Cabarrus Health Alliance receives Renewal of ‘Project Public Health Ready’ recognition program

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA) has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.

According to a news release, CHA is the only health department in North Carolina that has demonstrated these capabilities by again meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CHA maintains its recognition along with a cohort of more than 520 local health departments across the country that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region.

“We are extremely proud of our team to have been again recognized by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Erin Shoe, CHA Public Health Director. “We learned a lot during the pandemic and continue to work to understand what recovery looks like for our community. It’s important that we continue to improve our ability to quickly and effectively respond to any public health crisis.”

PPHR recognition confirms that Cabarrus Health Alliance has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff have the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency. Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices.

PPHR recognition also requires health departments to collaborate with their state, local, and community partners to develop plans that account for all the constituents in their jurisdictions. Strong collaboration with local emergency management, municipal leaders, first responders, Atrium Health, Kannapolis City and Cabarrus County School, Metrolina Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, as well as entities like Charlotte Motor Speedway and Crossroads Church, ensure that we are able to properly practice and respond during a crisis.

“Public health preparedness planning, response, and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters.” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, Chief Executive Officer. “NACCHO commends Cabarrus Health Alliance for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”

NACCHO, the voice of the nearly 3,000 local health departments across the country, provides resources to help local health department leaders develop public health policies and programs to ensure that communities have access to vital programs and services that people need to keep them protected from disease and disaster. Its mission is to be a leader, partner, catalyst, and voice for local health departments in order to ensure the conditions that promote health and equity, combat disease, and improve the quality and length of all lives.

For more information on Project Public Health Ready, including recognized sites, project tools, and resources, visit http://www.naccho.org/PPHR.

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