Question

Complete the Competency Assessment for Tier I Public Health Professionals. In a 3- to 5- page paper interpret your results, and discuss two areas you would most like to strengthen. Be sure to include current, credible literature to support your work and properly cite all sources per APA formatting guidelines.

(The areas that I needed to strengthen were policy development and cultural skills).

Answer 1

Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals

Introduction

The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are a consensus set of foundational skills for the broad practice of public health, as defined by the 10 Essential Public Health Services. The Core Competencies are organized into eight skill areas or domains that cut across public health disciplines. The purpose of this assessment is to help to explore the level of competence within these eight domains.

A competency is any knowledge or skill of an individual or organization that has been shown to cause or predict outstanding performance. A collection of competencies makes up a behavioral roadmap that is directly related to both individual and organizational performance.

By assessing the level of knowledge or skill for each competency statement described, you will be able to prioritize the learning time to focus on those areas that are most important to you and to concentrate where the need for training and learning may be greatest.

How to Complete This Competency Assessment

The competency assessment should take about 20 minutes to complete. It is divided into the following eight domains:

•   Analytical/Assessment Skills

• Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

• Communication Skills

• Cultural Competency Skills

• Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

• Public Health Sciences Skills

• Financial Planning and Management Skills

• Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills

1) Read each competency statement listed within a domain.

2) In each domain, and for each competency statement, think about the level at which you are currently able to perform the skill. Then rate your level of proficiency on each competency statement by selecting the number on the continuum from “None” (1) to “Proficient” (4) that best describes your self-reported level of expertise for that statement. Note: The competency statements listed in each domain should be interpreted as broadly as possible to apply to your position and principal setting of employment. In the example below, you would select number “4” for “Proficient” if you think you are excelling at this competency or select “1” for “None” if you feel you need a great deal of improvement.

Tier 1 – Front Line Staff/Entry Level: Tier 1 competencies apply to public health professionals who carry out the day-to-day tasks of public health organizations and are not in management positions. Responsibilities of these professionals may include data collection and analysis, fieldwork, program planning, outreach, communications, customer service, and program support

Example:

To what degree are you able to effectively…describe factors affecting the health of a community (e.g., equity, income, education, environment)?

1 = None	I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill
2 = Aware	I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skil
3 = Knowledgeable	I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill
4 = Proficient	I am very comfortable, am an expert, or could teach this skill to others

3) At the end of each domain there is a place to write any comments you have. For example, if you feel like an expert but may still want training or learning opportunities in a particular skill, please enter your comments in the comments section. You may also want to share this assessment with your supervisor, colleagues, or others and ask them to add comments as well. These comments may be helpful to you and your supervisor in planning for your professional development.

4) After you have entered your responses for each domain, the sum of your scores will appear in the column next to “Total Score.” Your average score will also appear in the column next to “Average Total” and in the corresponding row of the “Your Results” section at the end of the competency assessment.

5) Review your results and follow the guidance offered in the “Interpreting Your Results” section to determine your next steps.

Analytical/Assessment Skills

1 = None                            I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill

2 = Aware                            I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill

3 = Knowledgeable         I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill

4 = Proficient                     I am very comfortable, am an expert, or could teach this skill to others

To what degree are you able to effectively…
1	Describe factors affecting the health of a community (e.g., equity, income, education, environment)	-
2	Identify quantitative and qualitative data and information (e.g., vital statistics, electronic health records, transportation patterns, unemployment rates, community input, health equity impact assessments) that can be used for assessing the health of a community	-
3	Apply ethical principles in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using, maintaining, and disseminating data and information	-
4	Use information technology in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using, maintaining, and disseminating data and information	-
5	Select valid and reliable data	-
6	Select comparable data (e.g., data being age-adjusted to the same year, data variables across datasets having similar definitions)	-
7	Identify gaps in data	-
8	Collect valid and reliable quantitative and qualitative data	-
9	Describe public health applications of quantitative and qualitative data	-
10	Use quantitative and qualitative data	-
11	Describe assets and resources that can be used for improving the health of a community (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, public libraries, hospitals, faith- based organizations, academic institutions, federal grants, fellowship programs)	-
12	Contribute to assessments of community health status and factors influencing health in a community (e.g., quality, availability, accessibility, and use of health services; access to affordable housing)	-
13	Explain how community health assessments use information about health status, factors influencing health, and assets and resources	-
14	Describe how evidence (e.g., data, findings reported in peer-reviewed literature) is used in decision making	-

	Total Score (Add all scores and enter total here)	0.0
	Average Total (Divide the “Total Score” by 14 and enter the result here and into the corresponding row of the “Your Results” section)	0.0

Comments:

Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

1 = None                           I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill

2 = Aware                          I have heard of, but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill

3 = Knowledgeable       I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill

4 = Proficient                     I am very comfortable, am an expert, or could teach this skill to others

To what degree are you able to effectively…
1	Contribute to state/Tribal/community health improvement planning (e.g., providing data to supplement community health assessments, communicating observations from work in the field)	-
2	Contribute to development of program goals and objectives	-
3	Describe organizational strategic plan (e.g., includes measurable objectives and targets; relationship to community health improvement plan, workforce development plan, quality improvement plan, and other plans)	-
4	Contribute to implementation of organizational strategic plan	-
5	Identify current trends (e.g., health, fiscal, social, political, environmental) affecting the health of a community	-
6	Gather information that can inform options for policies, programs, and services (e.g., secondhand smoking policies, data use policies, HR policies, immunization programs, food safety programs)	-
7	Describe implications of policies, programs, and services	-
8	Implement policies, programs, and services	-
9	Explain the importance of evaluations for improving policies, programs, and services	-
10	Gather information for evaluating policies, programs, and services (e.g., outputs, outcomes, processes, procedures, return on investment)	-
11	Apply strategies for continuous quality improvement	-
12	Describe how public health informatics is used in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services (e.g., integrated data systems, electronic reporting, knowledge management systems, geographic information systems)	-
	Total Score (Add all scores and enter total here)	0.0
	Average Total (Divide the “Total Score” by 12 and enter the result here and into the corresponding row of the “Your Results” section)	0.0

Comments:

Results :

Enter the average total from each domain in the corresponding row below.

Domain	Average Total
Analytical/Assessment Skills	0.0
Policy Development/Program Planning Skills	0.0

Interpreting the  Results

Based on the averages you have for each domain in the “Your Results” section above, you are now ready to identify the strengths in your practice and the areas that you would like to improve or strengthen.

For example, if you have scored a “1” in any domain, you will want to consider focusing your time and energy toward achieving the competencies in that domain, followed by domains in which you scored a “2,” with a lower priority given to domains in which you scored a “3” or higher.

Once you have identified your priorities, you can use this information to guide you in developing a learning plan with one or more personal professional goals for the next year; in engaging in a discussion with your supervisor, mentor, or coach; and in choosing learning opportunities that will help you reach your goals and meet the requirements for continuing competence in your occupation or discipline.