Improving Local Health Through Partner Engagement and Policy: Establishing the First Performance Standards for...

Area of Science:

• Public Health Policy
• Health Systems Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• The Massachusetts (MA) local public health system is decentralized, with 351 municipalities managing their own infrastructure and budgets.
• This decentralization leads to disparities in public health service delivery across the state.
• The MA Department of Public Health (MDPH) aims to achieve equitable access through systems change, requiring partner collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To collaboratively establish the first official Performance Standards (PS) for local public health in MA.
• To reduce inequities in public health system delivery through the implementation of these standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilized partner engagement and qualitative methods in health policy and systems research.
• Compiled and analyzed MA laws for relevant standards, organizing them using document and thematic content analyses.
• Facilitated statewide collaboration from 2021-2023, involving key public health organizations, state agencies, and local public health representatives.

Main Results:

• Formalized the first official MA Performance Standards (PS) for local public health in October 2023.
• PS include 87 standards across environmental health, tobacco control, disease control and prevention, administration, and recommended workforce standards.
• PS establish minimum expectations for local public health credentialing and aim to ensure consistent service delivery.

Conclusions:

• Performance Standards (PS) represent a crucial step towards systemic change in MA's public health system.
• Collaboration is vital for partner buy-in and the successful establishment and implementation of PS.
• Effective PS implementation is expected to reduce service disparities and enhance equitable access to public health services for MA residents.