New Mexico Department of Health Receives National Accreditation
Today, Governor Susana Martinez announced that the New Mexico Department of Health has been awarded national accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).
The New Mexico Department of Health is now one of the 12 state health departments in the country to receive (PHAB) accreditation. The Department of Health’s accredited status could make New Mexico more competitive for funding. In the future, health departments that are accredited could be favorably looked at when federal funding decisions are made.
“The Department of Health’s nationally accredited status is an accomplishment that should make us all very proud. But more importantly, it is an assurance to the people of New Mexico of the Health Department’s commitment to measure its performance against national standards,” Governor Martinez said.
To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a specific set of standards and measures. The peer review process provides valuable feedback to inform health departments of their strengths and areas for improvement so that they can better protect and promote the health of the people in the communities they serve.
One of the requirements to be awarded accreditation is for the health department to demonstrate collaboration with communities and partners.
“Accreditation emphasizes the importance of partnerships to improve health outcomes. With community input, the Department of Health is responsive to the needs of individual communities,” said Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Retta Ward, MPH. “I want to recognize my colleagues at the Department of Health who work so hard each day to make New Mexico a healthier place. It is because of their hard work and dedication that New Mexico’s Department of Health is now nationally accredited.”
The Department began the path to accreditation in 2012 with a letter of intent. A year later, the Department submitted its application along with a letter of support from Governor Martinez. In May of 2014, the Department submitted the required evidence and documentation. A (PHAB) site team visited the Department of Health headquarters in Santa Fe in late 2014 and conducted interviews to understand how the Department operates.
The Department is required to report progress annually to (PHAB), and it will go through the reaccreditation process in 2020.
Recently, the Public Health Division was recognized by the 2015 New Mexico Performance Excellence Awards Program. The Public Health Division received Piñon recognition for showing evidence that it is in the early stages of using systematic processes as a foundation to improve overall outcomes. Earlier this year, Fortune Magazine named the Public Health Division as a great place to work.
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El Departamento de Salud de Nuevo México Recibe Acreditación Nacional