SPH PHLOT Newsletter 2023 by UAlbany

PHLOT NEWS Publ ic Healt h Leaders of Tomorrow Program Newsl et t er

WINTER 20 23 EDITION

IN THIS ISSUE 3

The Dean's Message

Program Hist ory & Mission

PHLOT Milest ones

6 -7 Tuit ion Award Test imonials 8

Jump Right In! Enroll in PHLOT

Pave Your Way t o a Grad Degree

10 Alumni Spot light : Heidi Iyok 11 Essex Count y's Linda Beers: NYSACHO Vice-President 12 The Int ern's Viewpoint 13 The Ment or Out look

" PHLOT is a val uabl e program t hat al l ows publ ic healt h prof essional s at t he l ocal l evel t o advance t heir careers and deepen t heir knowl edge of publ ic healt h."

14 Seeking Int ernship Project s 15 PHLOT Support ed Int ernships 16 PHLOT Snapshot 17 Rising Up! PHLOT Promot ions 18 Widenening Our Reach

~Claire Prof it t Deput y Public Healt h Direct or Schenect ady Count y Public Healt h

19 Prof essional Development : SPH St udent Post er Day

THE DEA N ' S M ES SAGE DEA R UNIVERSITY AT A LBA NY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEA LTH COMMUNITY PA RTNERS, I?m t hrilled t o be serving in t he capacit y of Int erim

Dean f or our School of Public Healt h. During my t enure, I have worn many hat s and held a variet y of dif f erent roles exposing me t o t he public healt h issues t hat require our at t ent ion in New York St at e. As a researcher, I have led mult iple st udies t o enhance our underst anding of how environment al exposures impact healt h out comes in adult s and children: Upst at e KIDS, a cohort st udy of more t han 6,000 inf ant s born in New York St at e examining risk f act ors f or development dif f erences, growt h and development al out comes, and t he Mult i-Sit e PFAS Healt h St udy, examining t he long-t erm healt h ef f ect s associat ed wit h t he consumpt ion of cont aminat ed drinking wat er. But as a researcher, educat or and now Dean, I have cont inually wit nessed t he Universit y?s dedicat ion t o educat ing public healt h leaders who are exemplars and cont ribut e t o t heir communit ies on t he local, regional and nat ional levels. It is wit hout quest ion t hat our st udent s, f acult y and alumni work t irelessly in academia, government , indust ry and t he communit y t o improve public healt h f or all. Every day, deep learning is

New York St at e Depart ment of Healt h and t he Universit y at Albany helps ensure t hat t he public healt h needs of our resident s are addressed and prot ect ed by a highly t rained and compet ent public healt h workf orce. Through PHLOT, our public healt h prof essionals address ext raordinary challenges, t o seize opport unit ies and t o develop solut ions t o some of most import ant problems not only in New York St at e, but t hroughout t he world. It has leveraged our relat ionships wit h local count y healt h depart ment s and t he Depart ment of Healt h in New York St at e and enabled us t o expand our of f erings t o bring real-world experiences t o our st udent s. Enrolling public healt h prof essionals int o our programs enriches our coursework, provides ment oring opport unit ies and allows f or creat ive and crit ical t hinking f rom many perspect ives shared in t he academic environment . Wit h t he ongoing support f rom our New York St at e policymakers, legislat ors and const it uent s of t he, we can cont inue t o collaborat e, address and solve t he most pressing Public Healt h issues f acing our societ y.

occurring at our campus and our st udent s-t he f ut ure of our public healt h workf orce-benef it f rom t he wisdom of our educat ors. The Public Healt h Leaders of Tomorrow program is an int egral component of t his process; it has allowed us t o st rengt hen t he current public healt h inf rast ruct ure and t rain t he next generat ion of public healt h leaders. Cont inued support f rom t he Governor's Execut ive Budget , t he New York St at e Senat e, t he

Dr. Erin Bell , Interim Dean Professor, Environmental Health Sciences UAlbany School of Public Healt h 3

Program Hist or y & Mission MISSION The Public Healt h Leaders of Tomorrow program was launched in 2006 as a collaborat ion bet ween Senat or Kemp Hannon (Chairman of t he New York St at e Senat e St anding Commit t ee on Healt h), Pet er Levin (f ormer Dean of t he School of Public Healt h) and t he New York St at e Depart ment of Healt h as a collaborat ive ef f ort in response t o t he New York St at e Public Healt h Council Report of 2003 , highlight ing t he St at e?s need t o bolst er t he public healt h workf orce, part icularly relat ed t o promot ing public healt h careers and leadership t raining. It provides f unding f or st at e and local healt h depart ment employees t o complet e academic coursework leading t o prof essional graduat e degrees, receive advanced t raining in public healt h pract ice, and engage in leadership and prof essional development act ivit ies.

The mission of t he Public Healt h Leaders of Tomorrow program is t o support t he development of a t rained public healt h workf orce and a cadre of public healt h prof essionals capable of and experienced wit h working in st at e and local public healt h depart ment s. It is designed t o st rengt hen t he public healt h inf rast ruct ure of New York St at e t hrough academic, pract ical and leadership t raining opport unit ies.

Funding f or t he PHLOT pr ogram is m ade possible t hr ough t he Gover nor ?s Execut ive Budget via t he New Yor k St at e Depar t m ent of Healt h?s annual budget appr opr iat ion. 4

PHLOT MILESTONES As we head into our 18 th year, we celebrate the many accomplishments of the PHLOT program?s partnership between the University at Albany?s School of Public Health and the New York State Department of Health that reinforce the public health infrastructure across the state.

