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Comanche County Health Department Achieves Accreditation

The Comanche County Health Department announced today that it is one of 11 public health departments in the nation to receive newly established national public health department accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The group of 11 health departments receiving the new accreditation status also includes the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma City-County Health Department.

Tdap Requirement 

Beginning with the 2011-12 school year Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine will be required for students in the 7th grade in Oklahoma schools.

• Information from Oklahoma State Department of Health: OSDH Information - Tdap
• Information from CDC - CDC Information Tdap

The Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan (OHIP)

The Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan outlines numerous key priorities and outcomes that will support health improvement throughout the state. The plan was mandated by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2008 through SJR-41, which directed the State Board of Health to prepare a report that outlines a plan for the “general improvement of the physical, social and mental well being of all people in Oklahoma through a high-functioning public health system.”      

The State Board of Health convened a broad-based group of health leaders, state legislators, and representatives of business, labor, tribes, academia, non-profit health organizations, state and local governments, professional organizations and private citizens to develop the plan. During this past year, the group conducted “listening sessions” in 10 communities throughout the state to seek input on what Oklahomans believe are their most crucial health needs. Their comments were included in the development of the plan.

“Current national state health rankings place Oklahoma at 49^th. We find this unacceptable,” said State Board of Health President Barry Smith. “We recognize that Oklahomans face a variety of barriers to good health due to poverty, lack of insurance, limited access to primary care, and risky personal health behaviors associated with diet, physical activity and smoking. Even so, Oklahoma’s citizens deserve the same opportunities for improving their health as their neighbors in other states. If Oklahoma was able to simply match the national average in health status indicators, 5,320 Oklahoma lives would be saved every year.”  For more information: OHIP Plan 

Oklahoma State Department of Health and Comanche County Health Department Chosen to Test the National Public Health Accreditation Program (PHAB)

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) and the Comanche County Health Department (CCHD) are pleased to announce that we have been chosen by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) as one of the 30 public health departments across the country that will participate in testing the national voluntary public health accreditation program. We are proud to have been selected from a pool of over 145 candidates.  During the test, we will go through the accreditation process, review guidance documents, test forms, review the accreditation standards, and provide valuable feedback that will inform the program’s national launch in 2011. We are honored to be recognized for our leadership, commitment to quality improvement, and dedication to advancing our community’s health. This test of the national program is a crucial step toward establishing a national public health accreditation program that will advance the quality of public health nationwide.   

A total of 19 local, eight state and three tribal health departments will participate, and will receive technical assistance on accreditation and quality improvement, funding to support quality improvement projects and funding to cover the costs of providing detailed feedback to PHAB on the accreditation process. From the fall of 2009 through the end of 2010, the OSDH and CCHD will work with PHAB, the other 28 agencies and national public health leaders such as the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County and City Health Officials, National Association of Local Boards of Health, and the National Indian Health Board.

We look forward to this unique opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of our services and showcase our high quality programs and services.  We are proud to have a hand in shaping the national public health accreditation program and advancing the quality of public health nationally. 

For more information on the beta test and the importance of public health accreditation, please visit PHAB’s Web site at http://www.phaboard.org.