Innovative approaches to public health: Regionalizing public health service provision

Given the variance in structure and capacity of local health departments across the country, and the need to best utilize resources in times of shrinking budgets and workforce, several states are exploring how to enhance capacity through alternative means of service provision. Kansas and Massachusetts are developing and considering developing, respectively, regional local health department arrangements as a means to meet the standards set forth in the Operational Definition of a Functional Local Health Department. (These standards have been cited as the framework for local health department standards in a voluntary national accreditation program.) The National Association of County and City Health Officials is supporting these efforts to learn what efficiencies may be gained by sharing functions of local health departments. This session focuses on how health departments, regardless of size or capacity, can form formal partnerships and other arrangements to enhance their public health service provision and meet national accreditation standards.