Question

The 1991 National Association presents the County Health Officer Evaluation Protocol for Excellence in Public Health (APEXPH) where it deals with addressing the issues of what to define a local health department and the capabilities that can be established as a community leader. APEXPH outlined several principles, including:

1- The government has a basic obligation to guarantee health ... the evaluation of citizens' health problems, the establishment of specific policies, and to ensure that health problems are addressed effectively.

2- Establish and comply with competition rules and practice

Answer 1

APEXPH ( Assessment Protocol for Excellence in Public Health) was developed to guide local health officials in conducting assessment and planning public health programs. It is a voluntary process for organizational and community self assessment, planned improvements, evaluation and re-assessment. It is funded through a cooperative agreement between the centers for disease control and the national association of county health officials.

APEXPH enables local health departments to strengthen their leadership role and enhance their organizational capacity in their respective communities. It guides local health officials to assess and improve the health status of their citizens. It provides a protocol through which a health department in association with its community asses the health needs, set priorities, and develop policies regarding the public health. It also provides opportunities for a local health department to assess its relationship with local government agencies, community, state health agencies and the federal health agencies

The whole process of APEXPH is divided into three parts :-

• Organizational capacity assessment (Part 1)
• The community process (Part 2)
• Completing the cycle (Part 3)

Part 3 integrates, monitors, and evaluate the plans developed during the part 1 and part 2 into the ongoing activities of a health department and the community served by it.

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