ASHLAND – The Ashland County Health Department has submitted all documentation for accreditation, health commissioner Vickie Taylor announced during the board of health meeting Tuesday night.
Public health accreditation by the national Public Health Accreditation Board demonstrates a health department meets or exceeds a common set of national standards, has the capacity to provide core public health services and continually strives to improve service, value and accountability to stakeholders.
Now that the health department has submitted all documentation, an accreditation specialist will review the documents and the health department will then have a chance to correct the submission based on that review.
After that, the department will undergo a site visit to determine if it has met, met with concerns or not met accreditation — and the health department will again have a chance to correct action moving forward.
“So, will we be accredited in 2022? Possibly,” Taylor said.
Accreditation is based on the following factors:
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The measurement of health department performance against a set of nationally recognized, practice-focused and evidenced-based standards.
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The issuance of recognition of achievement of accreditation within a specified time frame by a nationally recognized entity.
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The continual development, revision, and distribution of public health standards.
While Taylor said she feels good about the submission, the health department staff have also learned of areas for improvement, specifically mentioning documentation.
Regarding documentation, the health department plans to switch to an electronic time-tracking system for employees. Currently, time-tracking is done manually, handwritten on paper by employees with administration logging it digitally every two weeks.
Business manager Jenny Helbert estimated after initial set up cost the system will be about $1,000 per year.
“If you take the amount of time (Taylor) and I put into this every other week, I think it pays for itself,” Helbert said, adding it’s also expected to minimize errors.
In other business, adult protective services contacted the health department March 3 about a case involving unsanitary living conditions. Director of environmental health Pat Donaldson visited the place of residence March 4, after police and the health department obtained a search permit.
The case involves a 92-year-old man in hospice care living with his adult son. The father was removed from the house Friday and placed in respite care for five days. Further placement and care of the father remains with Social Services.
“I don’t know where we fit in the declaration of the unsanitary conditions,” Donaldson said. “It’s definitely unsanitary. It’s not necessarily public health.”
Ultimately, the board decided Donaldson, as the investigator, would send a notice of violation, and threaten further board action if conditions are not met.
Also, the board voted to align mileage reimbursement at the IRS rate, which is now 58.5 cents per mile, effective March 9.
The board will be reviewing several programs it suspended during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — such as car-seat training — to determine if there is a community need or if that need is being fulfilled elsewhere.
During its February meeting, the board discussed potentially applying for a tobacco-use grant. Taylor said Tuesday the health department has decided not to apply for the grant, following conversations with other health commissioners.
“There were just some items in it that were deliverables that didn’t seem like they belonged in public health and could have some legal ramifications,” Taylor said.
Taylor also shared COVID-19 data for 2021, although it remains subject to change. Based on the available data, the county had 117 confirmed COVID-19 deaths — 74.3% unvaccinated, 19.6% fully vaccinated and 6% vaccination status unknown. The average age of COVID-19 deaths in 2021 was 73 years old.
Regarding other data, Taylor reported that health department staff has increased by six employees since 2018. Looking ahead, the department has eight employees close to retirement age.
“I hope that in 2022 we might have a couple more additions to our staff,” Taylor said.