$ 5.96M has helped st rengt hen t he workf orce and bolst er t he skills of our public healt h leaders in New York St at e since 2006

123

$80K

public healt h employees have complet ed an SPH graduat e program

each academic year is designat ed t o count y healt h depart ment s and Bureaus/ Of f ices wit h t he NYS Depart ment of Healt h proposals t o support st udent int ern placement s

· t uit ion award recipient s indicat ed being promot ed due t o pursuing/ complet ing SPH graduat e courses

98%

52%

of t he project proposals submit t ed by count y healt h depart ment s and t he NYS Depart ment of Healt h select ed t o be f unded secure an SPH st udent int ern

of t he report ed promot ions were t o a Public Healt h Direct or level posit ion

41 public healt h prof essionals across New York St at e healt h depart ment s are current ly enrolled in coursework and receiving t uit ion awards

76% 47

of t uit ion awardees who indicat ed t hey would not have been able t o countgraduat ies in New York St ion at e where pursue e educat wit hout st udent s have complet PHLOT support ed int ernship project s

* dat a compiled f rom PHLOT MOU Program Highlight s Report , 2006 -2023

TUITION AWARD STUDENT TESTIMONIALS Across New York St at e, Publ ic Healt h Prof essional s benef it f rom PHLOT I am required to get my MPH as a Public Health Director, when I already have a Master's degree, so PHLOT has been helpful, as I do not have to pay fully out of pocket. It's also important we encourage young professionals and/or incentivize individuals to stay in public health, as we know the workforce was more than 50% depleted after the pandemic. Most people do not know what public health does.... having this funding will help support those stay in the field. Heat her Vroman, Publ ic Healt h Direct or Tioga Count y Healt h Depart ment

"PHLOT is essential in that it allows persons in the public health sector to better themselves through education that applies directly to their careers, and helps to provide upward mobility that really isn't available without significant financial expense. The Public Health workforce is critically understaffed at this time so it is important to offer academic/financial incentives to persons already engaged in public health work to keep them from leaving for other sectors of employment." Len Cl aus, Deput y Direct or Renssel aer Count y Healt h Depart ment

"PHLOT is a fantastic conduit for recruiting, retaining, and enhancing our public health workforce. By removing or easing financial barriers that may keep individual employees from seeking additional education, PHLOT can be instrumental in engaging public health employees in furthering their education. This program is a

great investment in the public health infrastructure of New York and leverages the benefits of learning within the state university system." Livia Sant iago-Rosado, Commissioner Dut chess Count y Healt h Depart ment

PHLOT funding eased the financial burden of a MPH.Really helps practitioners who want to advance their career.The dedicated faculty at UAlbany are a great resource to the public health community.The return on investment for NYS dollars allocated to PHLOT funding cannot be measured directly but is truly valuable to NYS.

Daniel Gil more, Sarat oga Count y Healt h Depart ment

I have a lot of "on the job" experience. Taking courses is giving me the theory and framework to get a broader perspective on public health. I am also expanding my public health network through making connections with classmates and professors in the program.Also, I applied for a promotion and was offered the position. The previous person in my position had an MPH, and I think being able to say that I am pursuing an MPH with PHLOT support was helpful to me getting the job.

Rachel Buck walt er, Direct or of Communit y Healt h Tompkins Count y Healt h Depart ment

TUITION AWARD STUDENT TESTIMONIALS Across New York St at e, Publ ic Healt h Prof essional s Benef it f rom PHLOT If the work that public health professionals did during COVID-19 alone doesn't showcase why this funding should continue, then I don't know what will. It is so beneficial in advancing knowledge and experience for the people who single-handedly ran kept our communities safe during a world-wide pandemic. Those of us in public service do not make the type of living that people in the public sector do, while we are the workers to change behavior and keep our communities healthy and safe through education and policy change. These individuals need to be prioritized so that we continue to have a strong public health workforce.

Laura Kel ly, Super vising Publ ic Healt h Educat or Tompkins Count y Healt h Depart ment

As someone relatively new to the Public Health field, the courses I've taken as part of the certificate program have really bolstered my baseline knowledge and helped hone my professional interests in emergency preparedness, infectious disease surveillance, and the intersection of those with public health education and practical application. Providing

assistance to local and state employees acts as an incentive for those who want to pursue Public Health Education but who would not be able to do so otherwise. It's an investment in the future of the public health of our state. Emily Crimmins, Publ ic Healt h Nurse Col umbia Count y Healt h Depart ment With the support of PHLOT, I am a first generation student with a Masters in Public Health, and was promoted to a Senior Public Health Specialist. I utilize different evaluation tools and techniques I learned in my grant writing course how to write grants, which I use in my current role and is helpful for my future here at SCPHS. This program should continue to be funded to help those who are financially struggling but wish to further their education.

Devi Dinghoor, Senior Publ ic Healt h Special ist Schenect ady Count y Healt h Depart ment

"The PHLOT program has given me the opportunity to pursue my degree while having a bit more financial freedom since I just graduated with my bachelors last year. This program directly impacts much of the state's workforce. MPH programs directly influence and often hire into state and local government offices. PHLOT has pushed me to continue wanting to work for a health department, whether it is the county or state.

Kait yl n Gray, Sanit arian Sarat oga Count y Healt h Depart ment

275

public health professionals from 47 counties in New York State have enrolled in graduate-level public health coursework to expand their knowledge base in the field 7

JUMP RIGHT IN! ENROLL IN AN SPH GRADUATE PROGRAM!

Thinking about expanding your knowledge base in public health?

PHLOT CAN HELP! WHY APPLY? -

Receive up t o 3 credit s of t uit ion per semest er Funds applied direct ly t o your account Pot ent ial t o advance your career !

