APHA supports the Public Health Accreditation Board's public health department accreditation process, which seeks to advance quality and performance within tribal, state, local and territorial health departments.
Purpose: The program was created in order to improve service, value and accountability to stakeholders.
Goal: To improve and protect the public’s health by advancing the quality and performance of Tribal, state, local, and territorial public health departments and their programs.
To learn more about public health accreditation, read PHAB’s overview.
A new Guide to National Public Health Department Initial Accreditation was adopted by the PHAB Board of Directors in June 2015 and will help you along the path to accreditation.
Partnerships
The Office of State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coordinates and guides the accreditation work of various organizations. APHA, which is a founding member, collaborates with five National Accreditation and Quality Improvement Partners: ASTHO, NACCHO, National Indian Health Board, PHAB, and the Public Health Foundation.
APHA Accreditation Support Initiative
APHA, with the support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support, has funded Affiliates to conduct accreditation readiness activities that encourage and guide local, state, tribal health departments over the past six years. The 54 Affiliates are eligible for mini-grants to conduct accreditation readiness activities with local, state, tribal or territorial health departments. To date, 23 Affiliates have been funded to conduct accreditation readiness activities. Activities include: developing a learning collaborative for statewide partners to share accreditation resources and best practices; conducting statewide trainings and workshops on areas of need that will lead to accreditation; developing an online accreditation portal for public health and policymakers; creating templates and guidance for local health departments to develop accreditation-focused practicum opportunities for students, and many more.
In 2015, a case study (PDF) was developed to provide a comprehensive overview of the work being conducted by the Alabama and Utah Public Health Associations.
Reminder
Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange Communications
Created by RTI International and funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange, or PHQIX, is an online community designed to be a communication hub for public health professionals interested in learning and sharing information about quality improvement in public health. The purpose of PHQIX is to disseminate information learned through quality improvement initiatives and facilitate increased use of quality improvement in public health practice. PHQIX communications include a weekly digest and monthly newsletters, which highlight news, upcoming events, resources and recently published quality improvement initiatives. To receive the communications, register online. As a member you will also be able to access the PHQIX online database of quality improvement efforts conducted by governmental public health departments across the country, the community forum for dialogue and learning among users, and a site feature that allows you to submit your questions to our quality improvement experts.