We are beyond grateful for all of the amazing folks who are involved in the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation, today and every day. You all demonstrate the quality, resiliency, perseverance, and advocacy that ties all of our North Carolina health departments together. This Public Health Thank You Day is another perfect opportunity to sing your praises from the rooftops!
The NCLHDA Board met on Friday, November 19 to decide on some key elements about upcoming site visits, so we’re coming to you with a special update, hot off the presses!
Which HDSAIs Do I Use?
For site visits starting in Fall 2022, the Board voted to allow each local health department to choose between two options:
- Use prior procedure regarding HDSAI versions of using the HDSAI Interpretation version that was in effect for the year a piece of evidence was collected, or
- Use the 2020/2021 HDSAI Interpretation for pieces of evidence collected in 2020 and 2021 and the 2022 HDSAI Interpretation for other years of evidence during the agency’s next accreditation cycle (i.e. 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022+).
An agency MUST choose to use option 1 or 2 in totality (i.e. cannot chose to use option 1 for one year or activity, but option 2 for others). Further information and answers to specific questions will be discussed in the December webinar. Please plan to attend and send us specific questions regarding the options!
Partially Remote Site Visit Pilot
For the past few months, the NLCHDA program has been in conversation with the AAC Advisory Council, Board, and Site Visitors to discuss if and how we might consider moving elements of the site visit to a more remote model given the many lessons learned through strategic planning, the Evidence Dashboard and virtual COVID work.
In Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, the Board has decided to run a pilot program where health departments can choose between two options:
- Full in-person site visit: consistent with years past
- Partially remote site visit: The Site Visit Coordinator and Lead Site Visitor will be on-site, with the remaining site visitors participating via Zoom.
We will discuss these options in more detail during the Annual NCLHDA Program Update Webinar on Wednesday, January 26 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., for which registration has just opened.