The Winnebago County Health Department attained national accreditation status on November 14, 2017.
National accreditation is a five year designation recognizing the WCHD’s capacity and commitment to protect and promote the health of our community. To receive national accreditation, the WCHD underwent a rigorous, multi-faceted peer-reviewed assessment process to demonstrate that it meets or exceeds the rigorous standards established by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).
PHAB is a non-profit, non-governmental organization supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that provides national public health accreditation for state, territorial, local, and tribal health departments. The national accreditation program was created collaboratively over a 10-year period by hundreds of public health practitioners working at the all levels of government. Accreditation along with innovation can help ensure that health departments are continually improving along with national public health standards and building health and equity in their communities.
To keep this accreditation status, WCHD must go through a reaccreditation process every 5 years. WCHD is actively working through the re-accreditation process now which will take place in 2023.
A Celebration of OVER 150 Years of Progress
HISTORY
The Winnebago County Health Department was established via referendum in 1970 after a merger of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County’s public health services in 1969. The Winnebago County Board of Health purchased Jewitt Hall from Rockford College in 1971 and the City and County staff merged into the new facility. In 2004, the Winnebago County Health Department celebrated over 150 years of public health service and achievement in the Rockford area