The Indiana Department of Health announced today (May 24th) that it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), a national nonprofit organization that aims to transform public health practices by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure and innovation.
The accreditation is the culmination of years of work to demonstrate that the Department of Health met PHAB’s criteria for accreditation and follows a 2020 site visit by PHAB evaluators.
“We are honored to be recognized by PHAB for achieving national standards that promote continuous quality improvement in public health,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “Receiving this recognition now, as our team continues to work to protect Hoosiers from the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects the Department of Health’s tireless dedication not just to the crisis of the moment, but to improving the health and wellbeing of Hoosiers every day.”
The national accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. Accredited entities undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted assessment process to ensure they meet a set of quality standards and measures. Accreditation lasts for five years.
"The value of becoming nationally accredited through PHAB extends far beyond the interior walls of the health department," said PHAB President and CEO Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN. "People living and working in communities served by these health departments can be assured that their health department is strong and has the capacity to protect and promote their health. Just going through the accreditation process itself helps health departments pinpoint the areas that are critical to improving the work they do for their communities."
The Indiana Department of Health is the fourth public health department in the state to receive PHAB accreditation. Local health departments in Montgomery, Rush and Vanderburgh counties also have received accreditation.
To learn more about the accreditation process, visit https://phaboard.org.