Leading Systems Change in Public Health: A Field Guide for Practitioners

“The authors bring a passion for social justice, equity, and inclusivity to the dialogue about changing the unjust systems that create disparate population health outcomes.” ©Doody’s Review Service, 2022, Suzan C Ulrich, Dr.PH, MSN, MN, RN, CNM, FACNM (Resurrection University)

Leading Systems Change in Public Health: A Field Guide for Practitioners is the first resource written by public health professionals for public health professionals on how to improve public health by utilizing a systems change lens. Edited by leaders from the de Beaumont Foundation and the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health with chapters written by a diverse array of public health leaders, the book provides an evidence-based framework with practical strategies, processes, and tools for enacting meaningful change. Complete with engaging stories and tips to illustrate concepts in action, this book is the essential guide for current and future public health leaders working within and across individual, interpersonal, organizational, cross-sector, and community levels.

The book addresses subjects such as change leadership, health equity, racial justice, power sharing, and readiness for change. It addresses best practices for enacting change at different levels, including at the personal, interpersonal, organizational, and team or cross-sector level, while describing the factors, the processes, skills, and tools required for leading complex change. It not only covers the process of leading systems change but also the importance of community organizing and coalition building, identifying a shared understanding of the problem, how to leverage the lessons of implementation science, and how to understand the relationship between sustainability and public health. Practical examples and stories highlight challenges and opportunities, systems change in action, and the importance of crisis leadership – including lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Features:

• Enables practitioners to improve public health by utilizing a systems change approach
• Applies systems change strategies to help discover solutions for improved community health equity and racial justice
• Integrates practical public health examples and stories from innovative leaders in the field
• Includes tools for how to implement internal processes that generate creative and effective system change leadership

Kristina Y. Risley, DrPH, CPCC is an Executive and Leadership Coach with Kris Risley Coaching.

Christina R. Welter, DrPH, MPH is the Director of the Doctorate in Public Health Leadership Program and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Health Policy and Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health.

Grace Castillo, MPH is a public health practitioner and health writer. She is a Program Associate at the de Beaumont Foundation, where she focuses on project management for book publications.

Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, MA is the President and Chief Executive Officer at the de Beaumont Foundation.