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION 1. 2.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Employees in f ull-t ime, prof essional, salaried posit ions at a local healt h depart ment or t he Depart ment of Healt h in NYS St udent Assist ant s, t emporary employees working f ull-t ime hours and NYSPHC Fellows DO NOT QUALIFY

Those enrolled in coursework in a UAlbany School of Public Healt h graduat e program

WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES ? -

Document at ion MUST be received by t he deadline dat e. St udent s are responsible f or addit ional f ees beyond t uit ion. Awards dist ribut ed as f irst-come, f irst-served, based on a pre-det ermined priorit y order and availabilit y f unds .

HOW DO I START?

Submission of PHLOT Tuit ion Award Request Form Proof of approved/denied/not available t uit ion assist ance f irst pursued t hrough your employer/union Verif icat ion of f ull-t ime prof essional employee st at us in a salaried posit ion

SEMESTER DEADLINE DATES FA L L : SPRIN G:

AUGUST 1 JA N U A R Y 1

SUM M ER:

M AY 1

"Having an MPH was a professional goal of mine, and the PHLOT program made that possible. I knew that without a degree I would struggle to further my career in public health and specifically leadership roles. Now,

with an MPH, I am qualified and that much more confident in my ability to pursue leadership positions."

For more information, contact Susan Bernardi-Bain, Program Coordinator

Anna Pl at z Deput y Direct or, Lewis Count y Healt h Depart ment

phlot@albany.edu

VISIT THE PHLOT WEBSITE

FLEXIBLE! REMOTE! EA SY ACCESS TO MATERIA LS ! PA RT-TIME SCHEDULE!

Pave Your Way t o a Graduat e Degree PHLOT TUITION A SSISTA NCE AVA ILA BLE TO ELIGIBLE TO FULL-TIME LHD & NYS DOH EMPLOYEES

4 ONLINE OPTIONS -

M P H P U B L I C

H E A L T H

P R A C T I C E

Ideal f or working prof essionals seeking t o enhance skills Learn t o develop, evaluat e & implement public healt h int ervent ions Gain a st rong f oundat ion in primary public healt h f ields Obt ain advanced knowledge in areas of int erest t hrough a variet y of elect ive courses.

Learn more about t he MPH . -

C E R T I F I C A T E

P U B L I C H E A L T H F U N D A M E N T A L S & P R I N C I P L E S

Increase your knowledge of int erdisciplinary public healt h t opics t hrough six f oundat ional courses Cover basic concept s and pressing problems across public healt h domains t aught by leading public healt h pract it ioners.

Learn more about t he Cert if icat e . -

C E R T I F I C A T E P U B L I C &

H E A L T H S U R V E I L L A N C E P R E P A R E D N E S S

Learn how t o prevent , cont ain, manage, and minimize serious and immediat e t hreat s t o public healt h Swif t ly and ef f ect ively respond t o local or nat ional public healt h crises arising af t er engineering disast ers, cat ast rophic weat her event s, and act s of malevolence Gain a broad knowledge of epidemiology and inf ect ious disease t ransmission, and f ormal t raining in emergency planning .

Learn more about t he Cert if icat e .

N O N - D E G R E E

Choose a general course t hat covers main principles or a specialized course or elect ive f or a more specif ic knowledge base t o gain a bet t er underst anding of public healt h

S T U D Y Learn more about Non-Degree St udy FNeed inf ormat ion?

"My courses have helped improve my writing skills and overall job knowledge. Although I am still in the very early stages of my MPH, I know I will continue to grow in my position as I further progress towards my degree." Laura Bell, Environmental Health Manager, Ulster County Online MPH in Public Health practice student

VISIT SPH ONLINE EDUCATION Have quest ions?

SPHONLINE@ALBANY.EDU 9 (5 18 ) 4 02-6 4 79

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: HEIDI IYOK Heidi Iyok is no st ranger t o t he benef it s of PHLOT. She began receiving t uit ion awards in 2010 as a st udent in t he cert if icat e program, f inishing in 2011. Heidi cont inued int o t he MPH where she complet ed her degree wit h a concent rat ion in Social Behavior and Communit y Healt h and t hen went on t o obt ain her DrPH, all wit h t he assist ance of PHLOT f unding t owards her coursework. Iyok has made signif icant impact s in t he f ield of public healt h wit hin New York St at e and on a global level/ She f acilit at ed key work groups responsible f or t he development and recommendat ions f or Governor Cuomo?s Execut ive Order f or t he New York St at e Ending the AIDS Epidemic (ETE) Agenda; conduct ed research and coordinat ed ef f ort s relat ed t o policy issues f or people living wit h HIV/AIDS, and creat ed part of t he NYS Depart ment of Healt h AIDS Inst it ut e?s ETE Blueprint , which is current ly being implement ed st at ewide and used as a nat ional model. In addit ion, she co-f acilit at ed list ening sessions bet ween t he New York St at e Commissioner of Healt h and Af ricans in New York Cit y during t he Ebola epidemic, and received grant f unding f or research on t he ef f ect s of COVID-19 on HIV relat ed services at t he Bamenda Regional Hospit al in Cameroon, Iyok's home count ry. Ot her career highlight s include present ing at t he Albany Count y Healt h Depart ment during Black Hist ory mont h on healt h issues f acing cont emporary Af rican-American communit ies and st at e-wide init iat ives t o t ransf orm t he way t hat healt h care is delivered t o Medicaid recipient s and t hose in high-risk communit ies, and was t he 2014 Cent er f or Women in Government and Civil Societ y Fellow, specializing in juvenile just ice ref orm.

