Author: Lidia Aragai, MPH, CPH, Program Assistant, Program Operations, PHAB

The Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) framework outlines the responsibilities of governmental public health, including the foundational capabilities — skills and capacities that support public health protections, programs, and activities for the wellbeing of everyone. 

One of these capabilities is Accountability and Performance Management, which focuses on the health department’s ability to comply with applicable laws and policies, as well as the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)’s Standards & Measures. The capability also includes maintaining a performance management system, identifying and using promising practices, fostering an organizational culture of quality, and creating accountability structures and equity-related metrics.  

To help health departments strengthen this capability, this blog compiles practical resources that support quality improvement (QI) and performance management. These tools can support health departments in creating and maintaining structures and systems that improve population health.  

Accountability and Performance Management Resources 

1. PHAB’s Performance Management System & Quality Improvement Plan Template
   This template from PHAB provides an overview of performance management and quality improvements, examples, and a template plan for health departments. The template aligns with v2022 of the Standards & Measures for Initial Accreditation and Reaccreditation. A supplementary user guide and resource manual provide more context on the template’s timeline, its usage, and a comprehensive resource list.
2. ASTHO’s Quality Improvement Plan Toolkit: Guidance and Resources to Assist State and Territorial Health Agencies in Developing a Quality Improvement Plan
   The QI toolkit from ASTHO and the North Carolina Institute of Public Health can assist state and territorial health department staff with creating a QI plan and preparing for PHAB Accreditation. The toolkit includes practical approaches, tools, examples, and tips.
3. ASTHO’s Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation
   Health departments can demonstrate meeting national standards for quality and performance through PHAB Accreditation. This guide from ASTHO offers templates and examples to help health departments plan for Accreditation and Reaccreditation.
4. ASTHO’s Webinar Series on Advancing Performance Management 
   This webinar series from ASTHO provides in-depth coverage of performance management concepts, strategies, developing measures, and resources. Health department staff seeking training can watch this webinar series for more information on how to advance performance management within their agencies.
5. ASTHO’s Guide on Developing Internal Quality Improvement and Performance Management Training Modules 
   Training internal staff on QI and performance management can be an important way of advancing a QI culture in health departments. ASTHO, in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Health and the Public Health Foundation, created a guide outlining an approach for internal quality improvement and performance management training modules.
6. Leading Improvement Projects Course 
   This course is for people who help facilitate QI projects at health departments and includes an online toolkit. The toolkit was created by the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center in collaboration with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Office of Partnership, Planning and Improvement and the Colorado Association for Local Public Health Officials, and is a useful resource for health departments in other states.
7. ASTHO’s General Guidance to Support a Quality Improvement Council 
   This ASTHO guide includes recommendations and resources to support a QI council. Governmental public health can use the guidance to enhance their QI processes and to meet PHAB’s Standards & Measures.
8. PHIG-Funded Local Health Agencies Model Strong Performance Management Systems Blog 
   This ASTHO’s blog covers recommendations and qualities needed for a robust performance management system, as well as examples from local health departments.
9. Public Health Foundation’s Performance Management Toolkit 
   Performance management systems provide a structured approach to tracking key organizational metrics. This toolkit breaks down the approaches and components of a performance management system.

Upcoming Events 

Plan. Reflect. Adapt: Tools to Strengthen Accreditation Readiness 

When: Thursday, August 7, 2025, 1-2 p.m. ET 

Pursuing Accreditation and strengthening your department’s culture of quality goes hand in hand. These efforts thrive when teams have the right tools to plan, reflect, and adapt. In this interactive webinar, you’ll explore how PHAB’s newly released plan templates and Accreditation project management resources can help health departments organize efforts, clarify priorities, and build internal capacity to support continuous improvement. Using a scenario-based format, participants will work through common challenges and explore resource-based solutions they can apply to advance their work. 

This webinar is geared toward health department staff involved in Accreditation and quality improvement efforts — particularly those seeking customizable resources to strengthen project management strategies and the core plans required for Accreditation.   

Public Health Improvement Training 

When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 

Join national experts and peers at the annual in-person Public Health Improvement Training (PHIT) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PHIT 2025 focuses on sharing new and innovative approaches, as well as tried-and-true best practices, to continuously improve and ultimately build healthier workplaces and communities. It will provide skill-building in all areas of performance improvement through interactive learning and public health system networking. 

PHIG recipients looking for additional resources or assistance related to QI and performance management can request technical assistance from the National Partners through the PHIVE portal.