NCLHDA Status Statement
09-22-09

With the passing of the NC state budget for fiscal year 2009-10, we received the amount of $100,000 that we had anticipated – resulting in a cut of 86%.  This funding will be shared between the DPH and the NCIPH.  The suspend language remained in the budget.  There are several staff changes based on the current funding.  The clerical position for NCLHDA was cut and those duties were distributed among other staff.  Brittan Williams Wood, State Accreditation Coordinator, is now funded through and working on other grant projects at the NCIPH.  David Stone is working 50% time on NCLHDA and 50% on other NCIPH projects.

 We are currently fully funded for the fiscal year 2010-11.  However, we are aware that revenues for next year are expected to be lower than projected and the budget allocations for next year are uncertain and will be reviewed during the short session.  Should full funding be restored, Brittan and David will return full time to the NCLHDA program.

Here are the effects of the budget language suspending the program for the year.  No activities or actions related to awarding of accreditation status can occur. During this fiscal year, there will not be any site visits, no assignments of site visitors, no training sessions will be held, no HDSAIs or other local documentation will be reviewed by NCLHDA, and no board actions awarding accreditation status can occur.

Local health departments (LHDs) can continue their preparation and collect evidence.  LHDs can continue to request visits from their Lead Consultant.

The use of the word “suspend” in the budget documents also means that agencies up for re-accreditation will get an automatic one-year extension as would the agencies up for initial accreditation.  Since the suspension affects the cycle for all LHDs, we will implement the suspended year by shifting the entire schedule back a year.  All LHDs currently accredited will add one-year to the expiration date.  All LHDs scheduled for accreditation will postpone initial site visits for one year.  A new schedule will be developed and available within the next few weeks.

For LHDs scheduled for the current year, many will have documentation that will now fall outside the documentation guidelines of 24 months because of the one-year extension for the initial site visit.  As a result of this shift, the board will meet before the end of 2009 to determine the documentation timelines for the HDSAI, as it applies to those who were scheduled for site visits during FY 09-10.

We can continue our work and development of the NCLHDA program during this suspension year.  Here is the current scope of work proposed for this fiscal year.  Activities will include:

  • development of a business plan for NCLHDA that will include new business (funding) models for continuation of the program
  • analysis of past program work, including  a look at successes, benefits and lessons learned
  • collection of data and holding interviews and group discussions to conduct a thorough evaluation of past program activities will be done with a compilation of the benefits of accreditation to be produced
  • revision of program documentation based on use and feedback, including the interpretation document, site visitor training materials and a review of benchmarks and activities
  • integration of the NCLHDA process and the PHAB process under development – achieved by use of the PHAB standards while reviewing the NC standards, assistance with document development for PHAB and future collaborations between PHAB and NCLHDA

There will be board meetings this year, with the agenda focused on development of the program.  The board will be a covered entity under the NC State Ethics Act after the Ethics Commission meets in November.  There is required training and a Statement of Economic Interest that must be completed by all board members.

We will continue participation in the Accreditation Liaison Committee of the NCALHD.

Again we thank you for the support given to accreditation in NC.  We appreciate your participation, your open discussions, and your commitment to making our program the leader in public health accreditation across our nation.  Our hope continues to be that we will fully resume activities next July.

For questions please contact David Stone at 919-843-3141 or at david.stone@unc.edu.