Background:
With the introduction of preconception health into the day-to-day workings of maternal and child health, it is essential that we prepare public health students and health department employees with the knowledge and competencies necessary to reframe and refocus the way we do our work. Although several different preconceptional health curricula have been developed and piloted in recent years with public health students and public health workers, training for preconception care has not been systematically implemented.

Objectives:
To begin a dialogue about how to create the political will necessary to advance the education and training of the public health work force in preconception health and health care.

Methods:
A variety of opportunities for increasing the political will (resources, personnel and demand) to implement preconception health training will be discussed and assessed.

Results:
Practical opportunities for gaining resources to enhance the implementation of new pedagogic opportunities in academic and public health practice settings will be presented. Changes in student competency requirements, faculty development, training module / curricula development, preparation of academic articles, and dedicated funds for training programs will be explored. Emphasis will be placed on both methods to increase the supply of students / professionals with preconception health and life course perspectives and skills and methods to increase the demand for personnel with the life course training to address enduring MCH issues (such as racial disparities in health outcomes).

Conclusion and implications for practice:
Public health workforce needs to be trained to promote preconception health. It is our hope that this session will serve to stimulate a dialogue about enhancing the political will needed to facilitate the implementation of training programs. Good ideas don't just happen without the political will to encourage / support their implementation.