Measuring the impact of a public health data training program.

In spring and fall of 2000, 109 community health professionals participated in "Public Health Data: Our Silent Partner," a training program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The two-day training was offered four times in different locations in New York State in response to local health departments and community partners identifying a need for data analysis training. Participants completed evaluations during the training, and they were surveyed within a year of completing the training.

The process to develop a meaningful community health assessment in New York State.

Conducting and producing a meaningful Community Health Assessment (CHA) is an important and essential public health service and a mandatory biennial activity for New York State's (NYS) Local Health Departments. The Assessment Initiative project has allowed the NYS Department of Health to better understand and identify strategies to strengthen CHAs and to develop training, education, and technical assistance programs. The Assessment Initiative project has benefited from participation, coordination, and sharing of resources and expertise with other community health improvement initiatives in NYS, including those that emphasize collaborative approaches to health improvement, workforce development, and expanding access to data.