Oral

The Multi-State Learning Collaborative II: Quality Improvement in the Context of Assessment or Accreditation Programs is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and managed by the National Network of Public Health Institutes and the Public Health Leadership Society. MLC-2 follows the successful MLC-1 project, in which five states enhanced their efforts to use performance and capacity standards in assessing the work of public health agencies. Ten states (Florida, Kansas, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri) were chosen from a field of 21 applicants to participate in MLC-2 and lead a comprehensive effort to implement quality improvement strategies to enhance the performance of public health departments. The states have used the funds for workforce training, performance standards development, data system development, information sharing, publications, and evaluation. This session will 1) provide a brief overview of the national landscape of accreditation and quality improvement; 2) share products that resulted from the quality improvement efforts made by the ten states; 3) explore common themes addressed by the participating states; and 4) share lessons learned that can be applied across other states.

Session Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to : 1. Identify quality improvement strategies used by the MLC-2 states to improve performance at health departments; 2· Identify several different approaches for implementing quality improvement strategies into an assessment or accreditation system; 3. Identify shared characteristics and differences amongst the ten participant states; and 4· Identify lessons learned that can be applied to assessment programs in other states and at the national level.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing