Bridgeport, CT – Today, the Bridgeport Department of Health and Social Services announced it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Established in 2007, PHAB is the non-profit organization that administers the national accreditation program, which aims to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation.

“We are so pleased to be recognized by PHAB for achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement," stated Sumit Sharma, Acting Director of Health and Social Services.

The national accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. Standards emphasize Foundational Capabilities and are aligned with the 10 Essential Public Health Services. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, only three other local health departments in Connecticut are accredited by PHAB. Now Bridgeport population will reap the benefits of being served by a health department that has undergone PHAB’s rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets a set of quality standards and measures.

Mayor Ganim stated, “I want to congratulate the Bridgeport Department of Health and Social Services for this wonderful accomplishment. I’m very proud of all the staff that have worked toward this achievement, and I’m excited to know that the department has been and will continue working efficiently to provide the best quality services possible to the residents of our City.”