PHAB BOARD OF DIRECTORS: News & Notes

PHAB Board of Directors Holds Quarterly Meeting in Alexandria, VA 

The PHAB Board of Directors held its quarterly business meeting in Alexandria, VA, March 29-30. Highlights of the meeting are noted below.

• PHAB's financial report indicates that PHAB expenses continue to be decreasing as PHAB works hard to contain costs in the work that we do.
• Reaccreditation policies that clarify the application of the regular reaccreditation requirements to local health departments in centralized states were approved. These will be housed in a companion document to the reaccreditation requirements on PHAB's website.
• Discussion of the status of PHAB's major initiatives:
  
  • Vital Statistics Accreditation Module
  • Army Public Health/Preventive Medicine Accreditation
  • Tribal Public Health Accreditation Support
  • Territorial Accreditation Support Initiative
  • Site Visitor Performance Management Initiative
  • Small Health Department Accreditation Initiative
  • DIS Certification Project
    (These projects all reflect work in progress that is leading to some products and services that will be available soon, so stay tuned to PHAB's newsletter for those announcements.)
• PHNCI Innovations Roadmap discussions.
• Discussions about the National Longitudinal Survey of Public Health Systems and how it relates to accreditation.
• Discussions with Ron Bialek, president of the Public Health Foundation, on that organization's accreditation support and observations.

PHAB appreciates the hard work of our Board of Directors in guiding the organization. 

PHNCI Unveils Innovation in Governmental Public Health: Building a Roadmap

The Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI), at PHAB, is pleased to announce the availability of Innovation in Governmental Public Health: Building a Roadmap. This roadmap describes what innovation in public health practice might look like as health departments consider, develop, and implement innovation ideas. This work is being considered as an early developmental concept, which will be improved over time. Therefore, the definition, characteristics, and organizational culture listed should all be considered as "working" for now, with more definitive versions to be developed as PHNCI learns more from the public health field.

Exploring Vital Records/Health Statistics Accreditation

For more than two years, PHAB has been working collaboratively with the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS) to explore the feasibility of accreditation of vital records and health statistics functions in each state. NAPHSIS is the national nonprofit organization representing the state vital records and public health statistics offices in the United States. Formed in 1933, NAPHSIS brings together more than 250 public health professionals from each state, the five territories, New York City, and the District of Columbia. This collaborative effort has been guided by a working group made up of vital registrars and other similar leaders. This group met again at the PHAB office in February 2017 to review the results of a 2016 alpha test of standards and measures developed by the work group and to discuss the next steps in the developmental process. Representatives from the National Center for Health Statistics and the CDC Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support also attended the session. Stay tuned to the PHAB newsletter for updates about this very exciting project.

PHAB has been working collaboratively with the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems to explore the feasibility of accreditation of vital records and health statistics functions in each state. A working group (pictured above) met at the PHAB office in February 2017. Representatives from the National Center for Health Statistics and the CDC Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support also attended the session.

Guide to National Public Health Department Reaccreditation Now Available for Purchase Through PHAB's Online Store

PHAB is pleased to announce that printed copies of the newly released Guide to National  Public Health Department Reaccreditation: Process and Requirements, are now available for purchase through PHAB's online store. Copies of the 84-page, spiral-bound book may be purchased through the online store for $5 per copy. Shipping costs will also be applied accordingly. The new Guide can also be downloaded here, free of charge.

 

This Guide, which presents the official requirements and process for the reaccreditation of public health departments, pertains to accredited health departments that submitted their application for initial accreditation on or before June 30, 2016.  

PARTNER NEWS 

PHAB STAFF CORNER

The weeks leading up to the holiday season were especially joyous ones for the extended PHAB family as we celebrated two new additions.

Wilberforce

In November, PHAB Senior Accounting Specialist Daniel Hennig and his wife Debs celebrated the birth of their second child, Wilberforce David Hennig. Wilber entered the world on Nov. 23, 2016 weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 21 inches in length. "Wilber is named after William Wilberforce, the evangelist, politician, and philanthropist who helped end the English slave trade in the 1700s," proud papa Daniel says. Wilber is doing well and enjoying being the little brother of Eleanor Hope Hennig, who was born in July 2015.

