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PUBLIC HEALTH TASK FORCE 2004: PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS <br />PUBLIC HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN <br />1) Establish state -level support for a mandatory system <br />of accreditation and an Accreditation Board. <br />2) Fund local health departments on a one -time basis in <br />their year of accreditation. <br />Need Addressed /Rationale <br />Accreditation: <br />=> Demonstrates core capacity to respond to public health challenges in their communities; <br />=> Assures all citizens of North Carolina, regardless of county of residence, access to a standard of <br />quality in core functions and essential services of public health; <br />=> Improves efficiency and effectiveness of public health services as well as health outcomes <br />across the state; <br />=> Increases accountability for newly emerging communicable diseases; and <br />Recognizes that access to an agreed upon minimum standard of quality in delivery of core is <br />essential to public health services. <br />Infrastructure /Capacity Improvement <br />The accreditation schedule in each county is linked to the timing of comprehensive community health <br />assessment. The system model being piloted is based on nationally recognized accreditation standards. <br />There is time provided in the initial round of accreditation for agencies to utilize corrective action <br />plans. A deadline will be established by which all local public health agencies must be accredited in <br />order to continue to receive state and federal funds. Major components would include: <br />=:> Four year "roll out" based on evaluation of pilot; <br />=> Process would include self - study, site visits and final Accreditation Board action; <br />Standards would address capacity to provide essential services, facilities and administration, <br />staff competencies and training, and Board of Health governance; and <br />Provisions for conditional accreditation and sanctions for failure to be accredited. <br />Budget FTEs: <br />$ 989,000 for staff to provide technical (11) State <br />assistance to local public health ( ) Local <br />agencies and support for an <br />Accreditation.Board.staff and operating <br />expenses (e.g., site visits) <br />• $1,100,00.0* for each of the first four <br />years of the accreditation process to <br />support local public health agency staff <br />during year of initial 'accreditation. <br />* Funding for local health departments /districts. Provides $5U,000 in support to each agency <br />(average of 22 /year) in the year they are seeking accreditation. This would be one -time money <br />for each local health department. Funding needed for 4 years (FY 05 — FY 08). Total amount <br />need over 4 years = $ 4,400,000 <br />12 <br />