Updates on the Development of PHAB Standards and Measures Version 2022.

In recognition of the changing nature of public health practice, the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is working with the public health field to develop a new version of the accreditation standards and measures. This next version will be called Version 2022 and will include revisions to both initial accreditation and reaccreditation standards and measures and the accreditation/reaccreditation process. Changes in the standards and measures will be informed by a number of inputs to ensure that the new requirements reflect the feedback we have heard from the field.

On September 14, PHAB released a draft of Version 2022 for feedback. After nearly 8 weeks, we have closed that public vetting period. We appreciate everyone in the public health field who provided comments. Your input is crucial to ensuring that Version 2022 reflects the changing landscape of public health practice. We are currently reviewing that feedback and using it to further revise the accreditation requirement sin conjunction with the Accreditation Improvement Committee.

Highlights of Version 2022

  • Version 2022 has 10 Domains, instead of 12, to align with the Essential Public Health Services.

  • Version 2022 designates which measures align with the Foundational Capabilities.

  • Health equity is emphasized and considerations are included in every domain. Read more >

  • Preparedness requirements have evolved based on lessons learned during COVID-19.

To review the draft of Version 2022 used for public vetting, please see:

Draft Initial Accreditation Measures
Draft Reaccreditation Measures
Foundational Capabilities Measures

For more information about the vetting process, you can view the recording and slides from a September webinar. You can also view the recording of an information session held with the Tribal Public Health Accreditation Advisory Board. The final Version 2022 will be released early next 2022.

Additional Information:

As PHAB works on the various components of items under consideration for Version 2022, we will post that information on this section of the website. While we want to be transparent in sharing the information that we are considering, we want to also emphasize that nothing is final until the final documents are approved.

Version 2022 Work in Progress: Overview April 2021

Our goals are that PHAB Standards & Measures Version 2022:

  1. Reflect current aspirations of the field. While being mindful not to raise the bar too high, we have sought to incorporate
    • Learning from think tanks and commissioned papers;
    • PHAB’s strategic plan work related to innovation, as well as inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism;
    • Findings from surveys of health departments;
    • Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic; and
    • The Essential Public Health Services framework
  2. Focus on meeting the intent of the measures rather than on documenting it. For example, PHAB is seeking to reduce duplication where some documents are commonly submitted to demonstrate conformity with multiple measures, and otherwise streamline requirements to reduce documentation burden.
  3. Promote accountability. Stakeholders should feel confident that accredited health departments possess key capacities. For this reason, the Foundational Public Health Capabilities will be clearly visible in Version 2022.
  4. Clarify requirements. The assessments of measures, questions posed by health departments and site visitors, and evaluation data are being used to clarify requirements and provide additional examples in the Guidance column. In addition, all “must” requirements will be consolidated in the Required Documentation column.

The work plan and approximate time frames are as follows:

  • 2017 -2020: Compile and analyze data on health departments’ assessments on the standards and measures, evaluation and other feedback from the health departments and site visitors, and evidence from the public health field.
  • 2018-2020: Commission papers and convene expert panels and Think Tanks
  • 2020-Early 2021: Engage Accreditation Improvement Committee and develop drafts
  • Late 2021: Vet draft Standards and Measures, Version 2022

As PHAB works on the various components of items under consideration for Version 2022, we will post that information on this section of the website. This report provides a psychometric analysis of health departments performance across the Standards & Measures. Information about performance on thematic groups of measures is available below and on the PHAB Data Portal.

PHAB anticipates the earliest Version 2022 would go into effect is for health departments that apply for initial accreditation on or after July 1, 2022. The exact timeline will be announced to the field later in 2021. Health departments who apply for reaccreditation any time in the year 2022 will have the option to select between the current reaccreditation Standards & Measures and Version 2022 of the Standards & Measures. The best way to prepare for the next version of the Standards & Measures is to sign up for the PHAB newsletter, participate in the public vetting process (planned for fall 2021) and use the draft vetting version for planning purposes. We will continue to communicate additional information related to Version 2022 as it is available in our newsletter and on this page.

See Insights on Standards & Measures for summaries from Think Tanks, Expert Panels, and Workgroups, as well as additional documentation including commissioned papers, information about what PHAB has learned from accredited health departments, and findings from literature. These cover a range of topics, including health equity, preparedness, environmental health, and healthy aging, among others.

A list of frequently asked questions is available related to Standards & Measures Version 2022: Standards & Measures Version 2022 FAQ.