Iyok serves as a Clinical Laboratory Consultant for the New York State Department of Health. She earned a certificate (2011), Master of Public Health degree (2012) and DrPH degree (2021) from the School of Public Health, University at Albany. The PHLOT program provided Iyok with tuition support so she could achieve her goal of pursuing advanced education in public health.

Wit h PHLOT assist ance, Heidi was promot ed f rom an Assist ant Research Scient ist t o a Clinical Laborat ory Consult ant , where she inspect s clinical laborat ories, blood banks, pat ient service cent ers and specialized f acilit ies perf orming t est ing act ivit ies wit hin New York St at e, as well as laborat ories out side t he St at e and U.S. who accept specimens originat ing f rom New York St at e. She also conduct s on-sit e evaluat ions of laborat ory st af f qualif icat ions and t est ing procedures including t he evaluat ion of f acilit y st andard operat ing procedure manuals and review of laborat ory records; perf orms regulat ory/compliance act ivit ies t o ensure laborat ory operat ions comply wit h int ernal st andards and monit ors adherence t o public healt h laborat ory policies and procedures t o maint ain compliance wit h NYS public healt h laws t o maint ain t heir licenses, keeping communit ies saf e. "The f inancial help was just what I needed," Heidi says of PHLOT f unding. It would have been close t o impossible f or me t o enroll in coursework wit hout it . Many people like myself in Public Healt h are looking t o cont ribut e on a larger scale; we want t o make a dif f erence in our lives, t he lives of our f amilies, and t he communit y as a whole. PHLOT helped 10

support that goal. "

ESSEX COUNTY'S LINDA BEERS SELECTED AS NYSACHO VICE-PRESIDENT Essex Count y Public Healt h Direct or Linda L. Beers has been elect ed t o serve as vice president of t he New York St at e Associat ion of Count y Healt h Of f icials (NYSACHO), and began her t erm on June 1, 2023. Appoint ed Public Healt h Direct or f or t he Essex Count y Healt h Depart ment in 2007, Beers guides t he work of public healt h, early child development , and home healt h prof essionals, ensuring a f ocus on healt h equit y. She leverages her educat ion and expert ise t o st rive f or solut ions t hat improve healt h out comes and people's lives in rural communit ies. ?I cannot adequat ely express my deep respect and admirat ion f or my NYSACHO colleagues and healt h depart ment st af f as we?ve navigat ed t hrough many public healt h challenges and t riumphs,? said Beers. ?Over t he last f ew years, t he world has come t o underst and t he prof ound import ance of public healt h. Being elect ed f or t his posit ion is a t remendous recognit ion of t he work we do here and of f ers us opport unit ies t o promot e healt h in all t he communit ies we serve.? Beers wholeheart edly admit s t hat t he PHLOT program and it s f unding had an impact on her prof essionally, academically and personally, since her healt h depart ment was not able t o provide t uit ion benef it s f or her t o pursue coursework. "I was t he sole support er of my f amily wit h t hree children st ill in middle and high school," Beers explains. " I worked at t he healt h depart ment but would have NEVER been able t o af f ord my mast ers--and cert ainly would not have t he job, t he knowledge, or t he opport unit ies I have t oday---wit hout PHLOT. It exceeded my expect at ions; I was able t o st ay in a organizat ion I love, and advance my career. In addit ion t o new role as NYSACHO Vice-President , Beers sit s on mult iple communit y-based organizat ion boards t hat promot e t he public healt h mission, and received t he Public Healt h Leader of t he Year Award f rom NYS Public Healt h Associat ion. And f or years, she has been a st aunch advocat e f or t he cont inuat ion of PHLOT f unding. "I am t he program's #1 f an!" exclaims Beers. "I t ell all my st af f t o pursue t he degree!"

" I couldn't have made t his career changing, lif et ime alt ering change wit hout PHLOT f unding."

NYSACHO (New York State Association of County Health Officials) is a membership association of the 58 local health departments in New York State, representing all 58 local health commissioners and public health directors. The organization supports, advocates for, and empowers local health departments in their work to promote health and wellness and prevent disease, disability and injury throughout New York State, and seeks to keeps health services a priority in New York State?s budget decisions and supports media outreach for public education and serves as the voice for all local health departments in New York State. View the 2023-24 Board of Directors, Executive Committee & President press release.

Linda Beers at the University at Albany School of Public Health Graduation Ceremony in 2016. Beers completed the Certificate in Public Health Fundamentals & Principles program and then went on to finish her MPH degree in Public Health Practice, both while receiving PHLOT funding through the tuition award program. 11

EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE THE INTERN'S VIEWPOINT K A RI K IM BA LL M PH ' 2 4 , EPIDEM IOLOGY Bef or e she embar k ed on her summer i nt er nshi p i n t he Cover del l St r ok e Pr og r am w i t hi n t he Bur eau of Chr oni c Di sease Eval uat i on & Resear ch at t he New Yor k St at e Depar t ment of Heal t h, Kar i Ki mbal l w as no st r ang er t o t he heal t hcar e f i el d. As a Uni on Col l eg e g r aduat e, she hel d a BS i n Bi ol og y and w or k ed i n var i ous posi t i ons such as a Di et ar y A i de w i t h Onei da Heal t h, a M ed i cal Assi st ant f or A l bany Gast r oent er ol og y Consul t ant s, and an i nt er n at Heal t h Leads i n Bost on, M A . As par t of t hat i nt er nshi p, she hel ped t o bui l d a mast er l i st of f ood r esour ces avai l abl e i n t he g r eat er Bost on ar ea, and w or k ed w i t h l eader s i n communi t y or g ani zat i ons t o est abl i sh a " Food H ub" as par t of t he Bost on Equi t abl e Food Ecosyst em Pr oj ect . But i t w as her i nt er nshi p at t he NYS Depar t ment of Heal t h t hat ex posed her t o a d i f f er ent ar ea of publ i c heal t h. " Thi s i nt er nshi p hel ped me d i scover anot her si de of epi demi ol og y I d i d not k now about because i t i s not t aug ht i n cl asses at t he Uni ver si t y," ex pl ai ns Ki mbal l . As par t of her del i ver abl es, Ki mbal l conduct ed qual i t at i ve and quant i t at i ve anal yses of r esponses f r om 6 4 st r ok e cer t i f i ed hospi t al s i n New Yor k r eg ar d i ng pol i ci es and pr ocedur es of st r ok e car e. At f i r st , she conduct ed a l i t er at ur e r evi ew t o g ai n k now l edg e of t he publ i shed best pr act i ces and pr ot ocol s of car e. Then, she l i nk ed t hem t o hospi t al per f or mance measur es t o det er mi ne w hi ch hospi t al s conduct t he best pr act i ces and f ound d i f f er ences based on hospi t al si ze, desig nat i on t i er and EM S r eg i on. " As