	Miles

In December, Jessica Solomon Fisher, Chief Innovations Officer at the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI), and husband Scott Fisher joyfully welcomed their first child into the world. Miles Chasin Fisher made his debut on December 7, 2016 weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches in length. According to his mom, "Miles has an affinity for bath time, eating, and cuddles, and is a joy and wonder to his parents and his four-legged brother, Atlas."

The entire PHAB family joins in congratulating the Fisher and Hennig families!

WORD ON THE STREET: A Roundup of Accreditation Questions & Answers

1. Does PHAB understand that health departments are worried about additional budget cuts and the potential effects on health department services?

 

Yes. While PHAB is not a lobbying organization, we do monitor the current activities that may affect governmental public health department funding. PHAB's Board of Directors considers the dynamics of government funding and the potential and actual effects, and PHAB keeps that information updated so that it informs our decisions. We know that these issues relate to the concern over PHAB fees. We wish we had the resources to lower the fees, but we have set them as low as we can to cover our costs so we can stay in business. However, if health departments wish to talk with us about their specific situation, all they have to do is call.

 

2. I recently saw the PHAB logo on a promotional brochure about the VMSG Dashboard Public Health Performance Management System. Does this mean that PHAB has endorsed that vendor?

 

No. PHAB has not authorized that vendor to use our logo. PHAB does not endorse or recommend any particular product. We have not reviewed their system, so we cannot say if the product would be helpful in meeting the PHAB standards and measures. Simply purchasing a product or system will not demonstrate that the health department is in conformity with any measure. There is no product that can substitute for having actual performance management practices systematically in place throughout an organization. The selection and purchase of any documentation support system is strictly up to the health department and is not a requirement or recommendation from PHAB.

 

3. I keep getting information about the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI). How does the work of the Center relate to PHAB's work?

 

PHNCI is a division of PHAB, established in November 2015. PHNCI is working to spark and align innovations in public health practice. As public health departments adapt to meet the growing and changing needs of their communities, the need for strategic coordination to help incubate and share innovative ideas is greater than ever. What PHNCI learns from exploring innovations in public health practice will inform accreditation standards and measures in the future.

 

4. Who at PHAB may we contact for specific questions and technical assistance?

You may contact:
 
Mark Paepcke, Chief Administrative Officer, to talk about fees and contractual information, or e-PHAB. He may be reached at mpaepcke@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 104.

Robin Wilcox, Chief Program Officer, to talk about interpretation and meaning of the PHAB Standards and Measures as well as the accreditation process. She may be reached at rwilcox@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 106.

Marita Chilton, Triona Gateley, Jennifer Jimenez, or Brittan Wood, to talk about the accreditation process for health departments. Marita may be reached at mchilton@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 114; Triona may be reached at tgateley@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 124; Jennifer may be reached at jjimenez@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 107; and Brittan at bwood@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 115.

April Harris, to talk with accredited health departments about maintaining accreditation and to assist accredited health departments as they prepare for reaccreditation. She may be reached at aharris@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext.125.

Catrina Kerrison, to talk about general office inquiries and questions related to PHAB's governance. She may be reached at ckerrison@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 100.

Jeff Lake, Volunteer Services Manager, to talk about the recruitment, selection, and assignment of Site Visitors and Teams as well as PHAB's Accreditation Reserve Corps. He may be reached at jlake@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 110.

David Stone, Accreditation Education Specialist, to talk about PHAB's education services, including orientations and trainings. He may be reached at dstone@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 105.

Genny Lush, Program Specialist, to talk about statements of intent, applications, and accreditation process issues. She may be reached at glush@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549 ext. 113.

Jessica Kronstadt, Director of Research and Evaluation, to talk about public health accreditation-related research and evaluation. She may be reached at jkronstadt@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 117.

Teddi Nicolaus, Communications Manager, to talk about news, media requests, marketing, and promotions. She may be reached at tnicolaus@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 118.
 
Jessica Solomon Fisher, Chief Innovations Officer, Public Health National Center for Innovations at the Public Health Accreditation Board, to talk about all matters related to the new Center. She may be reached at jfisher@phnci.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 116.
 
Kaye Bender, President/CEO, to talk about accreditation-related strategies, partnerships, long-range planning at PHAB, PHAB Board of Directors, committees/think tanks, and student opportunities. She may be reached at kbender@phaboard.org or 703-778-4549, ext. 103.

If you have a question for a future segment of Word on the Street, please send it to PHAB e-newsletter editor Teddi Nicolaus.