Press Release
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) this week awarded national accreditation status to the Utah Department of Health (UDOH). The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s nearly 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.
The UDOH is now the fourth nationally accredited public health department in the state, joining health departments from Tooele County, Salt Lake County and Davis County.
“Our pursuit of national accreditation began years ago and has been a significant undertaking for the entire department,” said UDOH Executive Director Dr. Joe Miner. “The efforts of public health departments impact every resident every day in the state of Utah. Ultimately, it’s those residents who will benefit from our accreditation status, as the process has helped us identify how we can improve the quality of our services and performance.”
To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.
“The Utah Department of Health joins the growing ranks of accredited health departments in a strong commitment to their public health mission,” said PHAB President and CEO Kaye Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN. “The peer-review process provides valuable feedback to inform health departments of their strengths and areas for improvement, so that they can better protect and promote the health of the people they serve in their communities. Residents of a community served by a nationally accredited health department can be assured that their health department has demonstrated the capacity to protect and promote the health of that community.”
For more information on the UDOH, visit www.health.utah.gov.