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Accreditation Documents

The NCLHD Accreditation process begins with the Health Department Self-Assessment, followed by a Site Visit and finally, assignment of accreditation status by the NCLHDA Board. This page contains the documents and resources that local health departments need for the Health Department Self-Assessment and to prepare for a Site Visit.

COVID-19 Response Guide (updated July 2021)

NCLHD Accreditation Operational Guidelines

Health Department Self-Assessment Materials (2023)

  • HDSAI Interpretation Document 2023 (pdf):
    • The HDSAI Interpretation document provides a detailed description of what is required to meet each of the Activities in the HDSAI. The HDSAI Interpretation Document 2023 is effective starting January 1, 2023.
    • 2023 Summary of Changes summarize the changes made between the 2022 and 2023 HDSAI Interpretation Document versions.

Health departments have two HDSAI options:

Standard Option

New Option

Always use the HDSAI Interpretation version that was in effect for the year a piece of evidence was collected (see archive).

  • Use the current HDSAI for ALL years EXCEPT 2020-2021.
  • Use the HDSAI Retrospective Interpretation 2020/2021 for pieces of evidence collected in 2020-2021.
  • HDSAI Standards and Scoring Requirements (pdf): The HDSAI Standards and Scoring Requirements document provides the number of Activities that must be met for each Standard in order for a health department to be recommended for accreditation status.

View Archived Health Department Self-Assessment Materials (2015-2022)

Health Department Site Visit Preparation Materials

Below can be found materials that must be submitted with the completed HDSAI/evidence in the NCLHDA Dashboard by the HDSAI due date (either June 1 or November 1).  Where templates are available, the template should be used and they are linked as editable MS Word documents.

  • signed HDSAI Cover Page
  • HDSAI Summary Checklist
  • 2023-2024 Programs List
  • the agency’s mission statement
  • the agency’s organizational chart
  • list of programs offered at agency (or agency brochure with this information)
  • a roster of the agency’s Management Team, with names, position titles and dates of appointment to the Management Team for each team member
  • Interviewed staff bios including Nursing Director, Environmental Health Director, and Health Director
  • a roster of the agency’s entire staff, with names, hire date and position titles (alphabetized by last name) – must be in a MS Excel spreadsheet and should be updated on day the LHD is locked out of the NCLHDA Dashboard before their site visit
  • a one-page double-spaced narrative related to information about what makes your local health department and the population you serve unique. Please include any special characteristics of the health department and the community (e.g., district structure, administrative/operations information, unique relationship with county government, presence or loss of major industry, seasonal population surges, socioeconomic status of community, predominance of a particular demographic group, etc.)
  • Governing Board roster – with appointment dates
  • Budget Summary (actual expenses, revenue and local allocation) for previous six years
  • Partially Remote Site Visit Schedule– applicable for most LHDs
  • Draft Entrance Conference Agenda