someone who is very shy, t his int ernship helped me come out of my shell and be less af raid of asking quest ions, whet her it 's about somet hing I do not underst and, or if I just want f eedback on some of my work," she described. The PHLOT program provided Kimball wit h a $ 5,000 SPH Int ernship Fellowship Award t o complet e her 6-credit int ernship t his past summer. "PHLOT f unding helped me be less st ressed about f inances while complet ing t he int ernship, " said Kimball. " Having access t o f unding when t he organizat ion isn't able t o of f er it is import ant because it t akes away t he weight of worrying about being able t o pay bills while also complet ing a valuable experience f or our f ut ure career s."

K IM BA LL AT TH E CORN IN G TOWER O F T H E EM PI RE S TA T E PL A Z A W I T H H ER M EN T O RS , K A T H Y WA L ES ( L EF T ) A N D K RYS TA L PA R R I G A N - OA D E S . 12

THE MENTOR OUTLOOK: THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Claire Pat t ison-Dow, MPH is a Research Scient ist in t he Division of Environment al Healt h Assessment (DEHA) at t he New York St at e Depart ment of Healt h. She earned a Baccalaureat e in Biology f rom Cardinal St rit ch Universit y, an MPH degree f rom t he Universit y of Wisconsin. She is part of a mult i-disciplinary t eam of researchers f rom t he NYS DOH and UAlbany SPH invest igat ing t he pot ent ial f or adverse healt h ef f ect s f rom exposure t o drinking wat er cont aminant s in Hoosick, Pet ersburgh, and Newburgh, as part of a mult i-st at e CDC/ ATSDR-f unded st udy. Claire also assist s wit h DEHA?s environment al regulat ory reviews and addit ional environment al healt h research project s.

In Spring 2023 , Claire Pat t ison Dow was seeking a St at ist ical Modeling int ern, and she select ed Ryann Augst ell , as part of t he SPH Int ernship Program process. The project 's overview was t hat t he The Cent er f or Disease Cont rol and Prevent ion (CDC) and Agency f or Toxic Subst ances and Disease Regist ry (ATSDR) were implement ing a nat ionwide st udy, t he PFAS Mult i-Sit e St udy, t o evaluat e t he pot ent ial f or adverse healt h ef f ect s f rom past consumpt ion of drinking wat er cont aining perand polyf luoroalkyl subst ances (PFAS) such as PFOA and PFOS. The Universit y?at Albany and t he New York St at e? Depart ment of Healt h were select ed by CDC/ ATSDR t o implement epidemiological st udies in Hoosick, Pet ersburgh, and Newburgh, NY. The st udent int ern's role was t o advance an import ant element of t he st udy. According t o Pat t ison-Dow, " Ryann was inst rument al in aiding t he Dose Reconst ruct ion t eam wit hin our PFAS St udy in paramet erizing pharmacokinet ic propert ies relat ed t o mot her t o child t ransf ers of emerging chemicals of int erest f or f urt her use in our int ernal dosing model . Her work was used in our pharmacokinet ic model which will in-t urn be used by t he CDC and ATSDR f or our great er nat ional program of st udy. Dow shared " Ryann was a great asset t o our t eam as she was punct ual , prof essional , t ask orient ed, driven, and personable in her work. She was a shining example of t he high-qualit y, prof essional public healt h st udent s UAlbany is able t o produce, and we hope t o have many more just like her in t he f ut ure." Pat t ison-Dow's project was one t hat was select ed t o be f unded by t he PHLOT program. " PHLOT f unding has been t remendously import ant t o our t eam and organizat ion as f unding wit hin t he scient if ic communit y is not always promised or consist ent ," said Dow. " Having compet ent graduat e st udent s in our f ield t o aid in progressive St at e research is a rewarding experience f or all involved." 13

SEEKING INTERNSHIP PROJECTS: PHLOT FUNDING AVAILABLE The SPH Int ernships & Career Services Of f ice makes a request each semest er f or count y healt h depart ment s and Bureaus/ Of f ices in New York St at e t o submit int ernship project proposals f or SPH graduat e st udent s who need t o meet t he int ernship requirement . -

MPH st udent s need t o meet a 9-credit (720 hour) requirement . MS st udent s have a 3-credit (240 hour) requirement .

