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Public Health Accreditation

What are the benefits of Public Health Accreditation?

  • Demonstrated accountability and improve quality. Nationally, public health accreditation means that people across the country can expect the same quality of public health programs and services no matter where they live.
  • Performance feedback and quality improvement. The accreditation process provides valuable feedback to health department about their strengths and areas of improvement, laying the foundation for improved protection and promotion of their community's health.
  • Accountability and credibility. Accreditation is a way for health departments to show how effectively they are allocating resources. Achieving accreditation demonstrates accountability to elected officials and communities, resulting in increased credibility for public health departments.
  • Staff morale and visibility. The recognition of excellence that comes with meeting accreditation standards positively impacts staff morale and enhances the visibility of the health departments in their communities, enabling them to compete successfully for additional resources.

Who is eligible to apply for national public health department accreditation?

  • Tribal health departments
  • Local health departments
  • State health departments
  • Territorial health departments

What are the prerequisites for national accreditation?

  • Community health assessment
  • Community health improvement plan
  • Department Strategic plan

The PHAB accreditation process consists of seven steps:

  • Pre-application
  • Application
  • Document selection and submission
  • Site Visit
  • Accreditation Decision
  • Annual Reports
  • Reaccreditation

PHAB Standards and the 12 Domains:
(click on each topic to read more)