Community Health Recieves Funding for Accreditation

FCP Community Health Department Receives Funding to Prepare for National Accreditation

The FCP Community Health Department has been awarded $10,500 to support its progress in meeting the requirements of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), the first and only voluntary national accreditation program for public health departments. The FCP Community Health Department is one of five Tribes to receive this funding through the Tribal Accreditation Support Initiative (ASI) administered by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB).

This is the first year for the Tribal ASI, and as such the initiative is serving as a pilot project to seek out promising practices to support Tribes in the efforts to achieve public health accreditation.  Funding for the Tribal ASI is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CDC).

“This funding opportunity will provide us with the resources needed to move forward in our goals to become an accredited agency and also allow us to better serve our community by enhancing the quality of our work,” said Kristin Bath, Health Educator/Public Health Accreditation Coordinator.

The FCP Community Health Department received funding under the general categories of (2) addressing PHAB documentation requirements not currently met and (4) contributing to payment of PHAB accreditation fees. The department will use the grant to update and complete a departmental Workforce Development Plan, a Quality Improvement and Performance Management Plan and to pay part of the PHAB application fees.

The FCP Community Health Department is grateful to have received the Accreditation Support Initiative funding from the CDC and NACCHO because we believe the funds will help us improve our performance, achieve our strategic goals, and continue making progress to build better health outcomes for the people in our community.

For more information, including a full list of Tribal awardees, can be found at http://www.nihb.org/public_health/tribal_accreditation_support_initiative.php, and for more information about the FCP Community Health Department, please contact Lorrie Shepard at 715-478-4341.

About the FCP Community Health Department

The purpose of the Forest County Potawatomi Community Health Department is to provide essential public health services and respond to the healthcare needs of the Forest County Potawatomi Community.

About the National Indian Health Board

Founded in 1972, NIHB is a 501(c) 3 not for profit, charitable organization providing health care advocacy services, facilitating Tribal budget consultation and providing timely information, and other services to all Tribal governments.  NIHB also conducts research, provides policy analysis, program assessment and development, national and regional meeting planning, training, technical assistance, program and project management.  NIHB presents the Tribal perspective while monitoring, reporting on and responding to federal legislation and regulations.  It also serves as conduit to open opportunities for the advancement of American Indian and Alaska Native health care with other national and international organizations, foundations corporations and others in its quest to build support for, and advance, Indian health care issues.