History and Background
In 2016, the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health used the 2006 report, Strengthening Local Public Health in Massachusetts: A Call to Action, and the 2010 Local Public Health Institute of Massachusetts Competency Report to establish the current Workforce Standards published in 2019. These standards provide a minimum set of educational, credentialing, and training standards for those working in local public health across Massachusetts.
Local Public Health career recruitment and retention
OLRH partners with public health professionals, organizations, non-profit groups, academic institutions, and others to attract, recruit, and retain candidates for the local public health workforce.
Careers in Local Public Health
The Careers in Local Public Health website was launched in 2025. The site was intentionally designed based on local public health input on recruitment strategies and current workforce needs.
For hiring managers
Local public health hiring managers serving the 351 municipalities across Massachusetts may post current job openings for free. They also may find resources for writing better job posts using Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, recruitment and retention best practices, and more.
For job seekers
Students, new graduates, mid-career professionals, and others who visit the site can:
- Learn about what it means to work in local public health
- Review career spotlights from current professionals working in communities across the Commonwealth
- Access educational materials to support their public health job search
Visit Careers in Local Public Health to start your job search or post an available opening.
Pathway to Local Public Health program
The Pathway to Local Public Health program brings both public health departments and Massachusetts community colleges together to recruit, mentor, train, and hire early-career students who have an interest in developing a career in local public health.
This program helps local health departments build capacity by attracting new professionals. After successfully completing the program, students become better prepared to enter a local public health career throughout Massachusetts.
Email OLRH at localregionalpublichealth@mass.gov to learn more about the Pathway to Local Public Health program.
Local Public Health Training Program
The Local Public Health Training Program began in July 2022 to implement the Special Commission’s recommendations to establish education and training standards for local public health and to expand access to geographically diverse professional development opportunities as part of SAPHE 2.0.
This training program is a collaborative partnership between the Office of Local and Regional Health, academic institutions, local public health professional organizations, and partners, and other state agencies.
It guides participants through standardized training processes on various public health topics which ensures consistent and equitable delivery of public health services. It uses multiple training models to meet the needs of the Local Public Health workforce, including tiered trainings and self-paced trainings. There are 10 training hubs across the state, covering all 351 municipalities and two federally recognized tribes.
The Local Public Health Training Program also offers more than 50 free self-paced, on-demand eLearning modules covering a broad range of public health topics created by the Local Public Health Institute of Massachusetts (LPHI) through TRAIN MA. To view these courses, please visit the LPHI on TRAIN Massachusetts Course Catalog.
For general information regarding training requirements for local public health, or to set up a TRAIN account, email OLRHtrainingsupport@mass.gov.
Equity training in public health services
OLRH supports the local public health workforce’s integration of equity into their daily public health services to serve all populations in the 351 municipalities and two federally-recognized Tribes. We offer interactive equity training and technical assistance.
Local Public Health Nurse Consultant Program
The Massachusetts Local Public Health Nurse Consultant Program was launched in February 2025 to provide technical assistance, mentorship, preceptorship, and clinical guidance to local public health nurses and their colleagues.
Partner organization training opportunities
OLRH engages with various partners to offer training on a wide range of topics related to local public health professionals in the Commonwealth. Regional training opportunities are offered by many organizations which are composed of local health professionals. Training is highly tailored to unique, local needs. Find out more about our Partner Engagement across the state.
Local public health internships
Massachusetts is home to many colleges and universities. They conduct groundbreaking research on important public health issues and train the future public health workforce. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) works to coordinate partnerships with colleges and universities to promote public health as a profession, create meaningful student experiences, enhance the capabilities of current staff, and optimize public health research and practice.
DPH offers internships for undergraduate and graduate level students as an opportunity to introduce them to the public health profession. There are two internship programs:
- DPH Internship Program: Places interns within DPH programs.
- DPH Local Health Internship Program: Places graduate students in local and regional health departments throughout Massachusetts or within DPH’s Offices and Bureaus.
Credentialing: Registered Sanitarian and Certified Health Officer
Registered Sanitarians (RS) and Certified Health Officers (CHO) are credentialed public health professionals. Registered Sanitarians focus on environmental health projects, initiatives, and interventions. Certified Health Officers provide leadership in public health at the state or local level.
Learn more about the RS and CHO application and renewal process.