Kentucky’s Department of Public Health will now offer an internship program to Kentucky State University students who wish to get hands-on experience in the field while studying.?

Employees of the Department of Public Health (KDPH) will also get tuition assistance for continuing their education at Kentucky State University (KSU). Such employees can take five or fewer courses per academic year for free.?

KSU becomes the 10th postsecondary institution in the state to benefit from such a? partnership with KDPH, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services announced Thursday. The other institutions are Bellarmine University, Eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Pikeville, Simmons College of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University.

KSU president Koffi Akakpo said in a statement the new partnership, which is effective immediately, will “benefit our students, the future of the public health workforce and the citizens of Kentucky.”?

KDPH says it’s hired nine full-time employees as a result of its Student Internship Program, which created 40 internships and hosted 107 students.?

“Public Health supports an easier path to a healthier life for all Kentuckians,” Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, said in a statement. “Those interested in entering the field can choose from a full spectrum of services, from newborn screenings and nutrition education to administering vaccines, medication programs and so much more. The professional development opportunities, provided through our programs, will help students find their niche in improving health outcomes for large populations.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2022 that the COVID-19 pandemic “strained many essential frontline professionals, including public health workers.”?

From March 2020 to January 2022, the CDC said, most public health workers had a COVID-19 component to their job. At the time, the CDC said, “40% of the workforce intends to leave their jobs within the next 5 years.”?

A 2023 study published in the health policy journal Health Affairs examined those public health workforce trends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.?

Researchers said then there is “critical urgency needed to address the shrinking state and local governmental public health workforce that has the potential to jeopardize the safety, security, and economic prosperity of the U.S.”?

That study concluded: “Given the likelihood of increasing outbreaks and future global pandemics, recruitment and retention must be prioritized, especially for younger staff, who represent the future of the public health workforce.”?