Baltimore City Health Department Awarded National Accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board 

Accreditation through PHAB Demonstrates BCHD’s Commitment to Excellence in Serving the Community

Media Contacts: Kelleigh Eastman: kelleigh.eastman@baltimorecity.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BALTIMORE, MD (November 16, 2021) — The Baltimore City Health Department today announced it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Established in 2007, PHAB is the nonprofit organization that administers the national accreditation program, which aims to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation.

“We are so excited to be recognized by the PHAB for achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement within public health," said Letitia Dzirasa, MD, Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department. “This recognition, during the ongoing public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, serves as reinforcement to the community and our stakeholders that the public health services we provide are responsive to the needs of the residents of Baltimore City. This accreditation also shows our commitment to continuously improving upon our delivery of essential public health services, including responding to a public health emergency.”

The national accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. More than 80 percent of the U.S. population now reap the benefits of being served by a health department that has undergone PHAB’s rigorous assessment and accreditation process.

"The value of becoming nationally accredited through PHAB extends far beyond the interior walls of the health department," said PHAB President and CEO Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN. "People living and working in communities served by these health departments can be assured that their health department is strong and has the capacity to protect and promote their health. Just going through the accreditation process itself helps health departments pinpoint the areas that are critical to improving the work they do for their communities."

Often called the “backbone” of the public health system, public health departments are on the front lines of communities’ efforts to protect and promote health and prevent disease and injury. They provide 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.

With a mission to protect health, eliminate disparities, and enhance the wellbeing of everyone in the community through education, coordination, advocacy, and direct service delivery, the Baltimore City Health Department has a wide-ranging area of responsibility, including acute communicable diseases, animal control, chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness, HIV/STD, maternal-child health, restaurant inspections, school health, senior services, and youth violence issues. BCHD envisions an equitable, just, and well Baltimore where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy and to thrive.