[College Hill Topeka] Fwd: Media Release: Shawnee County Health Department Receives National Accreditation Status

Thu Aug 25 18:39:30 CDT 2022

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rachelle Vega-Retana <rvretana at topeka.org>
Date: Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 1:27 PM
Subject: Media Release: Shawnee County Health Department Receives National
Accreditation Status
To:

*Topeka, Kan.* – The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has been
notified that it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public
Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). PHAB is a nonprofit organization that
administers a rigorous national accreditation program which has local
health departments across the nation demonstrate how they promote and
protect the health of the communities they serve. PHAB’s mission is to
advance and transform public health practice by championing performance
improvement, strong infrastructure and innovation.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized by the Public Health
Accreditation Board for the amazing work our team does ensuring that
Shawnee County is the best place to live, work and play,” said Teresa
Fisher, Director of the SCHD. “Becoming accredited is evidence of the
continual excellence of our department and I am especially proud of our
staff for the time and effort they put in every day. It is because of them
that we are able to offer quality and essential public health services to
our community.”

The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets
standards against which the nation’s more than 3,000 governmental public
health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services
and performance. To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo
a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer reviewed assessment process to ensure it
meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.

“Whenever you see our seal of accreditation, you will know that the Shawnee
County Health Department has been rigorously examined and meets or exceeds
national standards that promote continuous quality improvement for public
health,” Fisher said. “By continuing to improve our services and
performance, we can be sure we are meeting the public health needs of those
we serve as effectively as possible.”

The SCHD becomes one of more than 300 health departments across the United
States accredited by PHAB; including, one of seven county health
departments in Kansas (Douglas, Johnson, Reno, Riley, Sedgwick and
Wyandotte) to achieve national accreditation along with the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment and the Fort Riley Department of
Public Health.

Public health departments play a critical role in protecting and improving
the health of people and communities. In cities, towns, and states across
the nation, health departments provide a range of services aimed at
promoting healthy behaviors; preventing diseases and injuries; ensuring
access to safe food, water, clean air, and life-saving immunizations; and
preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.

“The Shawnee County Health Department joins the growing ranks of accredited
health departments in a strong commitment to their public health mission,”
said PHAB President and CEO Kaye Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN. “The peer-review
process provides valuable feedback to inform health departments of their
strengths and areas for improvement, so that they can better protect and
promote the health of the people they serve in their communities. Residents
of a community served by a nationally accredited health department can be
assured that their health department has demonstrated the capacity to
protect and promote the health of that community.”

To learn more about PHAB visit https://phaboard.org/.

*Shawnee County Health Department is committed to working in partnership
with our community to promote and protect the optimal health of all people
by bridging gaps to eliminate health inequities, respecting the diversity
of our community, through adaptive and innovative processes.*

*Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube*

[image: Logo_Color_Transparent(3x2.5)]*Craig Barnes*

Division Manager

Community Health Outreach and
Planning

Shawnee County Health Department

2600 SW East Circle Drive

Topeka, KS 66606

http://www.shawneehealth.org/

785.251.5612 office

785.806.6310 cell

785.251.5696 fax

Rachelle Vega-Retana, Program Coordinator - KDADS

City of Topeka, Dept. of Planning & Development

Division of Housing Services

620 SE Madison St.  1st Floor – Unit 8

Topeka, Ks. 66607

Phone: (785) 368-4490

Fax:      (785) 368-2546

Email:    rvretana at topeka.org

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