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Building Public Health Leadership Capacity Through Community-Based Education: The Florida Health Policy Leadership
Choeeta Chakrabarti1, Jaclyn M Hall2, Jennifer H LeLaurin2
1College of Arts and Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|March 22, 2026
Summary
The Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy (FHPLA) enhances community leaders' capacity for preventive health action. The program improved participants' understanding of health determinants and leadership skills, fostering policy-based health improvements.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Leadership
- Health Policy Education
- Community-Based Participatory Research
Background:
- Community leaders in Florida face challenges in implementing public health strategies due to limited health policy training and system constraints.
- Home Rule governance in Florida places primary responsibility for health improvement with local agencies, highlighting the need for local leadership capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy (FHPLA) on community leaders' capacity for preventive public health.
- To assess changes in participants' knowledge, confidence, and application of health policy and leadership skills.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods evaluation was employed, including pre- and post-surveys, free-listing exercises, and qualitative interviews.
- The Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy (FHPLA) program utilized a 12-week hybrid format with a community-based participatory framework.
- Participants engaged in applied learning, collaboration, and community health improvement projects.
Main Results:
- Participants demonstrated improved data interpretation skills, increased leadership confidence, and a better understanding of health systems.
- Conceptualization of community health drivers shifted from individual behaviors to structural and environmental determinants, emphasizing social and policy factors.
- Qualitative data indicated the FHPLA fostered ongoing partnerships and the initiation of applied health initiatives.
Conclusions:
- The FHPLA provides an innovative model for community-based public health leadership education, bridging academia, government, and civil society.
- The program effectively builds preventive health capacity within local systems, enhancing community resilience to public health challenges.
- Strengthening local leadership in health policy is crucial for advancing evidence-based preventive health strategies.
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