P RO JE C T P RO P O S A L S M U S T : -

include comprehensive project descript ions, out comes and deliverables HOST have a designat ed ment or wit h an advanced degree, prefSITE/ erably inMENTOR public healt h be submit t ed direct ly t hrough t he SPH Int ernship Program by t he deadline dat e

CRITERIA

PLACEM EN TS/ HOST SITES M UST: -

be eit her f or 3-credit s (part -t ime, 240 hours) or 6-credit s (f ull-t ime, 480 hours, summer only) part -t ime hours (20 hours/week) can be complet ed during a f all, spring or summer semest er. f ull-t ime hours (40 hours/week) can be complet ed during t he summer semest er ONLY. have an accessible locat ion (int ernship can be eit her on-sit e, remot e or hybrid)

First pursue financial support for the project through the organization, if it is available

PROPOSA L SUB M I S SI ON DEA DLI N ES: -

FALL SEMESTER: SPRING SEMESTER: SUMMER SEMESTER:

EARLY JULY EARLY NOVEMBER EARLY MARCH

SELECTED PROJECT PROPOSALS PROVIDE THE STUDENT INTERN : -

An SPH Int ernship Fellowship Award t hrough PHLOT applied direct ly t o t he st udent 's account f or eit her

$ 2,5 00 (3 credit ) or $ 5 ,000 (6 credit ) FOR M ORE IN FORM ATION -

CONTACT KATRINA CHAMBERLAIN, MS, MPH, INTERNSHIPS & CAREER SERVICES DIRECTOR (5 18 ) 4 02-04 04 or EMAIL KCHAMBERLAIN@ALBANY.EDUU "For several years, I have had the opportunity to work with SPH student interns, and all have brought a unique perspective, professionalism and dedication to the work they perform. Their enthusiasm and willingness to go beyond their responsibilities has also been a common theme. PHLOT funding recognizes not only their hard work but also the value the respective internship locations receive from their interns." ~Charles Williams, Mentor (formerly with the NYS Department of Health)

PH LOT S UPPPORTED I N TERN S H I PS

25 %

$65,000

PHLOT provides f unding t o of t he proposals submit t t ed t hrough t he SPH Int ernship Program f or MPH/MS st udent s complet ing int ernship project s at a count y healt h depart ment or Bureau/Cent er at t he Depart ment of Healt h in New York St at e each academic year. In t er n sh ip Pr oject

TOTAL STUDENT INTERNSHIP STIPEND SUPPORT : 20 22-23 Sit e

#cr edit s

PHLOT f u n din g

1. Lit er at u r e r eview s t o in f or m AIDS In st it u t e Resear ch Agen da

NYSDOH

$5,000

2. AI Of f ice of Dr u g User Healt h Resear ch Agen da

NYSDOH

$5,000

3. Wom en / Pr egn an t & Par en t in g People Wh o Use Dr u gs: Decr easin g St igm a, Redu cin g Over dose & In cr easin g Oppor t u n it ies f or En gagem en t

NYSDOH

$5,000

4. AIDS In st it u t e Of f ice of t h e M edical Dir ect or In t er n sh ip

NYSDOH

$2,500

5. St r u ct u r e an d ch ar act er izat ion of t h e RNA depen den t polym er ase r eplicat ion polym er ase of SARS-CoV-2

NYSDOH

$5,000

6. En t er ic Disease Su r veillan ce & Ou t br eak In vest igat ion Applied Exper ien ce at t h e Bu r eau of Com m u n icable Disease Con t r ol

NYSDOH

$2,500

7. An alyzin g COVID-19 Pan dem ic Im pact s t o Local Healt h Depar t m en t s

NYSDOH

$5,000

8. COVID-19 in ciden ce & ou t br eak occu r r en ce at Ch ildr en?s Su m m er Cam ps in NYS du r in g t h e 2021 & 2022 cam p season s

NYSDOH

$5,000

9. Hospit al Respon se t o COVID-19

NYSDOH

$5,000

10. PH Agen cy Accr edit at ion Con t in u it y & Su st ain abilit y Plan

NYSDOH

$2,500

11. ch ar act er izat ion of in door air f r om biom ass h eat in g applian ces in r esiden t ial set t in gs & t h e abilit y of HEPA r oom air f ilt r at ion u n it s t o m it igat e im pact s.

NYSDOH

$2,500

12. COVID-19 Exper ien ce of New Yor k ?s Local Healt h Depar t m en t s

NYSDOH

$2,500

13. M ast er Plan f or Agin g in New Yor k

NYSDOH

$2,500

Schenectady County

$2,500

NYSDOH

$2,500

NYSDOH

$2,500

NYSDOH

$2,500

18. St at ist ical M odelin g

NYSDOH

$2,500

19. En t er ic Disease Su r veillan ce & Ou t br eak In vest igat ion Applied Exper ien ce at t h e Bu r eau of Com m u n icable Disease Con t r ol

NYSDOH

$2,500

14. Equ it able Access t o Healt h y Food Cou n cil

15. En t er ic Disease Su r veillan ce & Ou t br eak In vest igat ion Applied Exper ien ce at t h e Bu r eau of Com m u n icable Disease Con t r ol 16. Review of Im m u n ological Ben ef it s of Fish Con su m pt ion in Su ppor t of NYS Fish Advisor y Pr ogr am 17. St r u ct u r e an d ch ar act er izat ion of Abm R com plex of M ycobact er iu m

t u ber cu losis

4PHLOT 0 SNAPSHOT Our Public Health Workforce

7 34 22

41 current ly enrolled PHLOT st udent s

NYS Depart ment of Healt h employees local healt h depart ment employees represent ing

public healtNew h employees count ies across York St at e are enrolled in an SPH graduat e Oneida count y program Orange count y

Broome count y Cayuga count y Clint on count y Columbia count y Dut chess count y Fult on count y Genesee count y Hamilt on count y Mont gomery count y Niagara count y NYC

unique Public Healt h posit ions & roles our PHLOT recipient s hold

Communicable Disease Program Coordinat or

Emergency Preparedness Coordinat or

Communit y Healt h Nurse

Epidemiologist

Count y Healt h Commissioner Deput y Direct or of Public Healt h Direct or of Public Healt h

