263587 Application of Situational Leadership to the National Voluntary Public Health Accreditation Process

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

Kristina Rabarison, MS , National Coordinating Center for Public Health Services and Systems Research, University of Kentucky - College of Public Health, Lexington, KY
Richard Ingram, DrPH , College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
James W. Jr. Holsinger, MD, PhD , College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Successful navigation through the accreditation process developed by PHAB, the Public Health Accreditation Board, requires strong and effective leadership. One specific leadership theory, situational leadership, closely mirrors the accreditation process, and thus has utility for steering a public health agency through accreditation. When pursuing accreditation, public health agency personnel progress from being uncertain and unfamiliar with the process to being knowledgeable about the process, and confident in their abilities to fulfill accreditation requirements. Situational leadership contains a framework that allows a leader to shift their leadership style to match the needs of agency personnel. The utility of situational leadership to accreditation is demonstrated through highlighting the events at a progressive single county public health agency in Kentucky that was a PHAB beta test site and the application of situational leadership techniques during the process.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
- Describe how situational leadership is applicable to the national voluntary public health accreditation process. - Demonstrate the value of strong leadership in providing high level community health initiative services – during a time of austerity – may do so by engaging with community partners. - Formulate how LHDs may engage community partners to participate in accreditation preparation activities such as CHA and CHIP.

Keywords: Leadership, Public Health Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My area of study is focused on public health services and systems research, more specifically accreditation process - I did an internship/practicum with PHAB. I am conducting above work as part of my doctoral student training.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.