PUBLIC HEALTH

Health Alerts

NIHB Public Health Projects

• Traditional Foods Project
• Tribal Public Health Law
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Cooperative Agreement
• Tribal Public Health Accreditation Project
• Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative (MSPI)
• Evaluation of Tribal Health Professions Opportunities Grants (HPOG)
• HIV/AIDS Cooperative Agreement
• Other Recent Public Health Projects

NIHB Advisory Boards, Committees, and Workgroups

• Health Research Advisory Council (HRAC)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC)
• Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)
• National Diabetes Education Program Stakeholders Group
• Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) Workgroup

Obesity Prevention/Strategies
in Native Youth

Behavioral Health

Healthy People 2020

Public Health
Resource Center

Restoring the Balance

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Project

Working together for healthy Native communities

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) and The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) have partnered in a national effort to improve public health practice in Indian Country. PHAB is developing a national voluntary public health accreditation program for state, territorial, tribal, and local health departments.

What is public health accreditation?

Public health accreditation is a process that will measure the degree to which a public health department meets nationally recognized standards. The national voluntary public health accreditation program will launch in 2011.

PHAB is working with NIHB to ensure that accreditation standards address the specific needs and challenges of the Tribal public health programs. As the national public healthaccrediting body, PHAB recognizes the unique and critical role that Tribal governments have in developing the accreditation program. As PHAB tests the accreditation standards, measures and procedures through the upcoming beta test; the Tribal health programs will have an opportunity to provide important feedback on the accreditation program prior to its national launch in 2011.

What public health accreditation means for Indian Country

The goal of the accreditation program is to improve and protect the health of the Tribes by advancing the quality of public health services. Through its work with NIHB, PHAB understands that enhancing public health in Indian Country means addressing a complex set of services that are often provided by a diverse group of partners and stakeholders. Tribal leaders and health officials are giving valuable input into the creation of the accreditation standards and the process of becoming accredited, and therefore are taking an active role in ensuring that Native communities are safe, healthy places to live.   

To download a copy of Exploring Tribal Public Health Accreditation, please click here.

Why accreditation matters to tribal public health

The expectation is that accreditation will strengthen all public health departments and the services they provide, which will contribute to improved community health. Accreditation can benefit Native communities in various ways, including:

• Responsibility and visibility. Implementing accreditation standards can support Tribal governments in their efforts to improve their community’s health.
• Performance feedback and quality improvement. The accreditation assessment process provides valuable, measurable feedback to public health programs on their strengths and areas for improvement.
• Valuable partnerships. The accreditation process encourages strong, active partnerships between public health practitioners, stakeholders and community members in Indian Country.
• Reducing health disparities. The accreditation process promotes building and enhancing public health services so that the same level of high quality public health services is available to everyone. 

ACCREDITATION RESOURCES AND TOOLS

NIHB and PHAB Accreditation Webinar Series

Please follow the link and instructions below to view NIHB and PHAB’s Webinar series of Tribal Public Health Accreditation.

This is a three part series to assist Tribal Public heatlh Departments in understanding and preparing for PHAB Accreditation.

Webinars include:

1. Getting Started with PHAB Accreditation, recorded on June 20th, 2012
2. Understanding the Accreditation Process, recorded July 2nd, 2012
3. Building Toward Success in Accreditation, recorded July 18th, 2012

*Remember these webinars can be used for Continuing Education Credits or Continuing Medical Education Credits. The instructions to receive credit are listed below.

Here is the link and some instructions in case folks have questions about accessing the modules and receiving credit.

1. Visit www.cecentral.com/phab
2. Click on "View Webcasts" under the "NIHB Accreditation Webinars" heading on the left navigation bar of the website.
3. A listing of three webinars will appear. Click on the hyperlinked title for the webinar you wish to view.
4. On the top of the page you will see a series of arrows for "activity progress". Click on "2 - LEARN".
5. Click on the video play button on the left of the page. The video will open in a new window. Maximize the window or click on the icon for a full screen view.
6. If you would like CE credit for viewing the video, click "proceed" after the video ends, or close the window that opened to view the video and click "3 - GET CREDIT". You will need to register for a CECentral account, log in, select the type of credit you desire, and complete the quiz and the evaluation to receive credit. A certificate can be printed if desired.

Accreditation Related Position Papers and Presentations

Exploring Tribal Public Health Accreditation
A position paper exploring NIHB’s initial analysis of public health accreditation in Indian Country. This paper explains accreditation, its role in Tribal public health and recommendations made to PHAB from Tribal health directors and tribal public health stakeholders.

Traditional and Evidence Based Practices in Accreditation
A position paper looking in traditional and evidence based practices in Tribal public health accreditation.

Introduction to State Public Health for Tribal Leaders
A primer from ASTHO that describes the state/local health department governance classification system, important statutory considerations, and how tribes can successfully work with state health departments.

Knowing Tribal Health
A primer from ASTHO that describes treaties and laws that relate to public health, health challenges faced by American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and how to work successfully with tribes and tribal organizations.

Public Health Improvement Toolkit
A growing online collection of tools, including trainings, sample products, and templates developed by public health practitioners.

Featured Tool: Exploring Tribal Public Health Accreditation (PPT)
This presentation includes an introduction to the development of tribal public health departments and summarizes the progress on tribal public health accreditation.

Additional Archived Webinars

• State-Tribal Collaboration: Finding Synergistic Partners to Prepare for Accreditation (3/12/2013)
• Using the MAPP Framework for Authentic Partnership, Engagement and Action (12/18/2012)
• Montana's Accreditation Strategy: Using Systems to Comply (10/16/2012)
• Enhancing Your Facilitation Skills (6/12/2012)
• Designing and Implementing a QI Plan (4/17/2012)
• Building a QI Culture: A Roadmap to QI (2/21/2012)

*To access all previous webinars, please visit http://www.nnphi.org/e-catalog and search under programs for National Public Health Performance Standards Program.

National Public Health Accreditation Boards:

Public Health Accreditation Board

NIHB Tribal Public Health Accreditation Advisory Board

Learn more

Efforts are already underway to help tribal health providers prepare for accreditation. Tribal health officials, health department staff, local partners, non-profits and other stakeholders who are interested in an accountable and effective public health system are encouraged to learn more.

NIHB Tribal Public Health Accreditation Strategic Plan

PHAB and NIHB Partnership Information Sheet

For more information about how PHAB and NIHB are working to help the Tribes prepare for accreditation and how you can get involved, please contact Paul Allis, NIHB Public Health Project Manager via email at pallis@nihb.org or via phone at 202-507-4085 or contact PHAB at www.phaboard.org or call 703-778-4549

For more information about the Public Health Accreditation Board and the accreditation standards and measures, please click here.

For more information about NIHB’s Exploring Tribal Public Health Accreditation Project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, please click here.

Visit the PHAB website for more information:
www.phaboard.org/standards/default.asp

 

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