STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County General Health District has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board.

Established in 2007, the board is the nonprofit organization that administers the national accreditation program, which aims to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation.

Achieving national initial accreditation status marks years of continuous effort from JCGHD staff and the board of health, Health Commissioner Andrew Henry said.

“We hope this announcement will reassure our community, partners, funders and our elected officials that the services we provide are as responsive as possible and are meeting the foundational needs of our community,” he said, pointing out the announcement came on National Rural Health Day Thursday. “This day is an opportunity to honor the incredible efforts of rural health providers, communities, organizations, and stakeholders dedicated to addressing the unique health needs of rural America.”

Henry said the JCGHD “takes great pride in serving a county of mixed urban and rural communities.” Often called the backbone of the public health system, local public health departments are on the front lines of communities’ efforts to protect and promote health and prevent disease and injury. He said PHAB-accredited health departments “demonstrate great leadership by working on continuous quality improvement initiatives in public health, with the ultimate goal of advancing the services they provide to their communities.”

He said PHAB’s accreditation process measures health departments against a set of nationally recognized, evidence-based standards, pointing out PHAB works to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure and innovation. PHAB’s accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.

“National accreditation through PHAB has benefits that extend far beyond the health department itself,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, PHSB president and CEO. “The accreditation process helps health departments identify key areas for improvement, ensuring they provide the highest level of service to their communities. With this accomplishment, communities served by accredited health departments can trust that their department is strong, capable and committed to protecting and promoting public health.”