Red Wing, Minnesota — Goodhue County Health and Human Services announced it has successfully completed a review process to maintain national accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). In maintaining its accreditation status for another five years, Goodhue County Health and Human Services has demonstrated that it meets PHAB’s quality standards and measures and has the capacity to continue to evolve, improve and advance to continue improving the health of the residents of Goodhue County.
The non-profit 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.
“We are so proud to again be recognized by PHAB for achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement," said Nina Arneson, Goodhue County Health and Human Services Director. “Our agency has done an outstanding job utilizing the PHAB accreditation tools and processes as our agency’s roadmap for improved operations, accountability and outcomes as we carry forward our mission to Promote, Strengthen, and Protect the Health of Individuals, Families and Communities.”
Goodhue County Health and Human Services achieved national initial accreditation status through PHAB in June 2019, after undergoing a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it met a set of quality standards and measures. Today’s announcement goes a step further by demonstrating that Goodhue County Health and Human Services has the capacity to become increasingly effective at improving the health of the community.
The transformation of public health practice championed by PHAB includes strengthening “foundational” services--basic services needed to support health in all communities. These services include things like tracking health data and sharing clear information with the public. When more local health departments across the state have these tools, it will help everyone in Minnesota be healthy regardless of where they live. By seeking accreditation, local public health departments like Goodhue County Health and Human Services are not only investing in foundational services but also following national best practices to guide the work they do.
"We are pleased to see Goodhue County Health and Human Services, along with many others, successfully maintaining their five-year PHAB accreditation," said PHAB President and CEO Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP. "This demonstrates that accreditation is not just a one-time achievement but an ongoing commitment to excellence. By maintaining accreditation, these health departments reaffirm their dedication to continuous improvement and community health."
The 2025 Goodhue County Community Health Needs Assessment will be released soon, highlighting key health issues in Goodhue County, including mental health, chronic conditions, drug and alcohol use, and housing. Notably, more than 1 in 4 adults in Goodhue County reported delaying mental health care in the past year, demonstrating the importance of an accredited health department with the partnerships and capacity needed to respond to rising mental health needs and other emerging health challenges.
