-making.

To address these gaps, there is a demonstrated need for enhanced knowledge and skills in several areas. First, public health professionals require a deeper understanding of the historical foundations of public health practice, including how past policies, interventions, and systems shape current health outcomes and inequities. This knowledge supports more informed, culturally responsive, and equitable approaches to modern public health challenges. Second, there is a need to strengthen understanding of systems-level change and its impact on population health, including how advocacy, policy, and organizational and community systems interact to influence health outcomes.

This series will build competency in key areas critical to effective public health practice. Participants will develop the ability to apply the 10 Essential Public Health Services framework to guide the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies. They will also strengthen data-driven decision-making skills, using evidence and best practices to design and improve public health initiatives. Additionally, the series will enhance public health advocacy competencies, enabling participants to effectively communicate data, engage stakeholders, and influence policies and systems that advance health equity.

Through this learning series, participants will be better equipped to integrate knowledge, skills, and evidence-based strategies into their professional practice, ultimately supporting more effective interventions, stronger community partnerships, and improved health outcomes across the populations served by MPHD.