OPPA: Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) Updates for Health Departments
This message is being sent to local public health officers, Tribal health directors, local public health staff and nurses, and key DPH staff.
PHAB approves statewide accreditation documentation
The Office of Policy and Practice Alignment (OPPA) staff have been working with PHAB to submit statewide accreditation documentation that covers local and Tribal health departments (LTHDs) working towards Pathways Recognition, initial accreditation, and reaccreditation. Some of the submitted statewide documentation has been approved by PHAB. This means that LTHDs do not have to submit documentation to PHAB for these statewide-approved measures. The approved measures include:
Measure
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PHAB programs covered
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Documentation covered
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Evidence submitted to PHAB
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1.2.2: Participate in data sharing with other entities
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Pathways Recognition, initial accreditation, and reaccreditation
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The full measure is covered, including two examples for Required Documentation 1.
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Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) and Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR)
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2.1.3: Ensure 24/7 access to resources for rapid detection, investigation, containment, and mitigation of health problems and environmental public health hazards.
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Pathways Recognition and initial accreditation
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Required Documentation 2
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Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) with 24/7 after-hours contact information. Note: if a LTHD uses additional labs beyond WSLH, that information will need to be submitted to PHAB.
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2.1.4: Maintain protocols for investigation of public health issues.
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Initial accreditation
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Required Documentation 2, one example. Note: LTHDs are still required to submit one additional example.
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Childhood blood lead level case management guidelines
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2.1.7: Use surveillance data to guide improvements.
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Initial accreditation
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The full measure is covered, including two examples for Required Document 1.
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Reports from WEDSS for Chlamydia Trachomatis infection and Gonorrhea infection
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OPPA is working to submit evidence for additional statewide measures to be covered. If additional measures are covered, we will send an updated list. For more information on accreditation in Wisconsin, visit the recently updated Public Health Accreditation in Wisconsin webpage.
Public Health Infrastructure (PHI) Grant Accreditation Funding Support Interest Survey results
OPPA staff are working with PHAB on a contract that allows for PHAB fees incurred by LTHDs to be paid directly by the Division of Public Health’s PHI Grant. On November 18, a message from the PHI Grant team went out to LTHDs to survey interest in accreditation funding support. We received 65 responses! Here are the results:
- Fifty LTHDs are interested in taking their next steps toward maintaining or achieving accreditation status. This represents 53% of LTHDs overall in Wisconsin.
- Of the 50 LTHDs that expressed interest, 33 are not accredited, nine are accredited, and eight are reaccredited.
- Thirty-three LTHDs that aren’t accredited expressed interest in accreditation. This represents 43% of all not accredited LTHDs in Wisconsin.
A message from the PHI Grant team explaining the next steps will be coming in the next few weeks.
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