Thursday, September 5, 2013

Public health accreditation update


The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) awarded national accreditation status to five more public health departments on August 20.  This means there are now 19 public health agencies (two states and 17 local) that have achieved accreditation.

Hundreds of health departments, including Maine CDC, are currently preparing to seek national accreditation. To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of public health quality standards and measures.

“The country should be proud of health departments that continue to demonstrate their capacity to meet the national public health accreditation standards,” said PHAB President and CEO Kaye Bender.

“Overall, the willingness to have others assess your health department’s ability to meet national public health standards…is an inspiration to all of us working in public health,” said PHAB Board of Directors Vice Chair Leslie M. Beitsch.

The Maine CDC continues to prepare for this process and plans to submit its application to be accredited in January 2014. “I’m gratified by all of the work that has been done by Maine CDC programs to prepare for accreditation,” said Maine CDC Director Dr. Sheila Pinette. “We are proud of our staff and to be a part of this important national movement in public health.”

To learn more about the Public Health Accreditation program, visit http://www.phaboard.org, or contact Maine CDC’s Accreditation Coordinator, Kate Marone, at kate.marone@maine.gov