Public health professionals need strong tools to help them understand data, respond to outbreaks, communicate clearly, and build trust with communities. To support their work, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health offers many helpful and free resources. These include online courses, recorded lectures, training programs, and digital tools focused on important public health topics. The goal is to make learning simple, practical, and accessible for anyone working to improve community health.
Table of Contents
Free Online Courses
Course Title
Description
Target Audience
Investigating Epidemics like COVID-19: An Analyst’s Guide
Teaches outbreak investigation, data analysis, and public health surveillance. Uses audio, video, text, and real scenarios for guided learning.
Aspiring analysts, public health students, and epidemiologists
Responsible Reporting on Suicide
Offers tools for journalists to report on suicide in a responsible and helpful way. Aims to reduce harm caused by poor reporting.
Journalists, media professionals
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Course
Available on Coursera, this course has trained over 500,000 people. It helps health workers understand contact tracing and outbreak control.
Public health workers, contact tracers
Recorded Lectures and Video Resources
Title
Purpose
Provider
How to Deliver Effective Testimony
Shares expert advice on giving testimony to support public health policies and create long-term change.
Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy
Adapting Public Health Messages for Social Media
Offers a 30-minute training on how to create strong, clear messages for platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Based on strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bloomberg School of Public Health Social Media Team
Topic-Based Public Health Resources
Focus Area
Details
Format
Overdose and Addiction
Shares best practices to reduce harm from drugs like opioids, amphetamines, and cocaine. Emphasizes stigma reduction and mental health support.
Articles, training modules, toolkits
COVID-19 Response
Offers contact tracing courses, outbreak control resources, and training certificates. Built to meet pandemic response needs quickly.
MOOCs, video training, manuals
Skill-Based Training Platforms
Platform
Topics Covered
Audience
MAR-PHTC (Mid-Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center)
Provides training in data analysis, communication, disease prevention, and resource management.
Practitioners, health educators
SBC Learning Central
Offers 20+ free courses in English and French on topics like reproductive health, malaria, nutrition, and outbreak response.
Social and behavior change (SBC) professionals
Coursera (Bloomberg School Courses)
Includes practice-focused courses on food systems, epidemiology, gun violence, and health equity.
Public health learners and professionals
Trust and Communication Tools
Resource
Description
Goal
TRUST in Public Health Website
Created by the Center for Health Security. Offers digital tools and stories from 100+ public health workers to fight misinformation and build public trust.
Improve communication and counter false information
Social Media Messaging Tips
Based on real outreach methods used during COVID-19. Helps professionals engage large audiences effectively.
Strengthen outreach and online presence
Professional Training for Organizations
Program
Purpose
Offered By
Office of Continuing and Executive Education
Delivers training programs to help organizations grow their teams’ public health knowledge. Custom learning options are available.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Summary of Key Practitioner Resources
Category
Key Offerings
Format
Designed For
Free Courses
Epidemics, suicide reporting, and contact tracing
Online
Analysts, journalists, and health workers
Video Content
Social media, testimony tips
Recorded lectures
Communicators, advocates
Pandemic Training
Contact tracing, COVID response
MOOCs, guides
Public health teams
Addiction Response
Harm reduction strategies
Toolkits, info guides
Health policy makers
Skill Training
Communication, data, SBC
Online courses
NGO staff, local leaders
Trust Building
Misinformation tools
Websites, templates
Health professionals
Organizational Growth
Executive training
Custom programs
Employers, teams
Notable Impacts
More than 500,000 professionals trained in contact tracing through the COVID-19 course
Thousands of journalists educated on the responsible reporting of suicide
Social media tips helped engage millions during the pandemic
Public trust tools used by frontline workers in real-life settings
Free, global access to 20+ skill-building courses in English and French
Key Takeaways
Strong public health outcomes depend on skilled and informed professionals. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has created a wide range of free, high-quality resources to help public health practitioners at every level. From learning how to track outbreaks to communicating clearly on social media or testifying before a committee, these tools offer real-world knowledge that can lead to lasting health improvements. Easy access to these programs helps build a stronger, more prepared public health workforce around the world.
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