Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders
The public health landscape is constantly evolving to address the strengths and needs of the community. Training for the public health workforce is leading the way, establishing an ecosystem approach that integrates individuals within social, political, and environmental contexts to promote health e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1606108/full |
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| author | Karen A. McDonnell Jamal Percy Lisa Anders Monique J. Brown Alice R. Richman Julianna Deardorff Monica S. Ruiz Jihong Liu Kelli Russell Audrey Snyder Cassondra Marshall |
| author_facet | Karen A. McDonnell Jamal Percy Lisa Anders Monique J. Brown Alice R. Richman Julianna Deardorff Monica S. Ruiz Jihong Liu Kelli Russell Audrey Snyder Cassondra Marshall |
| author_sort | Karen A. McDonnell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The public health landscape is constantly evolving to address the strengths and needs of the community. Training for the public health workforce is leading the way, establishing an ecosystem approach that integrates individuals within social, political, and environmental contexts to promote health equity within a framework of social justice. One area of public health that is innovatively preparing the next generation of leaders is maternal and child health (MCH). In the United States, key indicators of health disparities within MCH remain stagnant, highlighting the need for training programs that develop future MCH professionals from diverse backgrounds. These professionals will deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services for an increasingly underserved and underrepresented population, both in the US and around the world. The MCH Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) training program provides coordinated opportunities for undergraduate students, faculty, agencies, organizations, and communities to work together for developing the future MCH public health workforce. Effective and respectful leadership development in MCH requires investment in fundamental educational, research, and community-engaged practice-based skill sets cultivated in undergraduate programs. Currently, six funded programs in the MCH LEAP portfolio share a collective mission to train undergraduates who have historically had a minimal presence to become MCH leaders of tomorrow. These programs also make changes to organizational structures that reflect the geographic and demographic representation of their communities. Mixed-methods evaluations, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative approaches, illustrate the MCH LEAP training program’s effectiveness in introducing and developing the competencies for the next generation of the MCH workforce. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7baccd7ff61e49c29c20e64b39404cb9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-7baccd7ff61e49c29c20e64b39404cb92025-08-20T03:25:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16061081606108Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leadersKaren A. McDonnell0Jamal Percy1Lisa Anders2Monique J. Brown3Alice R. Richman4Julianna Deardorff5Monica S. Ruiz6Jihong Liu7Kelli Russell8Audrey Snyder9Cassondra Marshall10Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesKennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesSchool of Nursing, University of North Carolina—Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United StatesArnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United StatesDepartment of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United StatesCommunity Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United StatesDepartment of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesArnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United StatesDepartment of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United StatesSchool of Nursing, University of North Carolina—Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United StatesCommunity Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United StatesThe public health landscape is constantly evolving to address the strengths and needs of the community. Training for the public health workforce is leading the way, establishing an ecosystem approach that integrates individuals within social, political, and environmental contexts to promote health equity within a framework of social justice. One area of public health that is innovatively preparing the next generation of leaders is maternal and child health (MCH). In the United States, key indicators of health disparities within MCH remain stagnant, highlighting the need for training programs that develop future MCH professionals from diverse backgrounds. These professionals will deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services for an increasingly underserved and underrepresented population, both in the US and around the world. The MCH Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways (LEAP) training program provides coordinated opportunities for undergraduate students, faculty, agencies, organizations, and communities to work together for developing the future MCH public health workforce. Effective and respectful leadership development in MCH requires investment in fundamental educational, research, and community-engaged practice-based skill sets cultivated in undergraduate programs. Currently, six funded programs in the MCH LEAP portfolio share a collective mission to train undergraduates who have historically had a minimal presence to become MCH leaders of tomorrow. These programs also make changes to organizational structures that reflect the geographic and demographic representation of their communities. Mixed-methods evaluations, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative approaches, illustrate the MCH LEAP training program’s effectiveness in introducing and developing the competencies for the next generation of the MCH workforce.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1606108/fulltrainingmaternal and child healthpublic healthworkforceevaluation |
| spellingShingle | Karen A. McDonnell Jamal Percy Lisa Anders Monique J. Brown Alice R. Richman Julianna Deardorff Monica S. Ruiz Jihong Liu Kelli Russell Audrey Snyder Cassondra Marshall Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders Frontiers in Public Health training maternal and child health public health workforce evaluation |
| title | Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders |
| title_full | Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders |
| title_fullStr | Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders |
| title_short | Investing in the development of the next generation of MCH leaders |
| title_sort | investing in the development of the next generation of mch leaders |
| topic | training maternal and child health public health workforce evaluation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1606108/full |
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