The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) Readiness Assessment is an essential first step for any health department beginning its accreditation journey. In fact, a survey found that 100% of Health Departments either agreed or strongly agreed that “the Readiness Assessment process has helped our department feel more prepared to apply for Pathways and/or Initial Accreditation” (Source: PHAB Post-Readiness Assessment Survey, 12/1/2024 – 6/30/2025, N= (20)). This self-reported assessment offers a structured look at a department’s current practices, policies, and capacity, helping departments understand where they stand before diving into the full Accreditation process.

What the Readiness Assessment Is and Why It Matters

As part of PHAB’s readiness and training phase, the Readiness Assessment helps health departments identify strengths and areas for improvement. After the department submits its self-reported assessment an Accreditation Specialist reviews and scores the assessment, then recommends the most appropriate Accreditation path, either:

• Pathways Track 1,
• Pathways Track 2,
• Pathways Tracks 1 & 2, or
• Accreditation

Along with this recommendation, departments receive feedback on major strengths and key areas to focus on — insight that can guide early planning and resource allocation.

The Readiness Assessment encourages thoughtful preparation of foundational plans essential to Accreditation, including:

• Community Health Assessment
• Community Health Improvement Plan
• Continuity of Operations Plan
• Emergency Preparedness Plans
• Workforce Development Plan
• Quality Improvement Plan
• Performance Management Plan
• Strategic Plan

Benefits of Completing a Readiness Assessment

Conducting a Readiness Assessment offers several practical advantages:

• Clarifies the baseline: understand where the department stands today.
• Identifies gaps: spot gaps and areas for improvement in policies, procedures, processes, and documentation.
• Builds internal buy-in: engages staff early and promotes shared ownership of accreditation activities.
• Provides expert guidance: receive tailored feedback from an Accreditation Specialist to inform next steps based on questions asked and information provided in the Readiness Assessment.

Making the Most of Your Results

 Recommendations and feedback are only as strong as the detail provided; the more context and information included in your Readiness Assessment, the more tailored the feedback will be. Once the department receives their Readiness Assessment Summary, they should:

1. Review the recommendations and feedback carefully.
2. Select the program that aligns with the department’s goals and capacity (Pathways or Accreditation).
3. Use the insights to guide planning, staffing, and improvement efforts.

Tools to Support Your Accreditation Journey

PHAB offers several free resources to help departments move forward with confidence:

• PHAB Learning Center trainings
• The Readiness Assessment itself (as an ongoing reference)
• PHAB Standards and Measures
• Documentation forms and templates
• Additional Complimentary tools on PHAB’s website

Using these tools can streamline Accreditation preparation and strengthen documentation.

Is your department ready to take the next step? Interested health departments may register for Readiness and Training here.

Have Questions? Just askPHAB!

PHAB is here to support you throughout the process. If you need clarification, guidance, or additional resources, reach out through askPHAB (askPHAB@phaboard.org)—your direct line to our team of Accreditation Specialists.

About the Author

Meredith Langfritz

Meredith Langfritz, MPH, is an Accreditation Specialist at PHAB. She comes from the HIV/STI/VH prevention department at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. She brings 7+ years of varied public health experience, including program planning and development, contracts and compliance, and program evaluation. She received her MPH from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2019 with honors.

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