Rensselaer count y Rockland count y Sarat oga count y Schenect ady count y Seneca count y Tioga count y Tompkins count y Ulst er count y Washingt on count y

Fiscal Of f icer Hospit al Nurse Consult ant Inf ormat ion Processing Specialist

Int erim Public Healt h Direct or

Public Healt h Educat or

Public Healt h Specialist

Senior Public Healt h Educat or

Principal Sanit arian

Public Healt h Fellow/Nurse

Public Healt h Technician

Program Manager

Public Healt h Field Services Represent at ive

Research Scient ist

Senior Healt hcare Program Specialist

Program Specialist Public Healt h Adviser II

Public Healt h Nurse Public Healt h Sanit arian

RN/Principal Public Healt h Educat or

Senior Public Healt h Sanit arian

Sanit arian

" As we cont inue t o f ace public healt h challenges, t he need f or skilled prof essionals in t his f ield has never been great er. By support ing t he t raining of public healt h prof essionals t hrough access t o advanced educat ion, t he PHLOT program direct ly cont ribut es t o t he development of innovat ive solut ions , ef f ect ive public healt h st rat egies and t he vit alit y of t he st at e. Knowledge and skills acquired wit h help of t his program t ranslat e int o j ob creat ion, economic growt h , and an overall healt hier populat ion."

RACH EL BI EV EN UE R E S E A R C H S C I E N T I S T , N Y S D E P A R T M E N T O F H E A L T H 16

RISIN G UP! 17

PU B L I C H EA LT H EM PL OY EE

FROM

PROM OTI ON S

DIFFEREN T COUN TIES

AS A RESULT OF PURSUING A GRADUATE DEGREE WITH PHLOT SUPPORT Linda Beers, Essex Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Sabrina Khan, NYS Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Director of Children Services Promoted to: Director of Public Health

Started as: Public Health Field Services Rep Promoted to: Deputy Manager

Laura Bell, Ulst er Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Michelle Kleinman, New Yor k Cit y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Senior Public Health Sanitarian Promoted to: Environmental Health Manager

Started as: Public Health Nutritionist II Promoted to: Public Health Specialist

Rachel Buckwalter, Tom pk in s Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Anna Platz, Lew is Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Senior Community Health Nurse Promoted to: Director of Community Health

Started as: Public Health Specialist Promoted to: Deputy Public Health Director

Len Claus, Ren sselaer Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Claire Proffitt, Sch en ect ady Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Promoted to: Deputy Director

Started as: Supervising Public Health Nurse Promoted to: Deputy Public Health Director

Devi Dinghoor , Sch en ect ady Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Anne Marie Ross, Or an ge Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Public Health Specialist Promoted to: Senior Public Health Specialist

Started as: Public Health Nurse Promoted to: Supervising Public Health Nurse

Dan Gilmore, Gen esee & Or lean s Cou n t y Healt h Depar t m en t s Jennifer Trudeau , Clin t on Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h Started as: Public Health Educator Promoted to: Epidemiology Coordinator

Started as: Principal Public Health Educator Promoted to: Quality Coordinator

Heidi Iyok , NYS Depar t m en t of Healt h

Kristine Voos, Gen esee & Or lean s Cou n t y Healt h Depar t m en t s

Started as: Assistant Research Scientist Promoted to: Clinical Laboratory Consultant

Started as: Public Health Educator Promoted to: Epidemiology Coordinator

Tabata Kellner , New Yor k Cit y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Heather Vroman, Tioga Cou n t y Depar t m en t of Healt h

Started as: Public Health Nurse I Promoted to: Borough Nurse Director

Started as: Deputy Director of Public Health Promoted to: Director of Public Health

WIDEN IN G OUR REACH The impact of t he PHLOT program is f ar reaching. Each day, we cel ebrat e t he accompl ishment s of our publ ic healt h prof essional s who work on t he f ront l ines t o keep our communit ies saf e in New York St at e. They apply what t hey l earn in t heir coursework t o t heir posit ions t o make t hem bet t er and more ef f ect ive publ ic healt h l eaders, and pursue advanced degrees t o hel p t hem achieve t heir prof essional goal s, which coul d not be done wit hout PHLOT support .

I serve as the Accreditation Coordinator for a Nationally Accredited Local Health Department. Maintaining our Accreditation status requires us to keep pace with the changing landscape of public health practice by continuously improving. Pursuing my MPH with PHLOT support has greatly enhanced my ability to support Accreditation efforts within my department. PHLOT removed the financial burden of returning to school and motivated me to start this journey. Without the funding, it's likely I would have never taken the first step. ~Jennif er Trudeau, Qualit y Coordinat or Clint on Count y Healt h Depart ment

I expanded my education and apply what I learned every day in both my personal and professional actions. I have the ability to do education on ticks, community assessments, health care education, and nutrition and now work on Vector Borne disease education and have an understanding of many of the diseases and air quality concerns that we are seeing in our county - polio, monkey pox, poor air quality. When you have poverty, pollution and densely populated areas diseases are more common, but now I have a better perspective for public health that is beyond community nutrition. I surpassed my goals (one was to get the certificate) and have set a new goal-- the MPH! ~Michelle Kleinmann, Public Healt h Specialist Rockland Count y Healt h Depart ment My coursework gave me a deeper understanding of the laws that support the work that we do, and I apply what I learned in global health, program management and leadership classes everyday. I was able to expand my knowledge and improve my practice by completing the MPH program and using what I learned to assist staff in expanding their knowledge and improve their practice. Under my supervision and support, three of my staff nurses received promotions and are now supervisors themselves. I received the Nursing Supervisor of the Year Award from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene?s Office of School Health. ~Tabat a Kellner, Borough Nurse Direct or New York Cit y Depart ment of Healt h

