Gallia Health District earns national accreditation

Feb. 23—GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County General Health District this week announced it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).

According to a news release from the county health district, 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.

"By achieving national accreditation through PHAB, the Gallia County General Health District has met national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement," said Gerald Vallee, MD, health commissioner/medical director. "Through this process, our staff has demonstrated leadership, compassion, and dedication to public health. We take great pride in ensuring the services and programs we provide are as responsive as possible to the needs of our community."

"In the midst of the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic, this announcement has reassured our staff that their hard work and dedication are being done in a way that promotes health, prevents disease, and protects the residents of Gallia County," said Brittany Muncy, MSN, RN, CPH, public health nurse/accreditation coordinator.

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, multi-faceted, peer- reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets a set of quality standards and measures, according to the news release.

"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."

The news release further stated, "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. Across the nation, health departments 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."

Information provided by the Gallia County General Health District.