Project ECHO for Public Health: Adapting an evidence-based model to support a public health workforce in crisis

Public health in Canada is in crisis, weakened by chronic underfunding, workforce shortages, and burnout. These challenges have left systems unprepared to address critical issues such as pandemics, climate change, and health inequities. A well-trained public health workforce is vital to understanding and addressing these complex factors while ensuring the delivery of effective, evidence-informed, and equitable programs, policies, and services. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, creating a backlog of essential services and increasing turnover in public health organizations. There is now an urgent need to upskill public health professionals and foster stronger networks across organizations facing similar challenges. The Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) model is a proven, scalable solution designed to build capacity through virtual case-based learning and mentorship. By connecting public health professionals with subject matter experts, this approach promotes collaborative problem-solving, continuous learning, and skill development. ECHO has been shown to enhance workforce competence across diverse fields, making it well-suited to address Canada's public health challenges. This research will evaluate ECHO-PH, tailored for Canada's public health workforce. Over 10 sessions, participants will engage in expert-led education and collaborative case discussions, addressing competencies from the 2025 Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected to evaluate changes in participants' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and organizational practices. ECHO-PH is a sustainable way to strengthen Canada's public health workforce. Improved skills and confidence among professionals will lead to better health outcomes, greater equity, and enhanced preparedness for public health emergencies.