Leading Systems Change in Public Health - by Kristina Y Drph Risley & Christina R Drph Welter & Grace Mph Castillo Paperback

About the Book

"The goal of this book is to provide a framework for how to develop a strategic public health workforce that is capable of addressing complex challenges to achieve health justice and racial and social equity. Over the decades, there has been a growing focus on the evolving learning and development needs of those of us working in the field of public health. Broadly speaking, we are technical experts in how to improve the public's health. However, because of the increasingly complex world in which we live, highlighted most recently by COVID-19 and unrest due to the racial, health, and social inequities that continue to exist in our country, we must expand our skills to include those necessary to lead systems change"--

Book Synopsis

"The authors bring a passion for social justice, equity, and inclusivity to the dialogue about changing the unjust systems that create disparate population health outcomes." (c)Doody's Review Service, 2022, Suzan C Ulrich, Dr.PH, MSN, MN, RN, CNM, FACNM (Resurrection University)

Leading Systems Change in Public Health: A Field Guide for Practitioners is the first resource written by public health professionals for public health professionals on how to improve public health by utilizing a systems change lens. Edited by leaders from the de Beaumont Foundation and the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health with chapters written by a diverse array of public health leaders, the book provides an evidence-based framework with practical strategies, processes, and tools for enacting meaningful change. Complete with engaging stories and tips to illustrate concepts in action, this book is the essential guide for current and future public health leaders working within and across individual, interpersonal, organizational, cross-sector, and community levels.

The book addresses subjects such as change leadership, health equity, racial justice, power sharing, and readiness for change. It addresses best practices for enacting change at different levels, including at the personal, interpersonal, organizational, and team or cross-sector level, while describing the factors, the processes, skills, and tools required for leading complex change. It not only covers the process of leading systems change but also the importance of community organizing and coalition building, identifying a shared understanding of the problem, how to leverage the lessons of implementation science, and how to understand the relationship between sustainability and public health. Practical examples and stories highlight challenges and opportunities, systems change in action, and the importance of crisis leadership - including lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Features:

• Enables practitioners to improve public health by utilizing a systems change approach
• Applies systems change strategies to help discover solutions for improved community health equity and racial justice
• Integrates practical public health examples and stories from innovative leaders in the field
• Includes tools for how to implement internal processes that generate creative and effective system change leadership