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According to recent threat analyses, the potential use of a Radiation Dispersal Device (RDD) remains the most likely exposure to weapons of mass destruction which American citizens are likely to experience.  Following along on the radiation risk management axiom that "Every high dose event is someone else's low dose event," recent energy initiatives fostering expansion of nuclear power production in the US as well as recent evolutions in international weapons development and their emerging strategic implications contribute to the conclusion that the ability of communities, regions, and states to react effectively to the challenges of low dose radiation exposure have become a necessary and inescapable element in the mandatory portfolio of capabilities of which today and tomorrow's communities must dispose.  This course will address models of response, requirements for effective intervention, planning and preparation, personnel roles, training and command & control.  Ideally this course provides the didactic introduction to a broader awareness of community needs and leads to workshops, drills and exercises in achieving community capability while reinforcing state and regional preparation for planning and support.

The requirements for a vastly expanded supply of energy worldwide combined with nuclear proliferation and a more aggressive international posture for the development, deployment and potential use of nuclear weapons either for strategic or tactical purposes has created an environment for public health professionals in the 21st century thoroughly different than that which has ever existed in the course of human scientific and political evolution.  In due course, recent energy initiatives fostering expansion of nuclear power production in the US as well as recent evolutions in international weapons development and their emerging strategic implications contribute to the conclusion that the ability of communities, regions and states to react effectively to the challenges of high dose radiation exposure have become a necessary and inescapable element in the mandatory portfolio of capabilities of which today and tomorrow's communities must dispose.  This broadcast addressed some of the principal challenges in doctrine, operational models, personnel, training and community preparedness which will become critical elements in Public Health Planning for the 21st Century.  NOTE:  This course was originally delivered as a satellite broadcast.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law in March but how many people really know how their health care coverage will be affected, and as a health care provider can you provide answers to questions patients might have?  Did you know the plan will greatly expand Medicaid, while cutting from the Medicare program?  The law also requires all Americans and legal citizens to have health insurance and will penalize those who are not covered.  Program faculty took an in-depth look at the $870 billion dollar plan and discuss the changes it will have on health care coverage.  NOTE:  This course was originally delivered as a satellite broadcast.

Tighten your abdominal muscles. Keep breathing. Sit up straight. Let’s face it, working out is a chore for most people and in today’s busy world finding time to go to the gym or dedicating 30 minutes 5 days a week to exercise can be challenging. It’s a figure that’s starting to show given the increase in obesity rates all across the country.  In 2002, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order to promote physical fitness throughout the country.  Why? He was concerned about the numbers of Americans suffering from lack of physical activity and poor diet habits and wanted to motivate the general public to do better. Not only that but, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show employer-provided health insurance, short and long term disability programs and workers compensation combine to make up 10 percent of all payroll costs in the United States. That is not music to any administrators ears, especially those who lead companies and businesses. 

So now the question becomes, whether you’re stuck behind a work desk or working on the go for at least 8 hours a day, how on earth do you fit in an exercise routine? You tighten your ab muscles while you’re reading a flyer for an upcoming program! (For those of you who did that, congratulations, you just increased physical activity in your workplace.  You can relax those ab muscles now if you’d like.) It’s that easy. It’s also just that easy to learn about exercise programs already in place at various worksites across Alabama and throughout the country. This broadcast highlighted some of these efforts to increase physical activity and also gave tips on how to do similar activities in your worksite. 

Eating right at work can sometimes be a struggle too, but there are ways to make healthy choices readily available.  The broadcast also showed how easy it is to include fruits and vegetables in your worksite on a daily basis.  It doesn’t take much to eat right and be active while you’re working, in fact, being healthy at work could be the easiest and most enjoyable thing you do all day.  NOTE:  This course was originally presented as a satellite broadcast.

Have you ever found yourself in a conflict, either professional or personal, with no idea how to get out of it without simply surrendering or fighting back? Just how is it that conflict seems to arise so often? With all the attention that "win-win" approaches get these days, is collaboration always the best way to resolve differences? Is there an element that is common to both collaborating with partners and resolving differences with them? 

This broadcast included a discussion of conflict, conflict resolution, and collaboration, and how they are all tightly related. Conflict is all around us, in all aspects of our lives. It seems to be inherent in our culture and perhaps in just being human. While it's easy to create conflict, resolving it often defies our abilities. And yet there are some basic principles one can apply in both preventing conflict and in contributing positively to its resolution once conflict arises. This broadcast provided a very innovative look at conflict, why it arises, and what can be done to resolve it. Also discussed was collaboration, how it represents ONE approach to conflict resolution, and why it is an essential competency in public health practice.  NOTE:  This course was originally presented as a satellite broadcast.