Although I have been pursuing my MPH since 2016 , my employer sees that I am dedicated to my coursework. This coupled with my longevity I believe helped me to be promoted twice since starting with PHLOT. ~ Krist ine Voos, Epidemiology Coordinat or 18

Genesee and Orleans Count y Healt h Depart ment s

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHINES AT SPH POSTER DAY PART OF UALBANY SHOWCASE INAUGURAL EVENT The 32nd Annual SPH St udent Post er Day t ook place on Thursday, April 27, 2023 as part of t he Universit y at Albany's inaugural Showcase Event . Host ed by t he SPH Of f ice of Int ernships and Career Services and sponsored by Healt h Research, Inc. (HRI), Post er Day is a hallmark of what makes t he school a nat ional leader in pract ice-based research as st udent s present on t heir int ernship and graduat e research project s and t he SPH communit y recognizes and celebrat es t he work and ef f ort s put f ort h by by t hem, t he f acult y, and our public healt h host organizat ions. Over 8 0 MPH, MS, DrPH, PhD and undergraduat e st udent s displayed t heir research and int ernship experiences, an overwhelming majorit y of t hem complet ed at local healt h depart ment s and t he Depart ment of Healt h in New York St at e. Act ing Commissioner of Healt h Dr. James McDonald dropped by t o spend t ime viewing post er present at ions and engaging wit h st udent s about t heir accomplishment s. At t he conclusion of Post er Day, an Awards Ceremony announced t he winners f or Excellence in Scholarship and Honorable Ment ion in each post er concent rat ion area, wit h monet ary awards provided our HRI sponsor. UAlbany's Showcase was a f irst -ever, day-long event highlight ing st udent excellence across all disciplines including post er displays, oral present at ions, art exhibit ions, panel discussions and f ield work examples. More t han 1,500 st udent s part icipat ed in over 900 present at ions t hroughout UAlbany's Upt own Campus. Save the date for Showcase

2024 on Tuesday, April 30!

Acting Commissioner of Health Dr. James V. McDonald and former School of Public Health Interim Dean Dr. Mary Gallant attend the 32nd Annual SPH Student Poster Dayheld in the Campus Center Ballroom on the University at Albany's main campus during the university's inaugural Showcase Event.

SPH POSTER DAY AWARD WINNERS BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Excellence in Scholarship: Ryan Schneider "Regulation of RecA expression occurs at multiple levels in Mycobacterium tuberculosis"

HEALTH POLICY & MANAGEMENT Excellence in Scholarship: Maeve McCulloch "Reducing Lead Exposure from Lead in Donated Venison in New York State" Honorable Ment ion: Yodit Berhan "New York Should Allow Young Children to Remain Enrolled in Medicaid and Child Health Plus Until Age 6"

Honorable Ment ion: Kat hleen McCart hy "Serological analysis of outer surface protein (OspC) of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi"

Honorable Ment ion: Rebecca Pendergrass "Integrating Oral Health Services into School-Based Health Centers in New York State"

Honorable Ment ion: Rachel Fay "The influence of temperature on the evolution and adaptation of West Nile virus in New York State"

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR & COMMUNITY HEALTH

Excellence in Scholarship: Najm Alsadat Madani "Patterns of Emergency Room Visits for Respiratory Diseases in New York State in Relation to Air Pollution, Poverty and Smoking" Honorable Ment ion: Cindy Art hur "COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE MULTI-SITE PFAS HEALTH STUDY IN THE CITY OF NEWBURGH AND HOOSICK FALLS AREA" Honorable Ment ion: Kimberly Mergen Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum Subtypes in New York State: A Partial Survey of Specimens from 2022

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Excellence in Scholarship: Danielle Pellino "New York State Family Planning Program 2022 Statewide Snapshot: A Qualitative Analysis of Annual Narrative Reports Excellence in Scholarship: Jamie Reedy "Accessibility in Health Communications" Honorable Ment ion: Allison Nolan "Supporting NY Farms and Communities through Nourish NY Family and Nutrition Ready to Eat Meal Development" Honorable Ment ion: Ashley Shayya Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Survey of New York State Local Health Departments

Excellence in Scholarship: Charlot t e Huang "Depressive Symptoms and HIV Viral Suppression - A Meta-Analysis" Honorable Ment ion: Isa Bracket t "TSH levels in dried blood spots from newborns screened for congenital hypothyroidism" Honorable Ment ion: Alexandra Frary "Prevalence and Correlates of Psychotropic Polypharmacy in Child & Adolescent Medicaid Enrollees in New York State, 2021" Ese Oghaghare, PhD student in Environmental Health Sciences, poses next to his poster on Spatial and Temporal estimation of Traffic related Air pollutants in NYS and its relationship to the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight

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"Public Health provides a wealth of services to our communities. Those who are in the field dedicate their lives to the betterment of it, so providing them with the tools and opportunities to enhance their careers allows employees to feel valued. The PHLOT program is a great way to engage and recruit those new to the workforce."

~Krist in Russel l Public Healt h Educat or Broome Count y Healt h Depart ment

HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS George Educat ion Cent er, One Universit y Place Rensselaer, NY 1214 4

PHLOT PROGRAM

SPH ADMISSIONS

Susan Bernardi-Bain, Coordinator (518) 408-2341 phlot@albany.edu www.albany.edu/sph/phlot

(518) 402-0361 sphadmissions@albany.edu www.albany.edu/sph PHLOT News | V.9, December 2023 Writer/Editor : Susan Bernardi-Bain