Crosswalk of Public Health Accreditation and the Public Health Code of Ethics Highlighted items relate to the Water Supply case studied discussed in the online session.
Domain 1 (Monitor health status and understand health issues) Ethical Principles Obtain and maintain data that provide information on the community’s health Health services data, environmental data, data on disparities such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, limited or no access to transportation etc. Analyze data to identify trends, health problems, environmental health hazards, and social and economic conditions that adversely affect the public’s health. 1.Public health should address principally the fundamental causes of disease and requirements for health, aiming to prevent adverse health outcomes 4.Public health should advocate and work for the empowerment of disenfranchised community members, aiming to ensure that the basic resources and conditions necessary for health are accessible to all. Develop relationships with local providers and others in the community who have information on reportable diseases and other conditions of public health interest and facilitate information exchange. 3.Public health policies, programs and priorities should be developed and evaluated through processes that ensure an opportunity for input from community members. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness. Integrate data with health assessment and data collection efforts conducted by others in the public health system. Conduct or contribute expertise to periodic community health assessments. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness.
Domain 2 (Protect people from health problems and health hazards) Ethical Principles Investigate health problems and environmental hazards Prevent, minimize and contain adverse health events and conditions resulting from communicable diseases, food, water and vector-borne outbreaks, chronic diseases, environmental hazards, injuries and health disparities Maintain access to laboratory and biostatistical expertise and capacity 1.Public health should address principally the fundamental causes of disease and requirements for health, aiming to prevent adverse health outcomes 7.Public health institutions should act in a timely manner on the information they have within the resources and the mandate given to them by the public. 9.Public health programs and policies should be implemented in a manner that most enhances the physical and social environment. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness. Coordinate with other governmental agencies that investigate and respond to health problems, health disparities, or environmental health hazards. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. Lead public health emergency planning, exercises, and response activities in the community in accordance with the National Incident Management System, and coordinate with other local, state, and federal agencies. Fully participate in planning, exercises, and response activities for other emergencies in the community that have public health implications, within the context of state and regional plans and in a manner consistent with the community’s best public health interest. Maintain policies and technology required for urgent communications and electronic data exchange. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. 7.Public health institutions should act in a timely manner on the information they have within the resources and the mandate given to them by the public.
Domain 3 (Give people information they need to make healthy choices) Ethical Principles Provide targeted, culturally appropriate information to help individuals understand what decisions they can make to be healthy. 2.Public Health should achieve community health in a way that respects the rights of individuals in the community. 8.Public health programs and policies should incorporate a variety of approaches that anticipate and respect diverse values, beliefs and cultures in the community. Exchange information and data with individuals, community groups, other agencies, and the general public about physical, behavioral, environmental, social, economic, and other issues affecting the public’s health. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness. Develop relationships with media to convey information of public health significance, correct misinformation and serve as an essential resource 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation.
Domain 4 (Engage the Community to identify and solve health problems) Ethical Principles Engage the local public health system in an ongoing, strategic, community-driven, comprehensive planning process to identify, prioritize, and solve public health problems; establish public health goals; and evaluate success in meeting the goals. Support, implement, and evaluate strategies that address public health goals in partnership with public and private organizations. 3.Public health policies, programs and priorities should be developed and evaluated through processes that ensure an opportunity for input from community members. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness. Develop partnerships to generate interest in and support for improved community health status, including new and emerging public health issues Inform the community, governing bodies, and elected officials about governmental public health services that are being provided, improvements being made in those services, and priority health issues not yet being adequately addressed. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness.
Domain 5 (Develop public health policies and plans) Ethical Principles Advocate for policies that lessen health disparities and improve physical, behavioral, environmental, social, and economic conditions in the community that affect the public’s health. Engage in LHD strategic planning to develop a vision, mission, and guiding principles that reflect the community’s public health needs, and to prioritize services and programs. 1.Public health should address principally the fundamental causes of disease and requirements for health, aiming to prevent adverse health outcomes 4.Public health should advocate and work for the empowerment of disenfranchised community members, aiming to ensure that the basic resources and conditions necessary for health are accessible to all. 8.Public health programs and policies should incorporate a variety of approaches that anticipate and respect diverse values, beliefs and cultures in the community. 9.Public health programs and policies should be implemented in a manner that most enhances the physical and social environment. Serve as a primary resource to governing bodies and policymakers to establish and maintain public health policies, practices, and capacity based on current science and best practices. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness.
