Training for Public Health Board Members

Meet accreditation standards and deepen your governing board's understanding of public health issues with free, online or in-person trainings. Our online training materials are suitable for individual use or for group presentation. An in-person training option is available for the courses indicated with an asterisk (*).

Orientation Trainings

These trainings are specifically intended for new members of public health governing boards in North Carolina.

Introduction to Public Health in North Carolina

This free, online series of five short modules provides a basic orientation to public health and working in North Carolina governmental public health. It is a recommended prerequisite to Roles and Responsibilities of Local Public Health Governing Boards.

Roles and Responsibilities of Local Public Health Governing Boards*

This course provides an introduction to the key roles and responsibilities that North Carolina local boards of health are charged with. It covers:

  • An overview of key concepts in public health.
  • The sources of public health law in North Carolina and the legal responsibilities and authority of public health in North Carolina.
  • The different possible structures for local public health governing boards and governance strategies for serving as an effective board of health member.

This training meets N.C. Local Health Department Accreditation program requirements regarding orientation of new members of boards or other groups (e.g., advisory committees) who have local public health governing authority.

Ongoing Training

Board of Health MeetingNCIPH recommends continuing training opportunities for all local public health governing boards looking to meet ongoing board training requirements for accreditation or comply with local board policies for regular training.

NC Board of Health Rulemaking Authority

Newly updated in 2021!

This online training is designed to explain rulemaking authority as it applies to a local board of health, including the board’s general authority to make rules, limitations on this authority, and procedural requirements that North Carolina law imposes on the rulemaking process. The training may be accessed as needed for “just-in-time” training when boards are actively engaged in rulemaking or used towards meeting requirements for ongoing training for board of health members.

Healthy NC 2030*

This online presentation on Healthy North Carolina 2030 provides an overview of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ health goals for our state via the Healthy NC 2030 framework. Participants will learn about the areas of focus for this framework and discuss the role of boards of health within Healthy North Carolina 2030. This presentation will explain HNC 2030, describe areas of focus for HNC 2030, and discuss the role of Boards of Health within HNC 2030.  

Public Health 3.0*

This online presentation describes Public Health 3.0, which was first introduced in 2016 in a national reportPublic Health 3.0 is a model that recognizes that building healthy communities in which everyone can thrive requires strategic collaborations with traditional and non-traditional partners and focusing on the needs of the community to advance health and achieve health equity through deliberate attention to health determinants 

Additional Resources

UNC School of Government Public Health Law Training

The UNC School of Government hosts a number of trainings and resources related to North Carolina public health law, including annual legislative updates and legal conferences.

Continuing Education Through NC AHEC

The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program (NC AHEC) offers a valuable local resource for additional training opportunities.


For more information or to schedule an in-person training session, contact Cherelle Whitfield.

NCIPH’s educational programs reflect our organizational values as well as those of UNC Gillings. Diversity, inclusiveness and civility are core values and characteristics of the School.