Update: We’ve published our summary of the May 2023 Public Comment feedback
Read the Summary (pdf)Public Comment Period is Now Closed
An important component of revising the standards is stakeholder input. We need to hear from a wide variety of disciplines and job functions to ensure the new standards help improve performance. We need to know if an activity adds value and is practical, if the wording is clear, and if it helps our mission of creating healthy communities. Your comments are vital in crafting standards and activities that are fitting for all North Carolina local health departments.
Review Proposed Changes in Preparation for Public Comment
To prepare for public comment, the NCLHDA Program has prepared the following documents with information about the drafted standards and activities:
- Proposed Accreditation Standards & Activities – Draft (PDF): Presents drafted standards and activities with purpose statements, examples and crosswalks for context.
- Slides from April 4 AAC Webinar: Summarizes the history leading up to the proposed revisions and an overview of each standard’s activities.
- April 4 Webinar Recording
Context for the Proposed Changes
The Accreditation Standards Workgroup has been at work since 2020 working on a review of the activities and requirements for accreditation. This included a thorough review of the current standards and a revision to the Health Department Self-Assessment Instrument (HDSAI) Interpretation 2022. The workgroup was re-appointed last year to incorporate feedback into a revised set of Standards and Activities, with many of the original members. The core vision of the work has been to update the activities to reflect current public health practice, eliminate redundancy, and increase the value of the process. The current activities are almost 20 years old and haven’t significantly changed since their initial adoption. Using the Foundational Public Health Services as the framework, the new standards reduce the number of activities to 50 and eliminate benchmark categories. The proposed standards are based on the eight Foundational Capabilities that all public health departments should perform.
Since current standards and activities are in Administrative Code, the proposed standards will need to go through the rules change process. The NCLHDA Program is receiving input and advice from the Office of Legal Affairs at the N.C. Division of Public Health (NCDPH), UNC School of Government, and the Office of Administrative Hearings to navigate making changes to the rules. This work includes updating rules terminology to meet guidelines to be adopted by the Commission for Public Health and receive approval from the Rules Review Commission. The plan is to have the rules submitted by November 2023 for an expected 2024 approval; however, the new activities and standards would not go into effect until 2025 at the earliest.
The Accreditation Standards Workgroup has members from local health departments, the NCLHDA Board, and NCDPH. Informational webinars have been held for the N.C. Association of Local Health Directors and Agency Accreditation Coordinators. Informational sessions will also be held with NCDPH, and we encourage you to share draft materials with any accreditation-related partner to inform public comments.
Additional Upcoming Featured Opportunities
After new rules are submitted, we will have additional opportunities for help and input in revising the HDSAI Interpretation! Stay tuned for updates!