Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD) has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. JCHD demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jefferson County Health Department joins a cohort of more than 550 local health departments across the country that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region.
Public Health Preparedness Exercise in 2024.
“We are proud to have been reaccredited by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Steve Sikes, JCHD Executive Director. “This is a great example of the dedicated, professional staff we have and our commitment to providing excellent public health services.”
In 2020, JCHD was initially accredited through the PPHR Recognition Program and applied for reaccreditation in 2024. The Public Health Preparedness Team worked diligently to update and improve our capabilities-based plans, adding lessons learned from COVID-19, Mpox, and Tuberculosis emergencies. Jefferson County Health Department will be formally recognized and awarded at the NACCHO Preparedness Summit in April 2025.
“Through this process, we were able to expand and build upon our previous plans based on real-life experience from the last five years,” said Jeana Vidacak, JCHD Community Services Manager. “We feel confident that we have a robust plan that staff not only understand but can execute effectively.”
PPHR recognition confirms that JCHD has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff have the training to protect the community's health during an emergency. Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices.
“Public health preparedness planning, response, and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments are essential in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, Chief Executive Officer. “NACCHO commends Jefferson County Health Department for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”