Small Health Departments' Journey to Accreditation: Motivation, Communication, and Celebration

Ever wondered how small local health departments keep their staff motivated and informed during the Public Health Accreditation Board accreditation process? A study talked to 22 employees and partners from four departments serving populations under 50, 000. These departments used various strategies to keep staff engaged. They gave staff a sense of ownership and came up with creative ways to track and record progress. Simple, low-cost rewards also played a big role. These departments communicated their progress both internally and externally using face-to-face and electronic methods.Celebrations, from small rituals to big community events, were seen as essential to show collective pride in the accreditation journey. Both top-down and bottom-up strategies were used for motivation, and updates on accreditation status were shared through multiple channels. Celebrations were considered a crucial part of the process, with some even seeing reaccreditation as a major achievement to share with the community.