About OPHP
About Us
The office of Public Heatlh Practice - OPHP- formlery known as Indiana Mid-America Public Health Training Center (IN MAPTHC) is dedicated to the improvement of public health practices for the health, safety, and welfare of Hoosiers. As a collaborative, multi-disciplinary organization, OPHPpromotes, supports, and delivers public health education to improve the skills and abilities of Indiana’s public health professionals
In 1999, IN MAPHTC was created as a collaborative effort of the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Public Health, the Indiana State Department of Health and a cadre of community partners that continue to serve on the Center’s multidisciplinary, multi-agency Advisory Board. The Training Center’s intent is to improve the quality and effectiveness of public health practice through the linkage of academic research and practice community.
In 2000, the Center became affiliated with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. This affiliation provided IN MAPHTC with the distinction of being affiliated with one of 14 HRSA public health training centers located across the country.
In January 2009 IN MAPHTC’s Changes its name to Fit Expanded Capacity
The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Public Health, home of IN MAPHTC, has experienced rapid expansion, including additional faculty, a larger student body, and new research initiatives. This expansion has allowed the scope of continuing education initiatives to broaden. To more closely identify these efforts, IN MAPHTC has changed its name to Office of Public Health Practice or OPHP.
The Advisory Board represents 21 different public health agencies from both academia and practice providing guidance and oversight through access to working public health and health care professionals with broad-based expertise and skills.
What We Do
OPHP offers a variety of educational opportunities, including:
· Online courses
· On-site sessions
· Resource connections
· Multi-media productions
As a result of our unique academic/practice partnerships, IN MAPHTC, now OPHP, has twice (1999 & 2003) been the recipient of the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice Award for “successful community-based collaborative activities between public health practice agencies and academic institutions of higher learning.” OPHP also fulfills the requirements for workforce education and linkage to the practice community set forth by the Council on Education for Public Health for accredited Public Health academic programs.
OPHP offers continuing education through various modalities that are competency and research based, practical, and relevant. Educational opportunities encompass a broad range of public health issues, from basic public health science to emergency preparedness training. To date, IN MAPHTC has served over 4,000 professionals in 91 of 92 Indiana counties.
Public Health
The fundamental obligation of agencies responsible for population-based health is to:
· Prevent epidemics and the spread of disease
· Protect against environmental hazards
· Prevent injuries
· Promote and encourage healthy behaviors and mental health
· Response to disasters and assist communities in recovery
· Ensure the quality and accessibility of health services (Harrell and Baker)