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ISSUE #26:
July/August 2010 | |
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PHAB
1600 Duke Street
Suite 440
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.778.4549
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| Greetings, | |
The Beta Test is wrapping up as the site visit component of the process concludes across the country. We have observed the dedication and hard work of the Beta Test health departments, their staff, their community partners, and their governing bodies. We've also witnessed the tremendous contribution of the volunteer site visit teams who have meticulously reviewed documentation and provided thoughtful feedback to health department staff. These are the immediate rewards of a process that is already improving public health practice.
In this flurry of site visits, we've also stayed in touch with our partners. On June 30th, the PHAB 5 (which includes ASTHO, NACCHO, NALBOH, and NIHB) got together to discuss the progress we are making in preparing for accreditation. This connection to our constituents helps us identify challenges early and work through solutions that benefit us all. We also attended the annual NACCHO conference in Memphis and spoke with many local health department leaders who are preparing for the national launch of accreditation.
PHAB continues to welcome questions about accreditation as we develop the final criteria, standards, and process for the 2011 launch. If we cannot answer questions about accreditation in person, we can address questions and concerns through this e-newsletter. In "Word on the Street" we share answers with everyone. This issue's "Word on the Street" shares a concern about the qualitative analysis of the Beta Test, or the thoughtful consideration of the large of amount of feedback we are receiving and its impact on the final version of the standards.Read "Word on the Street" for my thoughts on this concern.
The really good news at PHAB is that a baby was born!Mark Paepcke, his wife Meena and daughters Abigail and Amelia, welcomed daughter and sister, Ava Elizabeth on June 19th. Congratulations to Mark and his family!
We hope you are all enjoying the summer and we encourage you to engage us in conversation about accreditation, the Beta Test, and the standards. Send us an email, give us a call, or visit our website at www.phaboard.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Kaye Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN
PHAB President & CEO |
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Beta Test Site Visits | | |
Since our last e-newsletter, PHAB Beta Test site visit teams have met onsite with:
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Michigan Department of Community Health in Ann Arbor, MI
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Public Health Authority of Cabarrus County in Kannapolis, NC
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Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines, IA
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Norton County Health Department in Norton, KS
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City of Portland Public Health Division in Portland, ME
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Ohio Department of Health in Columbus, OH
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Wyoming Department of Health in Cheyenne, WY
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Carson City Health and Human Services in Carson City, NV
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Miami-Dade County Health Department in Miami, FL
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Public Health Solutions District Health Department in Crete, NE
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Cherokee Nation Health Services in Tahlequah, OK
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Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee, FL
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Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Department of Health & Human Services in Baraga, MI
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Mississippi State Department of Health in Jackson, MS
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Tioga County Health Department in Owego, NY
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Northampton Health Department and Quabbin Health District in Northampton, MA
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Coconino County Health Department in Flagstaff, AZ
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Navajo Nation Division of Health in Window Rock, AZ
Members of Public Health Authority of Cabarrus County, the PHAB site visit team, and other attendees present at a Beta Test site visit.
Lillian Rivera (Administrator of the Miami-Dade Health Department), Rex Archer (PHAB Board member), and the PHAB site visit team. |
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Word on the Street | | |
1. A significant amount of time and thought is being invested in the Beta Test and PHAB is receiving a huge amount of feedback. Will there be sufficient time to consider this feedback and its impact on the standards, measures, and accreditation process before the national launch of public health accreditation?
Yes. The PHAB Board of Directors has developed plans to take adequate time to digest all of the evaluation materials, Think Tank report recommendations, and general feedback in order to finalize the formal accreditation materials. The launch is planned for late summer/early fall 2011 just for that reason. While we understand that PHAB will have its own quality improvement plan related to keeping the accreditation process practice relevant and evidenced base, we intend that the launch will be as "right" as we can possibly get it. Feedback from the Beta Test sites, the site visitors, and all of the volunteers who have worked on Think Tank deliberations and who have provided individual feedback through the website is critical to this effort. We understand that future applicants are getting ready to apply as soon as they can. We appreciate their patience as we put the finishing touches on the requirements.
2. We are still confused about the pre-requisites. While we know what they are, we want to make sure that the processes we have chosen to get them completed will meet PHAB's expectations. Can you please give us some additional guidance?
PHAB is working on guidance materials for the website that should help future applicants with these questions. We have heard your questions, and we are working with our partners to prepare guidance that will address your questions in more detail. We expect that information to be posted on the website by early fall 2010. Look for more details about where to find it in the next e-newsletter!
If you have a suggestion for future segments of "Word on the Street," please send them to Donna Davis, PHAB's Director of Public and Constituent Relations, at ddavis@phaboard.org. |
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Tribal Public Health Standards | |
PHAB is in the process of creating a workgroup to develop a Tribal specific set of documents, based on PHAB's current standards, measures, documentation, and interpretation for state and local health departments. The Tribal set of materials will be developed to be specific to the unique characteristics of Tribal public health departments, with attention to linguistic and cultural appropriateness. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is our national partner in this effort.
PHAB recently invited representatives to volunteer to serve on a Tribal Standards Development Workgroup. Thank you to those who submitted their applications. The workgroup members will be chosen and notified soon and will then begin their work. If you have questions about this work, please contact Robin Wilcox (rwilcox@phaboard.org) and continue to watch for updates in upcoming e-newsletters. |
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Project Connect | |
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) sponsored a new opportunity for policy makers to learn about accreditation through their successful program called Project Connect. Project Connect was designed by the RWJF for its grantees to assist them in building relationships with members of Congress and other policy makers. Representatives from five states with Multi-State Learning Collaborative and/or Beta Test experience, along with Dr. Kaye Bender and Dr. Leah Devlin from the PHAB Board of Directors, spent several months in training on policy advocacy related to accreditation. Then in June, public health experts from Kansas, Ohio, North Carolina, Washington, and Michigan, as well as the PHAB national team, visited over 25 congressional members or their staff to discuss the importance of public health accreditation. The event was a success. The fact sheet used to inform the policy makers about accreditation is available from the PHAB office. Please feel free to request it to assist you in your discussions about accreditation with your local policy makers. For more information about Project Connect, visit www.rwjf.org. |
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Texas Think Tanks | |
PHAB, the Texas Association of Local Health Officials (TALHO), and the Public Health Accreditation Council of Texas (PHACT) have worked in partnership over the past six months to hold various Think Tank sessions about the relevance, use, and impact of the draft accreditation standards, interpretation, and process on small, medium, and large health departments throughout the state of Texas. The state was chosen for this project because, given its population and geography, Texas has at least one example of every type of health department that exists in the country as a whole. In effect, PHACT and TALHO have held table top Beta Tests in order to provide feedback to PHAB. The final report will be available in the fall of 2010, and PHAB expects that their work will resonate with similar health department settings throughout the United States.
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PHAB Executive Committee Members "On the Air" | |
During a recent PHAB Board strategic planning meeting in Maine, a few members of the PHAB Executive Committee were interviewed "live and on the air" by Dr. Hugh Tilson, PHAB Board Member and talk show host for "Public Health and You," which is shown twice daily from the BCTV Community Television studios in Bath, Maine. The show is sponsored by the Sagadahoc County Board of Health and featured a session on public health accreditation with Dr. Kaye Bender, Dr. Paul Halverson, and Carol Moehrle.
Carol Moehrle and Dr. Paul Halverson (PHAB Executive Committee members) with Dr. Kaye Bender at the BCTV Community Television studio. |
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