In March 2024, NACDD’s Center for Public Health Leadership hosted the first ever Generate, Educate, Activate, Respond (GEAR) Group focused on Long COVID as a Chronic Disease: Assessment and Mitigation. Long COVID increases the risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes, worsens the clinical outcomes of pre-existing chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease (CVD), and can be considered a standalone chronic disease. Given all of this, the GEAR Group topic group aligned most closely with NACDD’s strategic objective to accelerate chronic disease workforce development in states and territories.

During the weekly GEAR Group sessions, public health practitioners from eight states (Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia) presented cases of their ongoing or planned work on topics ranging from communication planning, data access, partnership building, key stakeholder buy in, team-based approaches and more aspects related to Long COVID program planning and sustainability. Participants received valuable and practical feedback, recommendations, and resources on their cases from peers and NACDD experts and were able to stretch their thinking to consider innovative ways to address Long COVID in the context of chronic disease management. GEAR Groups are peer-to-peer, case-based, action learning opportunities for state, territorial, and tribal chronic disease professionals. Learn more about the Center for Public Health Leadership and see upcoming GEAR Group opportunities.