Domain 6 (Enforce public health laws and regulations) Ethical Principles Understand existing laws, ordinances, and regulations that protect the public’s health. 1.Public health should address principally the fundamental causes of disease and requirements for health, aiming to prevent adverse health outcomes Educate individuals and organizations on the meaning, purpose, and benefit of public health laws, regulations, and ordinances and how to comply. Coordinate notification of violations among other governmental agencies that enforce laws and regulations that protect the public’s health. 2.Public Health should achieve community health in a way that respects the rights of individuals in the community. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. Review existing laws and regulations and work with governing bodies and policymakers to update them as needed. Monitor, and analyze over time, the compliance of regulated organizations, entities, and individuals. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. 10.Public health institutions should protect the confidentiality of information that can bring harm to an individual or community if made public. Exceptions must be justified based on the high likelihood of significant harm to the individual or others.
Domain 7 (Help people receive health services) Ethical Principles Engage the community to identify gaps in culturally-competent, appropriate, and equitable personal health services, including preventive and health promotion services, and develop strategies to close the gaps. Support and implement strategies to increase access to care and establish systems of personal health services, including preventive and health promotion services, in partnership with the community. Link individuals to available, accessible personal healthcare providers (i.e., a medical home) 4.Public health should advocate and work for the empowerment of disenfranchised community members, aiming to ensure that the basic resources and conditions necessary for health are accessible to all. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. 8.Public health programs and policies should incorporate a variety of approaches that anticipate and respect diverse values, beliefs and cultures in the community.
Domain 8 (Maintain a competent public health workforce) Ethical Principles Evaluate LHD staff members’ public health competencies and address deficiencies through continuing education, training, and leadership development activities. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. Recruit, train, develop, and retain a diverse staff. Evaluate LHD staff members’ public health competencies,7 and address deficiencies through continuing education, training, and leadership development activities Provide practice- and competency-based educational experiences for the future public health workforce, and provide expertise in developing and teaching public health curricula, through partnerships with academia. Promote the use of effective public health practices among other practitioners and agencies engaged in public health interventions. Provide the public health workforce with adequate resources to do their jobs. 11.Public health institutions should ensure the professional competence of their employees.
Domain 9 (Use continuous quality improvement tools to evaluate and improve the quality of programs and interventions) Ethical Principles Develop evaluation efforts to assess health outcomes to the extent possible. Apply evidence-based criteria to evaluation activities where possible. Evaluate the effectiveness and quality of all LHD programs and activities and use the information to improve LHD performance and community health outcomes. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health. Review the effectiveness of public health interventions provided by other practitioners and agencies for prevention, containment, and/or remediation of problems affecting the public’s health and provide expertise to those interventions that need improvement. 6.Public health institutions should provide communities with the information they have that is needed for decisions on policies or programs and should obtain the community’s consent for their implementation. 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness.
Domain 10 (Contribute to and apply the evidence base of public health) Ethical Principles Share results of research, program evaluations, and best practices with other public health practitioners and academics. Apply evidence-based programs and best practices where possible. 1.Public health should address principally the fundamental causes of disease and requirements for health, aiming to prevent adverse health outcomes When researchers approach the LHD to engage in research activities that benefit the health of the community o Work with them to actively involve the community in all phases of research o Identify appropriate populations, geographic areas and partners o Facilitate their efforts to share research findings with the community, governing bodies, and policymakers. Share results of research, program evaluations, and best practices with other public health practitioners and academics. 3.Public health policies, programs and priorities should be developed and evaluated through processes that ensure an opportunity for input from community members. 5.Public health should seek the information needed to implement effective policies and programs that protect and promote health 12.Public health institutions and their employees should engage in collaborations and affiliations in ways that build the public’s trust and the institution’s effectiveness.