Prince William Health District Earns National Accreditation Through the Public Health Accreditation Board

October 24, 2016

For More Information Contact

  • Lorrie Andrew-Spear, Northern Region Public Information Officer – 703-530-2627

PHAB-Accredited Health Districts Demonstrate the Capacity to Serve their Communities Well

 (MANASSAS, Va.) — Prince William Health District (PWHD) recently achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments. PWHD is one of fewer than 200 health departments that have thus far achieved accreditation through PHAB since the organization launched in 2011. In Virginia, PWHD is one of only four health districts that have earned this certification.

“We are pleased and excited to be recognized for achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement,” said Alison Ansher, Director of the Prince William Health District. “The accreditation process helps to ensure that the programs and services we provide are as responsive as possible to the needs of our community. This accreditation demonstrates increased accountability and credibility to the public, funders, elected officials and partner organizations with whom we work.”

The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards by which the nation’s nearly 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.

The PWHD plays a critical role in protecting and improving the health of people in Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. It provides a range of services aimed at promoting healthy behaviors; preventing diseases and injuries; ensuring access to safe food, water, and life-saving immunizations; and preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.

“Residents of a community served by a nationally accredited health department can be assured that their health department has demonstrated the capacity to protect and promote the health of that community.” said PHAB President and CEO Kaye Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN.

Prince William Health District serves residents of Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. For more information, visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/LHD/PrinceWilliam. You can also follow the Health District on Twitter @PrinceWilliamHD or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PrinceWilliamHealthDistrict.

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), established in 2007, was created to serve as the national public health accrediting body, and is jointly funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The development of national public health accreditation has involved, and is supported by, public health leaders and practitioners from the national, Tribal, state, and local levels. Learn more about PHAB by visiting www.phaboard.org.