New Analysis Uses NBPHE Data to Reveal Critical Gaps in Public Health Policy and Advocacy Skills

We are pleased to share a newly published article in Health Affairs Scholar co-authored by Glenn E. Schneider (Horizon Foundation), Jessica McCann (Weitzman Institute), and our own Allison Foster, NBPHE President. The article uses NBPHE’s national certification and workforce data to illuminate important trends in public health policy and advocacy readiness.

The article, “From Deficit to Action: Rebuilding Policy and Advocacy Capacity in the Public Health Workforce,” draws on several indicators uniquely available through NBPHE’s Certified in Public Health (CPH) program and most recent Job Task Analysis data. These indicators provide a data-driven snapshot of how public health professionals nationwide are performing in one of the field’s most essential competency areas: policy and advocacy.

NBPHE Data Reveals Three Clear Workforce Signals

As the stewards of the only cross–cutting certification in public health, NBPHE collects longitudinal data on exam performance, continuing education activity, and job task analysis. These data help illuminate where the workforce feels prepared and where additional support may be needed.

Presented in this article is the belief that as federal protections shift and misinformation spreads, the demand for strong, evidence-based public health policy has never been more acute or necessary. The authors highlight three compelling indicators that the workforce is not currently equipped to meet this demand:

• Policy and Advocacy scores are consistently the lowest-performing domain on the CPH Exam, regardless of academic background or years of experience.
• Few continuing education submissions reference policy or advocacy, suggesting limited exposure to training opportunities in this area.
• Policy and advocacy tasks ranked lowest in frequency and perceived importance in NBPHE’s national Job Task Analysis.

These insights allow the field to better understand its current capabilities and to identify where academic institutions, employers, and professional organizations may choose to strengthen opportunities for workforce development.

A Valuable Contribution to the National Dialogue

The authors go beyond identifying the problem, offering a clear roadmap with six opportunities to rebuild the field’s policy and advocacy capacity. These include strengthening advocacy instruction in CEPH-accredited programs, expanding access to low-cost training, embedding advocacy skills into academic culture, and ensuring that practitioners, especially at the state and local levels, receive the support they need to engage effectively in policy-change efforts.

Why This Matters

Sound policy and effective advocacy remain foundational public health skills. By sharing these findings, we aim to support the broader conversation about workforce readiness and to ensure that leaders across academia, government, and practice have the insights they need to strengthen training and professional development efforts.

At NBPHE, we believe certification plays a critical role in that readiness. By identifying the gaps in workforce preparation, we can continue to evolve the tools and resources that help public health professionals build the competencies today’s landscape demands.

👉 Read the full article in Health Affairs Scholar
From Deficit to Action: Rebuilding Policy and Advocacy Capacity in the Public Health Workforce.