>>> WHAT ARE GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER'S PRIORITIES FOR THE STATE?

THAT CAN BE DETERMINED BY LOOKING AT WHICH STATE AGENCIES ARE GROWING.

WE DUG INTO AGENCY HEADCOUNTS.

OF THOSE THAT SAW IT DROP, SURPRISINGLY IT WAS THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> PANDEMIC WAS STRESSFUL AND TURBULENT FOR MOST OF US, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

CHICAGO'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER, DR. ALLISON HARWOODY BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LAST MARCH, AFTER TWO MONTHS, EZIKE STEPPED DOWN.

>> IT HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF A LIFETIME!

>> Reporter: THIS IS PART OF THE TREND, AS ANALYZED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> I THINK THAT YOU ARE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS THE CASE ELSEWHERE.

>> AND AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.

OUR COLLEAGUE JARED POURED OVER DATA FROM THE OFFICE.

HE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES DROPPED BY 6 1/4% LAST YEAR COMPARED WITH 2021.

THE DEPARTMENT, MEANWHILE, SAID THAT HEADCOUNT OVER THE FISCAL YEARS DROPPED NEARLY 2%.

>> WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TURNOVER, ALTHOUGH TURNOVER HAS DEFINITELY HAPPENED ACROSS THE AGENCIES.

MANY INDIVIDUALS FOUND RETIREMENT OR PURSUED OTHER CAREERS.

>> I DPH DIRECTOR KEEPS A CONCERNED EYE ON STUDIES LIKE A RECENT ONE THAT WAS PUBLISHED SHOWING A NATIONAL EXODUS OF STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH WORKERS, PARTICULARLY THIS ONE.

HE SAYS IT IS A WORRISOME TREND, AND IF IT KEEPS UP, NORTHERN ILLINOIS IS NOT IMMUNE.

>> I THINK WHERE WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, THE TRAUMA, THE LONG HOURS, THE BURNOUT, THAT WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT PROFESSION YOU'RE IN.

>> WHAT CAN PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES DO?

>> WELL, IT IS NOT MAGIC.

PEOPLE OFTEN REACH OUT FOR BETTER PAY.

THERE ARE ALSO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.

>> AS WE MOVE FROM THE HOT HEAT OF A PANDEMIC TO THIS LONG SUMMER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOES.

>> SOME OF THAT CAN BE TOUGH BECAUSE OF THE RIGID HIRING PROCESSES.

BUT DR. TORRES SAYS THEY ARE WORKING TO UPLIFT CAREER WORKERS WELL ALSO PARTNERING WITH COLLEGES AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER PUBLIC HEALTH CAREERS.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE STARTED WITH WAS HIRING THE AGENCY'S FIRST EVER WORKFORCE DRAFTER, CHARGED WITH CREATING A NEW PIPELINE FOR STAFF HIRING, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

>> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR SAYS YOU DON'T ENTER PUBLIC HEALTH UNLESS YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT