NACCHO's values guide staff and leadership in our work to achieve optimal health for all through an effective local governmental presence for public health. We believe that, by incorporating these values, with a focus on and commitment to our mission and vision, NACCHO will effectively influence improvements in health status around the country.
WE embrace health equity and social justice as the cornerstone of our work, recognizing that equality, shared decision making, and attention to the social determinants of health are central to promoting healthy communities.
- We advocate for comprehensive strategies that attend to the root determinants of health, such as standard of living, quality of housing and education, and conditions associated with the foundations of society.
- We recognize the interconnectedness of the physical environment and ecosystem to the economic, social, and spiritual health of a community, and we support activities that promote this comprehensive view.
- We support community education about public policy measures beyond reducing specific diseases, such as those that eliminate inequality and prevent individuals from becoming disadvantaged.
- We advocate for open, active, community-wide participation in decision making aimed at the collective empowerment of communities. We also advocate for support of the political arrangements and coalitions necessary to sustain and expand that empowerment.
WE work with integrity to achieve excellence in all aspects of our work.
- We respect our members and partners and engender respect from them.
- We foster an office environment that is fair and equitable, supports open communication, promotes professional growth, and demonstrates respect for staff and their expertise.
- We develop and effectively disseminate professional products that are accurate, timely, and relevant to our members and the public health community.
- We actively solicit and incorporate input from our members and others to assure that NACCHO is a credible voice for local public health practice.
WE create innovative and science-based solutions to public health issues.
- We seek out state-of-the-art solutions to solve/address public health issues.
- We identify and continually improve existing tools, policies, and programs.
- We base decisions on available valid research and evidence.
WE cultivate leadership among our staff, membership, and partners.
- We ensure leadership opportunities (e.g., through committees and the Board).
- We ensure training and educational opportunities (e.g., annual conference, seminars).
- We actively seek public health leaders for involvement in NACCHO (as members, partners, and staff).
WE seek diversity in the viewpoints, belief systems, and demographic make-up of NACCHO's staff, membership, and leadership.
- We support ideas, activities, and policies that advance efforts to eliminate health disparities and inequities.
- We recruit NACCHO staff at all levels of the organization to reflect and represent the diverse population served by NACCHO members.
- We identify gaps in the diversity of NACCHO member characteristics and target recruitment efforts to bridge those gaps.
- We recruit health officials to Board, leadership, and committee positions with a focus on assuring diversity in gender, race, culture, geographic location, and local public health agency characteristics.
WE believe that collaboration and broad-based participation are essential for achieving lasting progress toward improving the health of communities.
- We embrace, when appropriate, projects that include collaborative and participatory activities with NACCHO's constituents and other organizations.
- We identify potential collaborators and participants who can inform project activities and provide mechanisms for resource sharing.
- We foster broad-based participation and involvement in a wide range of activities as a means of gathering input, pooling resources, coordinating activities, and disseminating information.
- We carefully consider all input provided by collaborators and partners to increase the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of our programs.
