$250,000 Awarded to NH DHHS as Part of Public Health Improvement Programs for Systems and Infrastructure

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) received an award of

$250,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This

funding, made possible through the Prevention and Public Health Fund

created by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and administered by the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office for State, Tribal, Local

and Territorial Support, aims to make fundamental changes and enhancements

in health department organizations and their practices to help improve the

delivery and impact of public health services.


This includes increasing health departments’ efficiencies of program

operations to ensure seamless and coordinated services, the readiness for

health departments to apply and achieve accreditation by the Public Health

Accreditation Board, and building upon the national network of performance

improvement managers by sharing and utilizing evidence-based policies and

practices for improving the public health system.


The money will be distributed for year 2 of a 5-year cooperative agreement

program known as the National Public Health Improvement Initiative (NPHII)

Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure for Improved Health Outcomes.


DPHS is using these funds to train staff and contracted agencies in

performance management and quality improvement methods and tools; develop a

performance management system based on public health program indicators and

measures; assist DPHS programs and contracted agencies in conducting

performance improvement initiatives and implementing scientific

evidence-based policies and practices; and assist them in applying for

national public health accreditation.


“A strong, efficient, effective public health system is critical for

building a healthy society,” said CDC Director, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden.

“Investing in preventive services, system improvement and policy level

interventions in an atmosphere of accountability is essential to reducing

the burden of health care costs in the future.”


“New Hampshire will utilize these funds to measure and improve upon the

effectiveness of the public health services we deliver,” said Dr. José

Montero, Director of Public at DPHS. “We believethat this investment in

staff training and improved measurement of the services we provide will

lead to a higher level of accountability and improved delivery of public

health services.”


“These investments propel public health toward a new era of productivity

and effectiveness,” said Dr. Judith A. Monroe, CDC’s Deputy Director for

State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support. “We will be supporting health

departments in strengthening systems that are critical for detecting and

responding to unexpected disease outbreaks or other threats to the public’s

health.”


In response to the CDC’s original funding announcement March 25, 2011, CDC

received 74 applications from previously funded NPHII health departments

seeking funds through this cooperative agreement. This award was one of the

many the Prevention and Public Health Fund created through the Affordable

Care Act of 2010. For more information, please visit www.cdc.gov/ostlts  and

http://www.cdc.gov/ostlts/nphii/