Shiawassee County Health Department announced this week that for the first time in Health Department history, a perfect accreditation score was achieved. In honor of this Orlando Todd, Director of Local Health Services with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services awarded full accreditation with special recognition to Shiawassee County Health Department at the monthly Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Sept. 15.
The accreditation process provides valuable feedback to inform SCHD of our strengths and areas for improvement, so that we can better protect and promote the health of the people we serve in our community. To receive this accreditation, Shiawassee County Health Department is required to undergo a week long rigorous, multi-faceted, on site review by a team of state reviewers and program auditors, to ensure all programs meets or exceeds state standards that promote continuous quality improvement for public health. Eleven (11) core health programs and one hundred twenty (120) program indicators were reviewed and all were met achieving the perfect score. Numerous programs received special recognition status by the state reviewers.
Accreditation is important as public health plays a critical role in protecting and improving the health of people and communities. SCHD provides a range of services aimed at promoting health behaviors; preventing diseases and injuries; ensuring access to safe food, water, and life-saving immunizations; and preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.
“We are honored to receive such high accreditation status. This achievement validates the dedication and hard work of our staff, the extraordinary support of our community partners, and the commitment of our Board of Health to improving the health and quality of life in Shiawassee County,” said Larry Johnson, Director of the Shiawassee County Health Department.