An exciting new formal partnership between the School of Public Health and Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) was announced April 8 during a special event featuring ACHD Director Iulia Vann, MD, MPH.
At the heart of this agreement is the creation of an Academic Public Health Department, which aligns Pitt Public Health’s academic strengths with ACHD’s frontline community service. This relationship, anchored in mutual respect and a commitment to evidence-based public health, will enable both institutions to share resources across teaching, research, practice and service.
“We can learn a lot from each other,” said public health Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH.
Reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent burdens of chronic disease, ACHD Director Iulia Vann, MD, MPH underscored the shared responsibility to protect and advance community health underlying the formal collaboration.
“We are not here to admire the idea of partnership. We are here to build, support, share and scale it,” said Vann. “No sector can solve these challenges alone. Now is the time to be strategic.”
The announcement took place as part of Pitt Public Health’s National Public Health Week celebration. Joining the conversation were Julie Donohue, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management, who highlighted the impact of Medicaid policies on health; Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc, MBA, professor and chair of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, whose presentation focused on One Health and the risk of future pandemics; and Tina Ndoh, PhD, associate professor of environmental and occupational health, who stressed the benefit of this partnership for frontline public health practice.
A formal memorandum of understanding is being developed, with a draft expected later in the summer, according to Dean Lichtveld. However, benefits of such a partnership are evident in many of the joint activities that already take place among Pitt Public Health students, faculty and staff and the ACHD.
“We all know how powerful we can be when we come together as a team to make a difference—especially in this moment of accelerated complexity,” said Vann.
Pitt Public Health students currently can participate in field placements with ACHD mentors through the Pittsburgh Summer Institute and the Bridging the Gap summer program. In 2024, for example, students completed projects on mosquito-borne disease control, wastewater epidemiological surveillance, rabies prevention and lead exposure risk assessments.
Among other Pitt Public Health joint efforts discussed during the event were:
• The Medicaid Research Center, a 12-year partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services that provides analytical support on issues ranging from monitoring and evaluating changes in health insurance coverage, access to care, quality-of-care delivery, and program efficiency and effectiveness. (Department of Health Policy and Management)
• The Pennsylvania One Health Consortium, a multicenter collaboration to strengthen communication among those who conduct research, drive innovation, and make policy decisions that recognize the interplay of human, plant, animal and ecosystem health. (Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology)
An expanded and formalized Pitt Public Health-ACHD partnership will contribute to increased collaboration on curriculum, policy development, regional disaster preparedness, data integration and advanced training for public health professionals, noted Vann.
-Michele Baum