Strengthening Health Departments to Better Serve their Communities

Through public health accreditation and promotion of innovation, we support health departments in their work to promote and protect the health of the communities they serve. We believe both accreditation and innovation are critical to public health transformation; together they can ensure that health departments are continually improving in line with national public health standards while building health and equity. Through accreditation, we are committed to strengthening health departments’ capacity to deliver essential public health services while inspiring new and innovative approaches to public health practice through the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI).

What’s New? PHAB in 2022

PHAB has many exciting initiatives coming up next year, including Version 2022 of our Standards and Measures and the Pathways Recognition Program. Part of our commitment to public health departments is to continuously improve our products and services. These updates reflect our efforts to be responsive and adapt to the changing landscape of public health, including increasing the emphasis on health equity.

Version 2022 – Standards & Measures

Pathways Recognition Program

Impact of Accreditation

Accreditation positively impacts health departments and the communities that they serve in many ways. Learn more >
Data below are based on surveys of accredited health departments, as part of an evaluation conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

COVID-19 and Health Departments

As we continue to manage the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have created supplemental guidance to help health departments maneuver through the accreditation or reaccreditation process. We have also compiled additional resources which may be useful in ongoing response efforts.

News and Events