NC Local Health Department Accreditation: Evaluation and Research Strategies to Inform National Accreditation

As of December, 2007, 34 of 85 local health departments in North Carolina have been accredited by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board. The NC Local Health Department Accreditation (NCLHDA) program is a collaborative effort among many partners; key original partners are the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors, the NC Division of Public Health, and the North Carolina Institute for Public Health (NCIPH) at the UNC School of Public Health. Critical to the success of this effort has been systematic evaluation and research of NCLHDA program function, benefits, and impact conducted by NCIPH Evaluation Services. This presentation will review NCHLDA evaluation and research strategies, including evolution of strategies from pilot phases to current program performance monitoring. In every evaluation phase, agency personnel, site visitors, Accreditation Administrator staff, and key partners have participated in data collection efforts. Key findings from two pilot phases and two full years of program implementation will be presented along with evidence as to how the program addressed specific recommendations for improvement. Evaluation issues such as working with multiple stakeholders, units of analysis, and data and report sharing will be presented. Implications as to how NCLHDA accreditation evaluation results and improvements and research strategies will inform the Public Health Accreditation Board and the dialogue on accreditation and public health outcomes will be discussed.