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PHAB awards accreditation and reaccreditation to health departments demonstrating commitment to accountability and performance improvement

Alexandria, VA – The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) today announced the names of fifteen public health departments that have achieved accreditation or reaccreditation status, after completion of a systematic review process against national standards.  These health departments have demonstrated their commitment to building and maintaining a strong infrastructure to better serve their communities.

“Accreditation establishes Ohio’s state and local health departments among the nation’s leaders in public health planning and action,” said Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, Director of the Ohio Department of Health. “It is an important demonstration of our commitment to delivering the highest quality of public health service to the people of Ohio.”

Health departments provide essential services, such as such as vaccinations, food inspections, health education, and vital records, and are key leaders in improving the health and well-being of communities.  To demonstrate accountability, promote transparency, and adopt cultures that promote continuous performance improvement, many health departments strive to achieve national accreditation.

“Achieving accreditation is a reflection of our commitment to our Washington County community and is the result of years of dedication and extraordinary effort on behalf of our staff, our partners and our volunteers,” said John Jackson, Director of Washington County Health Department, OH.  “While becoming an accredited health department was our goal, it is the process of gaining accreditation that will lead to improved health outcomes within our county.”

PHAB, the non-profit organization that administers the national accrediting program, works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and transforming the quality and performance of governmental public health departments in the United States and abroad.

“Public health departments are the backbone of our public health system,” said PHAB President and CEO Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN.  “Ensuring that they have a strong infrastructure and Foundational Capabilities in place is a vital step in strengthening the health of communities across the country.”

National Initial Accreditation was awarded November 4, 2022 to:

  1. Ashtabula County Health Department, OH
  2. City of Middletown Health Department, OH
  3. Morrow County Health District, OH
  4. Noble County Health Department, OH
  5. Washington County Health Department, OH

National Reaccreditation was awarded November 4, 2022 to:

  1. City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, CA
  2. Flathead City-County Health Department, MT
  3. Garrett County Health Department, MD
  4. Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, GA
  5. Ohio Department of Health, OH
  6. Sedgwick County Health Department, KS
  7. St. Croix County DHHS-Public Health, WI
  8. Stratford Health Department, CT
  9. Taney County Health Department, MO
  10. Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment, MN

For more information, contact Janalle Goosby at [email protected]. Learn more about PHAB and accreditation at http://www.phaboard.org. Be in the know: subscribe to PHAB’s e-newsletter.