Pathways Recognition Program
PHAB’s vision is a high-performing governmental public health system that supports all people living their healthiest lives. To foster performance improvement among Tribal, territorial, and local health departments, PHAB is developing a Pathways Recognition Program set to launch in 2022. Pathways will serve as another option for encouraging and recognizing eligible health departments as they progress in their performance improvement journeys. Pathways may be ideal for health departments that are not yet ready to apply for accreditation, but still want to enhance performance improvement and other capabilities.
The Standards & Measures document serves as the official standards, measures, required documentation, and guidance blueprint for Pathways Recognition.
What is Pathways?
Pathways is a recognition program for local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments designed to support performance improvement efforts, strengthen infrastructure, and facilitate public health system transformation. Pathways can facilitate accreditation readiness for eligible health departments intending to use the Pathways as a step toward a future accreditation application. While Pathways recognition is different from PHAB accreditation, it is a viable alternative for health departments not yet ready to pursue full accreditation but still want to enhance performance improvement and other capabilities and be recognized for it.
Program Structure
The Pathways Recognition Program was developed by PHAB, with input and collaboration from public health partners such as the CDC, NACCHO, NIHB, ASTHO, NALBOH, APHA and others. Pathways is designed to include a subset of measures from PHAB Standards & Measures Version 2022 and include those designated as Foundational Capability measures. The requirements will be divided into two tracks, and eligible health departments may choose to complete one or both tracks in whichever order they choose.
- Track 1: Services and Partnerships includes a subset of measures within Domains 1-7 of Version 2022. These relate to assessment and surveillance, investigation, preparedness, communications, community engagement, health improvement planning, enforcement, and assuring access to health.
- Track 2: Health Department Systems includes a subset of measures within Domains 8-10 of Version 2022. These relate to workforce, evaluation, research, quality improvement, and organizational infrastructure.
Standards & Measures in the Pathways Recognition Program will be a subset of those for full accreditation.
Learn More About Pathways
Stay Informed!
The Pathways program development is informed by a Joint Task Force of PHAB and NACCHO Boards, staff from the National Indian Health Board, ASTHO and NACCHO, a Tribal Workgroup and webinar of Tribal practitioners and learnings from the PHAB accreditation process. Development of Pathways is further supported by the CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support.