Maine CDC has earned public health accreditation from the Public
Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Maine CDC joins 18 other state health departments
that have achieved this distinction. Fewer than 200 health departments
across the nation are accredited.
The PHAB’s goal is to improve and protect public health by
transforming the quality and performance of public health departments.
This national program, jointly supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation establishes
rigorous standards that foster continuous quality improvement and excellence.
To earn accreditation, a health department must undergo a multi-faceted,
peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds these quality
standards and measures. Maine CDC has been working toward
accreditation over the last several years.
The PHAB
standards cover a dozen different domains including public health assessments,
investigation and surveillance, communication and education, community
collaboration, policies and planning, enforcement of public health laws,
workforce capacity, leadership and process improvement. A full list of
the domains and the multiple standards associated with them can be found at http://www.phaboard.org/wp-content/uploads/PHABSM_WEB_LR1.pdf.
Maine’s
accreditation is in effect for five years.
