Public health readiness: state accreditation grant renewed

December 7, 2012 • Uncategorized

Continuing the efforts to assess, support and increase the readiness of Texas’ local health departments for accreditation, based on standards of the national Public Health Accreditation Board, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has extended the one-year contract for Dean Richard S. Kurz, PhD, UNT Health Science Center School of Public Health, to continue serving as Principal Investigator (PI) on the state project, moving into phase II work in 2013.

The voluntary accreditation of state and local public health departments is a program initiated in 2011 in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) efforts toward a national, cooperative program called “Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure for Improved Health Outcomes.” The goal is to help the American public health infrastructure become better prepared for the challenges facing today’s society, from chronic disease, infections and illness to bioterrorism, food safety, environmental issues and other man-made threats.