PHAB Accreditation
The Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD) works hard to meet the customer’s expectations
and deliver quality services. In order to identify best practices 
within Public Health, BFHD has committed to hold itself to the standards outlined by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Achieving accreditation demonstrates that BFHD has obtained certification of competency, authority, and credibility by meeting and maintaining ongoing requirements.
In 2016, after many years of dedicated work and preparation, BFHD received official accreditation status through PHAB. This new framework derived from
PHAB has shown greater focus directly related to public health services throughout the nation. Other agencies also strive to achieve this status as it seen as the gold standard for public health, including the Washington Department of Health who became accredited with PHAB in 2013.
One of the primary purposes for achieving and maintaining accreditation is to show the community that BFHD holds itself to the highest standards as an agency and in all the programs and services it provides. PHAB aligns their standards and measures with the 10 Essential Public Health Services, resulting in the 10 PHAB Domains that guide and influence BFHD services and programs.
10 PHAB Domains:
DOMAIN 1: Assess and monitor population health status, factors that influence health, and community needs and assets.
DOMAIN 2: Investigate, diagnose, and address health problems and hazards affecting the population.
DOMAIN 3: Communicate effectively to inform and educate people about health, factors that influence it, and how to improve it
DOMAIN 4: Strengthen, support, and mobilize communities and partnerships to improve health
DOMAIN 5: Create, champion, and implement policies, plans, and laws that impact health
DOMAIN 6: Utilize legal and regulatory actions designed to improve and protect the public’s health
DOMAIN 7: Contribute to an effective system that enables equitable access to the individual services and care needed to be healthy
DOMAIN 8: Build and support a diverse and skilled public health workforce
DOMAIN 9: Improve and innovate public health functions through ongoing evaluation, research, and continuous quality improvement
DOMAIN 10: Build and maintain a strong organizational infrastructure for public health