Monterey County health department receives five-year reaccreditation, cites equity and community partnerships

Elsa Jimenez, director of the Monterey County Health Department, said Wednesday that the department has been reaccredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board for the next five years. "We have received our accreditation and we'll be accredited for the next 5 years," Jimenez said, calling the recognition a sign of the department’s commitment to "excellence, accountability, continuous improvement" for Monterey County residents.

Shabbani Sumashar, the department's manager over public health accreditation, said the reaccreditation validates work already done but is "not the finish line. It's just a milestone in our journey of continuous improvement." Sumashar said the department will spend the next five years strengthening systems, partnerships and practices tied to the community health assessment and the county’s community health improvement plan.

Officials credited inter-bureau teamwork and collaboration with external partners for helping secure reaccreditation. "We provided the examples out there and it just was clear to them that we were pressing through our assessment and the actual needs for the clients and throughout the community and we were addressing the needs and moving forward with our plan," Sumashar said, citing coordination with hospitals, schools, tribal partners, first responders and community-based organizations.

Jimenez noted accreditation requires measurable systems and ongoing quality-improvement work: tracking community health needs, planning with community-based partners, updating policies and training staff, and annual reporting ahead of the next reaccreditation cycle. She also cited the department’s long history in accreditation work: "we were the 11th actual county in California back in 2007 to receive public health accreditation," she said, and described the reaccreditation process during COVID that delayed some work.

Officials emphasized health equity as a priority going forward, saying the department will focus on reducing disparities and ensuring services are accessible to residents "regardless of where they live, their income, language, background, or circumstances." Jimenez and Sumashar said the department will continue investing in workforce development, performance management, community engagement and data-informed decision-making to remain responsive to emerging public health needs.

The briefing also briefly introduced the county’s community climate action and adaptation plan. The moderator said the public comment period for that plan is open and that Hannah Kornfield, who has worked on the plan, was expected to present; technical difficulties prevented Kornfield from speaking, and the county said it will provide the climate plan information at the next news briefing.

The department said it will proceed with implementing the community health improvement plan and report annually on progress; presenters urged continued partnership with community organizations and residents as the department moves into the next five-year accreditation cycle.