BUILDING RESILIENCE: STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN SAN ANTONIO - THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT (METRO HEALTH) IS CHARGED WITH PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO/BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS. DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT’S HISTORY OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXPOSED GAPS IN THE OPERATION AND IMPACT OF METRO HEALTH, PARTICULARLY SPOTLIGHTING THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND MODERNIZATION, DATA INTEROPERABILITY, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND POLICY CHANGE. METRO HEALTH RESPONDED BY PRODUCING SA FORWARD, A COMMUNITY-FACING BLUEPRINT AND METRO HEALTH 2.0, AN INTERNAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUPPORT SA FORWARD AND OTHER DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES. THESE ARE CRITICAL PLANS FOR BUILDING THE WORKFORCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO COMBAT FUTURE PANDEMICS AND THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES ACROSS THE COMM

Summary

BUILDING RESILIENCE: STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN SAN ANTONIO - THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT (METRO HEALTH) IS CHARGED WITH PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO/BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS. DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT’S HISTORY OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXPOSED GAPS IN THE OPERATION AND IMPACT OF METRO HEALTH, PARTICULARLY SPOTLIGHTING THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND MODERNIZATION, DATA INTEROPERABILITY, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND POLICY CHANGE. METRO HEALTH RESPONDED BY PRODUCING SA FORWARD, A COMMUNITY-FACING BLUEPRINT AND METRO HEALTH 2.0, AN INTERNAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUPPORT SA FORWARD AND OTHER DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES. THESE ARE CRITICAL PLANS FOR BUILDING THE WORKFORCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO COMBAT FUTURE PANDEMICS AND THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES ACROSS THE COMM