Public Health Data Strategy Workforce Acceleration
The Workforce Acceleration Initiative (WAI): Placing Talent to Accelerate System Improvements
Across the nation, many of today’s public health systems are running on yesterday’s technologies and out-of-date information and data connections. Improving this digital infrastructure is going to require updated equipment, new policies and the addition of skilled technical professionals at all levels.
The Workforce Acceleration Initiative (WAI) focuses on providing the data and technology experts needed to accelerate these information system improvements and bolster the ability of public health agencies to serve all communities equally.
WAI Impact in Local Communities
WAI Placements supported projects that strengthen public health information infrastructure and improve our ability to protect and serve communities. From July 2025 to June 2026, our Placements have delivered:
- 14 System Improvement Plans
- 32 Data Governance Projects
- 58 Data Warehouse, Lake or Central Repository Projects
- 44 Data Management Projects
- 32 Major System Replacements or Upgrade Projects
- 59 Data Access, Analysis and Use Projects
- 25 Data Dashboard Projects
- 32 External System Interoperability Projects
WAI News and Insights
As WAI expands its impact, empowering public health agencies with critical data infrastructure improvements, we encourage you to explore our latest insights, articles and news.
For more information, contact WAI@cdcfoundation.org.
The Workforce Acceleration Initiative is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $65,945,916.21 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Association of Public Health Laboratories
- United States of America