Capacity Building and Professional Development
Perhaps most indicative of the emergence of health as a priority for Cooperative Extension has been an increase in the use of the word “health” in the lexicon of Cooperative Extension. Many state Extension services now include health as a named priority in their strategic plans. In some states, units that were previously referred to by historic program area names are reframing their work and adopting unit names that better reflect the inclusion of health-related work.
Cooperative Extension has also turned to hiring many more individuals with formal training in health-related fields, including campus-based Extension specialists with advanced degrees in public health.
Additionally, a National Health Outreach Conference (NHOC) provides Cooperative Extension personnel from across the nation with an annual opportunity to engage in professional development sessions and network with others with similar interests. Braun and Rodgers (2018), however, advocate for increased participation of non-Extension speakers and audiences at NHOC.
Transition from Expert to Partner
Perhaps most important in efforts to achieve health equity are changes in the way that Extension interacts with community residents. The move from an expert model of program delivery to a model based on authentic community engagement is helping community members with lived experience become equal partners with agency professionals in the process of developing strategies and actions for community improvement. These participatory approaches are resulting in significant and lasting change in communities previously experiencing significant health disparities (Strayer III, et. al., 2020; Kidd, et. al., 2016; Ramirez- Andreottta, et. al., 2015; Meister and de Zapien, 2005). The need for Cooperative Extension to engage in policy issues which influence health has also been identified (Andress & Fitch, 2016). Walsh et al, (2018) recommended that an updated framework should promote health-related work across program areas and emphasized that Cooperative Extension can play an important role in informing policy decisions at every level.
“ Perhaps most important in efforts to achieve health equity are changes in the way that Extension interacts with community residents. The move from an expert model of program delivery to a model based on authentic community engagement is helping community members with lived experience become equal partners with agency professionals in the process of developing strategies and actions for community improvement. These participatory approaches are resulting in significant and lasting change in communities previously experiencing significant health disparities …”
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