Goal of Accreditation
The goal of the voluntary national accreditation system is to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments. It is to advance the quality of our public health department so we can improve the health of all who are located in the areas we serve. ​
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process that seeks to advance quality and performance within public health departments. A set of national standards define the expectations that all public health departments must meet - regardless of their size.  To receive accreditation, a public health department must undergo a rigorous peer-reviewed assessment process that evaluates quality and performance standards and measures. ​

Per the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) website, accreditation is:
  • The measurement of health department performance against a set of nationally recognized, practice-focused and evidenced-based standards.
  • The issuance of recognition of achievement of accreditation within a specified time frame by a nationally recognized entity.
  • The continual development, revision, and distribution of public health standards.
Why Seek Accreditation?
The 130th Ohio General Assembly in 2013 codified the authority for the Director of Health to require all local health districts to become accredited by 2020. 
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Who is the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)?
  • PHAB stands for the Public Health Accreditation Board. It is a non-profit, public health accreditation organization founded in 2007 whose goal is to advance public health performance.  This is done by providing a national framework of standards for governmental health departments.
  • PHAB is the organization charged with administering the voluntary national public health accreditation program.
  • PHAB’s office is located in Alexandria, VA.
  • PHAB is jointly funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Tuscarawas County Health Department Steps to Accreditation
Step 1 – Preparation
  • Began our work in October of 2014
 Step 2 – Registration and Application
  • Submitted our Statement of Intent to Apply on July 22, 2016
  • Submitted our Application on September 30, 2016
  • Accreditation Coordinator Training February 7-8, 2017
 Step 3 – Documentation Selection and Submission
  • 1 year calendar began on February 8, 2018
  • 60 day extension asked for and granted on January 2, 2018
  • Documentation submitted on March 20, 2018
  • ePHAB encountered a technical difficulty on March 28, 2018
  • Resubmission of those documents affected by technical difficulty on April 12, 2018
  • PHAB's Completeness Review found 26 documents that needed attention on May 16, 2018
  • Resubmission of those 26 documents on June 4, 2018
 Step 4 – Site Visit
  • Review of possible site team conflict of interests completed on May 25, 2018
  • Site Visit Team named and site visit scheduled for December 3 and 4, 2018
 Step 5 – Accreditation Decision
 
Step 6 – Reports
 
Step 7 – Re-accreditation