Accreditation
What is Public Health Department Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process that evaluates health departments to ensure they meet national standards for quality and performance determined by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). These standards are based upon the 10 Essential Public Health Services (image below).
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The Bullitt County Health Department received its accreditation status in 2016 and is one of only around 450 accredited health departments nationwide (there are over 3,000 total).
What are the Benefits of Accreditation?
Quality Improvement - Accreditation helps BCHD improve our services, ensuring better programs and policies for Bullitt County.
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Workforce Development - It supports ongoing training and education for our staff so we can better serve our community.
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Emergency Preparedness - Accredited health departments are better prepared to respond to disasters, disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.
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Accountability and Transparency - Accreditation ensures that BCHD operates openly and responsibly, building public trust.
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Partnerships - It encourages stronger collaboration with local organizations, businesses, and community groups.
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Community Health - By following national standards, BCHD can provide better programs and resources to keep our county healthy.
For more information, visit www.phaboard.org
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PHAB Reaccreditation
The Bullitt County Health Department Maintains National Accreditation Status through the Public Health Accreditation Board
Maintaining Accreditation through PHAB Ensures the Bullitt County Health Department’s Capacity to Continue to Evolve, Improve, and Advance
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Bullitt County, Kentucky — December 10, 2025 — The Bullitt County Health Department (BCHD) announced it has successfully completed a review process to maintain national accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). BCHD was reaccredited on November 13th, 2025. In maintaining its accreditation status for another five years, BCHD has demonstrated that it meets PHAB’s quality standards and measures, and has the capacity to continue growing, improving, and strengthening services that support the health of Bullitt County residents.
The nonprofit PHAB works to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation. PHAB’s accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.
“We are honored to be reaccredited by PHAB, which reinforces our agency’s ongoing commitment to excellence in public health services," said Robert Flaherty, Public Health Director. “This achievement is a reflection of the day-to-day work of our team and of the vital partnerships we rely on to serve Bullitt County.”
BCHD achieved initial national accreditation status through PHAB on March 8th, 2016, after undergoing a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it met a set of quality standards and measures. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the reaccreditation process; however, this recognition demonstrates BCHD’s commitment and capacity to effectively improve the health of the community.
Often called the “backbone” of the public health system, public health departments are on the front lines of communities’ efforts to protect and promote health and prevent disease and injury. PHAB-accredited health departments demonstrate outstanding leadership by submitting their work for peer review, with the goal of using the feedback obtained during the process to improve the services they provide to their communities.
About the Bullitt County Health Department
BCHD offers a wide range of essential services that promote and protect the community’s health. Foundational and core functions include immunization programs, communicable disease control,
environmental health inspections, harm reduction, emergency preparedness and response, health education, WIC, and HANDS services. BCHD also analyzes community health data to determine local health priorities, coordinates with healthcare and community partners, and implements interventions that improve health outcomes. Learn more about BCHD at bullitthealth.org or by calling 502-955-7837.
About the Public Health Accreditation Board
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) 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 department accreditation has involved, and is supported by, public health leaders and practitioners from the national, state, local, Tribal, and territorial levels. Learn more about PHAB and accreditation at www.phaboard.org.
Community Health Assessment & Community Health Improvement Plan (CHA/CHIP)
A community health assessment (CHA) gives organizations comprehensive information about the community’s current health status, needs, and issues. This information can help develop a community health improvement plan by justifying how and where resources should be allocated to best meet community needs.
Benefits include:
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Improved organizational and community coordination and collaboration
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Increased knowledge about public health and the interconnectedness of activities
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Strengthened partnerships within state and local public health systems
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Identified strengths and weaknesses to address in quality improvement efforts
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Baselines on performance to use in preparing for accreditation
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Benchmarks for public health practice improvements
A community health improvement plan (CHIP) is a long-term, systematic effort to address public health problems based on the results of community health assessment activities and the community health improvement process. A plan is typically updated every three to five years.