Summit County Board hears national accreditation briefing, delays decision until May

A national accreditation specialist outlined the benefits and timeline for seeking Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) recognition, telling the Summit County Board of Health on the evening it would be a multi-step process requiring substantial document review, team coordination and a site visit.

Sheila Heddleson, an accreditation specialist with PHAB and a former local health commissioner, told the board accreditation "is the way we do the things we do," and that the process helps departments build internal quality systems and community partnerships that proved critical during the COVID response. Heddleson said 76% of respondents to PHAB surveys identified strengthened partnerships as a key benefit.

The presentation covered PHABoundational components: a readiness assessment, training, document submission, peer review and a two-day site visit for initial accreditation (one day in person, one virtual). Heddleson described two shorter "pathways" tracks that recognize foundational capabilities and a full initial accreditation track covering all ten domains and required plans such as the community health assessment and emergency operations plan.

Phil (health department staff in the transcript) told the board Summit County currently has about 50 staff and noted existing public health infrastructure grant funding could help the department add capacity for accreditation work. Heddleson said departments of widely varying sizes have completed accreditation and PHAB provides a readiness report and technical assistance, including an "ASK PHAB" mechanism and crosswalks between standards versions (2022 and the forthcoming 2027 revision).

Board members asked practical questions about timing, cost and staffing. Heddleson estimated the full process commonly takes about 1218 months from readiness to decision and said the accreditation decision, once documents and a site visit are complete, is made by an accreditation committee. She committed to sending Summit County a fee schedule and follow-up materials.

Phil told the board he and staff want members to "digest" the information and return in May with additional questions and staff feedback before making a commitment to pursue readiness or application. No formal motion to apply for accreditation was made at the meeting.

The next procedural step for the board will be a staff-led readiness discussion and a public follow-up meeting in May to review staff viewpoints, potential timelines and cost estimates.