Conflict is a normal part of our everyday life both at home and in the workplace. Mismanaged conflict has both direct and indirect costs as it decreases productivity, increases problems with morale and increases liability. Conflict management is a constructive way of approaching this natural phenomenon so that the result is a positive outcome. 

In this broadcast a real-life approach to conflict management was provided as specific scenarios, sent in by viewers, were addressed to a panel of Human Resources experts. The panel discussed each submission as a case study. Viewers were also invited to join the discussion during the broadcast by calling to talk with our experts. All emails and calls were handled anonymously so that, together, the panel and the viewers were able to discuss successful conflict management strategies.

Recently, an emphasis has been placed on the effects that various training and development initiatives have had on enhancing the capacity of the public health workforce and related organizational effectiveness. In turn, issues related to measuring and assessing the effects of these efforts have become much more salient. Issues surrounding who should serve as evaluators, what behaviors or outcomes should be included in the evaluation process and what impact the organization itself has on the outcomes are increasingly significant. This broadcast explained the key concepts related to evaluating organizational effectiveness in the public health domain. Examples were provided throughout the presentation to illustrate the issues from a public health perspective. In addition, guidelines were presented for executing an effective organizational evaluation process.

Other Training Opportunities:

We Want to Hear From You

Looking for more training on a specific topic in public health?  Need additional training on a current public health hot topic?  We want to help you address these needs.  Please email us and let us know about your current training needs/interests/issues.  We will evaluate our current trainings to see if we have something that can address your area of interest.  If we don't have the resources already available, we will look into the possibility of developing those resources for you.  Please send us an email at trainingnow@tulane.edu and let us see if we can be of help.  Thank you.

Master of Public Health (MPH) in Disaster Management

Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Department of Environmental Health Sciences

A new program in Disaster Management is being offered by Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Department of Environmental Health Sciences.  This program is offered both on campus and by distance learning through the Center for Applied Environmental Public Health (CAEPH).  Students may obtain either a graduate certificate or the full MPH in disaster management.  The Tulane CAEPH distance learning programs are geared to mid career professionals.  CAEPH uses state-of-the-art synchronous distance learning technologies to enhance learning and networking. 

For more information on the MPH program, please visit:

http://dl.caeph.tulane.edu or send an email to DLinfo@tulane.edu or call 1-800-862-2122.

Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Preparedness Management and Policy

University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Public Health, Department of Health Care Organization & Policy

This specialized degree covers all hazards preparedness topics including, event typologies, response organization, leadership and management, hazard and risk assessment policy development and evaluation and risk communication.

Public Health Preparedness Management and Policy Learning Objectives

• Describe the economic, legal, organization, and political underpinnings of the US health system with regard to preparedness

• Apply principles of management, finance, accounting and strategic planning in health care organizations with regard to preparedness; and

• Apply basic planning and management skills as well as risk assessment policy development and evaluation and risk communication necessary with regard to preparedness

For more information on the MPH degree, please visit:

https://www.soph.uab.edu/node/1213

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Public Health Management

University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Public Health, Department of Health Care Organization & Policy

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program in Public Health Management prepares current and future public health leaders and research faculty to apply critical thinking and rigorous research methods to complex problems facing public health practitioners and policy makers.  The program focuses on public health management, organization, and leadership issues and allows students to specialize in preparedness management and policy or any of the other public health disciplines: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, or health behavior.

For more information on the DrPH degree, please visit:

https://www.soph.uab.edu/node/1214

Preparedness Minute Videos

Preparedness Minutes are video clips describing actions to take in emergency situations, whether they are at work or at home.  Some of the videos will be reminders, others will present new information.  Ultimately these videos will help you be prepared for an emergency or disaster.  Please visit the link below to watch any of our preparedness minute videos.

Watch Videos

The Management of Epidemic Disease

Population growth, societal aging, urbanization, rapid transportation, economic interdependence, and emerging infectious disease have expanded community vulnerability far beyond what could have been imagined a few generations ago. But, an expansion of medical technology has provided an array of tools and techniques for therapeutics and public health disease management never before imagined. The instructor will examine disease as a social event in an evolving global community and discuss why applying new systems and science is critical for tomorrow’s public health professional.