The recently released Program Evaluation Division Report on the feasibility of the transfer of the Division of Public Health to the University of North Carolina highlights the quality improvement work and progress being made within the NC public health system. The Program Evaluation Division is a central, non-partisan staff unit of the Legislative Services Commission of the North Carolina General Assembly that assists the General Assembly in overseeing government functions. The mission of the Program Evaluation Division is to evaluate whether public services are delivered in an effective and efficient manner and in accordance with the law.

This year’s conference theme explored the impact of social determinants of health and ways to address them through the increased use of evidence based strategies, quality improvement, and partnerships. These “hot topics” attracted such a large crowd that this year’s conference was filled to capacity. Numerous presentations highlighted the outstanding quality improvement work taking place in public health.

To clarify accreditation requirements, the Division of Public Health maintains a standardized list of data sources approved for Community Health Assessments. It is critical for local health departments in NC to use these data sources to ensure the most timely and highest quality data available. This standardized list of data sources is provided so that meaningful, reliable comparisons can be made across counties and with the state.