AACN established a five-year cooperative agreement titled Academic Partnerships to Improve Health (APIH) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help build capacity in the public health nursing workforce. The agreement began on August 15, 2012, with the CDC’s Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office awarding AACN funding to support faculty development in the area of population health and to connect nursing students with hands-on experiences at the community level to enhance their preparation for professional practice.
This landmark agreement marks the first time that a national nursing organization has been invited to partner with the CDC in a manner consistent with arrangements in place for associations representing physicians and public health professionals. For more than 10 years, the CDC has maintained cooperative agreements with the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of Prevention Teaching and Research, and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health to support public health workforce development. AACN is proud to be included among these organizations and looks forward to working with colleague organizations focused on advancing public health, including the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations.
The AACN-CDC cooperative agreement drives improvement of health outcomes by strengthening academia’s linkages to public health practice through:
- improved integration of public health concepts into nursing education programs
- increased hands-on experience for students working with communities and public health partners
- an expanded fellowship model that opens the door for field placements in health agencies and communities
- fostering inter-professional collaboration and learning in health professional education
- providing options for other workforce improvement projects