The Operational Definition of a Functional Local Health Department defines what people in any community can reasonably expect from their local health department (LHD), and it serves as the framework for LHD standards in the voluntary national accreditation program that is under development. LHDs that are planning to become accredited would be well-served to assess the degree to which they have the capacity to fulfill the functions outlined in the Operational Definition, and engage in quality improvement activities to enhance their capacity. The Local Health Department Self-Assessment Tool for Accreditation Preparation allows LHDs to measure themselves against the Operational Definition and identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.
The LHD Self-Assessment Tool is available as a PDF and as an online scorecard. The online version is an interactive module where scores can be analyzed, sorted, and reported with color-coded guidance. The online software can be used to identify areas for improvement and track continuous quality improvement progress over time.
If you would like to complete the online version, please send your contact information (name, LHD name and location, etc.) to accreditprep@naccho.org. For additional information, please contact Penney Davis at pdavis@naccho.org or (202) 507-4213.
