MCAH Workforce Development

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH)/Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division provides training and professional development opportunities for state and local staff to enhance knowledge and skills at all levels of the MCAH workforce.

Workforce Development activities for CDPH/MCAH staff:

CDPH/MCAH supports Division staff in seeking training to enhance their subject matter expertise, build knowledge in new/emerging areas, and learn public health best practices. Training topics range from how to effectively convene a stakeholder coalition to new methods in epidemiological analysis and how to incorporate a health equity lens across MCAH programs. CDPH/MCAH staff participate in many diverse topical conferences and meetings, required trainings and educational webinars to help build and maintain public health skills and knowledge.

One of the guiding frameworks CDPH/MCAH has chosen to provide training on is Results-Based Accountability (RBA). RBA is a data driven, decision-making framework that supports communities and organizations to identify and prioritize measures and track accountability to improve the well-being of children, families, and communities.

Through 34 Strong, CDPH/MCAH also provides StrengthsFinder training, administered by the Gallup Organization, for staff as a professional development approach. This allows staff to participate in individual assessments to gain insight into their top five talents and learn how to capitalize on these to become more successful in their careers and work effectively as a team. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, 34 Strong provided 18 ongoing webinars to support professional development and for staff wellness and resiliency.  

The CDPH Human Resources Division provides training to CDPH employees in various subjects such as job functions, personal growth, performance management, quality improvement, leadership development, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

Additionally, CDPH/MCAH often hosts undergraduate and graduate-level student interns, which provides hands-on experience and training in how a large state-level public health department operates for future members of the MCAH workforce.

Workforce Development activities for Department of Health Care SERVICES (DHCS)/Integrated systems of care (ISCD) Division staff:

DHCS/ISCD provides training for medical and administrative staff employed throughout 58 partnering counties. In collaboration with the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary, DHCS/ISCD participates in monthly statewide provider trainings to disseminate California Children’s Services (CCS) Program information and to identify key contact information throughout ISCD, CCS, DHCS, and the fiscal intermediary. In addition, trainings offered across the state teach new CCS program staff how to review, adjudicate, and monitor.

Workforce Development for Local programs:

CDPH/MCAH and the Family Health Outcomes Project (FHOP) host topic-based webinars and technical assistance calls for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) on subjects ranging from children and youth with special health care needs, maternal mental health, breastfeeding, and health equity. Many of the webinars and technical assistance calls during 2019-20 focused on topics being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics included:

• Youth Reproductive Rights & Access to Care in the Age of COVID-19
• Home visiting and how it can be done during COVID
• Medi-Cal and perinatal mental health
• Child and adolescent mental health
• Pediatric vaccination rates/immunization rates during COVID
• School Re-openings and COVID
• Collaborating with the Regional Perinatal Programs of California
• Advancing Resilience using PSE Approaches in Nutrition and Health: Integrated Framework, Application, and Evaluation Strategies

In addition, CDPH/MCAH holds two meetings a year with all MCAH Directors that includes specific topics for professional development and emerging issues.

CDPH/MCAH hosts a professional development meeting for the Perinatal Services Coordinators (PSCs) who implement the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP). This meeting focuses on key topic areas to improve performance. Additionally, CDPH/MCAH provides online and in-person trainings for CPSP providers and their staff as well as PSCs. Between September 2019 and June 2020, the California Department of Public Health held two in-person CPSP Orientation training sessions and four (hour) virtual CPSP Orientation training sessions. There were 85 attendees who participated in one of the two in-person trainings. There were a total 605 attendees who participated in one of the four online trainings.

The California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program (CDAPP) Sweet Success Resource and Training Center conducts webinars that cover a range of subjects from gestational diabetes to postpartum care and preconception/interconception care. About 200 program affiliates each year receive both in-person and online trainings.

The SIDS Program provides two annual spring trainings to over 250 public health and health care providers, SIDS Coordinators, emergency and hospital personnel and other health professionals, and holds the Annual SIDS Conference for approximately 133 SIDS Coordinators, local staff, and parents.

The BIH Program conducts annual trainings for family health advocates, group facilitators, mental health professionals and public health nurses. The program also holds annual events involving community outreach liaisons, and the annual statewide meeting for BIH staff that provides BIH statewide program data, staff/participant feedback, and BIH program successes.

The Adolescent Family Life Program (AFLP) holds monthly calls with the local agencies to share updates, progress on program implementation, solutions to challenges, statewide data, and to promote peer learning. In addition, CDPH/MCAH regularly tracks new staff at each AFLP site and plans program model trainings accordingly to ensure that sites are fully prepared and can effectively implement the program. AFLP conducts additional trainings to meet emerging needs and build capacity.  In SFY 19-20, AFLP conducted trainings for local case managers and supervisors related to: healthy relationships, health and health care, and positive youth development, including building resiliency and healthy coping skills. Trainings for the Adolescent Sexual Health Education Programs’ workforce included monthly calls with local agencies, evidence-based program model trainings, specialized technical assistance, and virtual trainings on the following topics: sexual and reproductive health, teaching youth with intellectual disabilities, and important messages for youth about sexually explicit media/online material.