title: The NC accreditation learning collaborative: partners enhancing local health department accreditation.
abstract: North Carolina (NC) is one of several states that have developed an accreditation system for local public health agencies. The NC Collaborative, composed of the NC Association of Local Health Directors, the NC Division of Public Health, and the NC Institute of Public Health, conducted several initiatives to enhance the NC accreditation system and contribute to the Multi-state Learning Collaborative. Two of these projects, benefits of accreditation and the Accreditation Road Map, are of potential national interest and can inform the proposed national, voluntary accreditation model. Benefits of accreditation from the perspectives of various system participants were explored through the ongoing evaluation of the NC accreditation system. The development of the Accreditation Road Map and its intended uses are described. Implications for the proposed national model and public health systems research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Evaluation Services, North Carolina Institute for Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health, USA. mvdavis@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Mary V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Leah M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009657:North Carolina; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000592:standards*