First health agency in Hudson Valley to do so
The Putnam County Department of Health on March 8 became the first health agency in the Hudson Valley to achieve national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The Carmel-based agency is one of fewer than 200 departments, among more than 2,500 nationwide, to receive the five-year designation. “This achievement is the result of four years of focused work by the health department,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “We should be very proud.”
Dr. Michael Nesheiwat, the county’s interim health commissioner, added that “this is an important national designation. Hospitals need to be accredited; now health departments can take up a similar challenge.”
The accreditation application began in 2012 and wrapped up in January of this year with a two-day site visit by the board examiners. In the meantime, more than 1,080 electronic files were prepared and submitted. Launched in 2011, PHAB was created to serve as the national public health accreditation body and is jointly funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation.
