South Dakota Department of Health’s Journey Toward Initial Public Health Accreditation
Accreditation means excellence. It means that a health department is committed to continuous quality and performance improvement. Accreditation is a way to reduce siloes and engage all staff in transformation and improvement efforts. Beginning in March 2026, the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) embarked on its journey toward achieving initial accreditation.
Public health accreditation will provide a means for the SD DOH to build capacity in key public health areas to help carry out the 10 Essential Public Health Services and the Foundational Capabilities. Accreditation supports performance improvement efforts, often leading to a transformational journey built on evidence-based standards, allowing SD DOH to demonstrate performance and accountability to communities, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Benefits of Public Health Accreditation
Accreditation provides a framework for health departments to identify performance improvement opportunities, demonstrate credibility, develop leadership, and improve relationships with the community. It serves as both an accountability and transparency mechanism and is a step on a journey to transform public health practice. Additional benefits include:
- Promotes a culture of quality and performance improvement
- Increases capacity to respond to public health emergencies
- Encourages prioritization of health priorities based on community need
- Strengthens health departments to better serve communities
- Assures stakeholders that the health department is delivering Foundational Capabilities
Public Health Accreditation Board
SD DOH is partnering with the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) to obtain initial public health accreditation. PHAB is a 501(c)(3) organization that administers the national public health Accreditation Program and the Pathways Recognition Program. As the sole national accrediting body for public health in the United States, PHAB supports health departments to improve quality, accountability, and performance. SD DOH regularly engages with PHAB staff to understand accreditation requirements, seek guidance, and maintain forward momentum.
Accreditation at DOH Mini Clips
This short video explains what public health accreditation is, why it matters, and how every area plays a part in strengthening our department. It highlights the ten domains of accreditation and shows how this work supports our goal of delivering high-quality, consistent services to the people of South Dakota.
For questions, contact: accreditation@state.sd.us