Council on Education for Public Health

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Council on Education for Public Health

• Partnerships for Preparedness Symposium
• April 23, 2007

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CEPH History

• American Public Health Association carried out
  accreditation of public health programs since
  early 1940s
• Established in 1974 by American Public Health
  Association (APHA) and Association of Schools of
  Public Health (ASPH)
• Recognized by US Department of Education as
  reliable authority in public health education
  qualifies institutions/students for federal
  programs

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CEPH Vital Statistics

• Accredit two categories
• Schools of public health
• Public health programs
• Both are full accreditation, requirements differ
• Schools must be independent operating at
  highest level of institutional autonomy
• must offer MPH in 5 core areas doctoral degree
  in 3 of the 5
• must have 5 faculty members min. to support each
  area
• Programs no constraints on organizational
  structure, though must be functional
  supportive
• may offer as few or as many concentrations/special
  izations/majors as desired
• faculty requirements based on how many programs
  of study offered.

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CEPH Vital Statistics

• Accredit 38 Schools of Public Health
• Accredit 68 Public Health Programs
• Accredit 106 total units
• Around 20 schools and programs currently
  applicants

• 1 of 38 schools is in Mexico
• 1 of 68 programs is in Canada, 1 in Lebanon
• Overall number of accredited units has increased
  by 35 in last 5 years

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CEPH Objectives

• to promote quality in public health education
  through a continuing process of self-evaluation
  by the schools and programs that seek
  accreditation
• to assure the public that institutions offering
  graduate instruction in public health have been
  evaluated and judged to meet standards essential
  for the conduct of such educational programs and
• to encourage - through periodic review,
  consultation, research, publications, and other
  means - improvements in the quality of education
  for public health.
• Broad mission of public health defined by CEPH in
  1978 enhancing human health in populations,
  through organized community effort.

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Benefits of Accreditation

• For the public, accreditation promotes the
  health, safety and welfare of society by assuring
  competent public health professionals.
• For prospective employers, it provides assurance
  that the curriculum covers essential skills and
  knowledge needed for today's jobs.
• For graduates, it promotes professional mobility
  and enhances employment opportunities in
  positions that base eligibility upon graduation
  from an accredited school or program.
• For public health workers, it involves
  practitioners in the establishment of standards
  and assures that educational requirements reflect
  the current training needs of the profession.
• For the profession, it advances the field by
  promoting standards of practice and advocating
  rigorous preparation.
• For the university, it provides a reliable basis
  for inter- and intra-institutional cooperative
  practices, including admissions and transfer of
  credit.
• For the faculty and administrators, it promotes
  ongoing self-evaluation and continuous
  improvement and provides an effective system for
  accountability.
• For the school or program, accreditation enhances
  its national reputation and represents peer
  recognition.

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CEPH Organization

• Established as independent not-for-profit 501(c)3
  tax code
• Headquartered in Washington, DC - space leased
  in the American Public Health Association
  building
• Budget 750,000 USD
• Services Accreditation reviews, consultation,
  training, technical assistance papers,
  representing public health in higher education
  dialogue

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CEPH Volunteers and Staff

• Board of Councilors
• 10 members (3 school reps, 3 practitioners, 2
  program reps, 2 public members)
• Meet 3 times per year
• Staff
• 4 full-time (Executive Director, Director of
  Accreditation Services, Accreditation Specialist,
  Office Manager)
• Volunteers
• Over 200 academic and practitioner

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CEPH-accredited insitutions with MPH/DVM joint
degrees

• Tufts University School of Medicine
• University of Colorado at Denver and Health
  Sciences University
• University of Minnesota School of Public Health
• Others not structured as dual/joint degrees eg,
  MPH in Veterinary Public Health

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CEPH Criteria

• The Public Health Program
• Mission
• Evaluation and Planning
• Institutional Environment
• Organization and Administration
• Governance
• Resources

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CEPH Criteria

• 2. Instructional Programs
• MPH Degree
• Program Length
• Public Health Core Knowledge
• Practical Skills
• Culminating Experience
• Required Competencies
• Assessment Procedures
• Academic Degrees
• Doctoral Degrees (SPH must have 3)
• Joint Degrees
• Distance Education or Executive Degree Programs

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CEPH Criteria

• 3. Creation, Application and Advancement of
  Knowledge
• Research
• Service
• Workforce Development

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CEPH Criteria

• 4. Faculty, Staff and Students
• Faculty Qualifications
• Faculty Policies and Procedures
• Faculty and Staff Diversity
• Student Recruitment and Admissions
• Student Diversity
• Advising and Career Counseling

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Site Visit

• Purpose to validate the self-study document with
  on-site interviews, review of materials
• Length
• 2 days for programs
• 3 days for schools
• Team composition
• 3 members for programs (team secretary, academic,
  practitioner)
• 5 members for schools (team secretary,
  academic(s), practitioner(s)
• Training done annually at APHA Annual Meeting for
  new team members

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CEPH Procedures

• Make contact with staff
• Submit complete application
• Begin self-study process (up to 2 years)
• Attend annual orientation session
• Schedule site visit
• Consultation visit
• Submit preliminary self-study 5 months before
  visit receive reader comments make revisions
• Final self-study to team 30 days prior to visit
• Site visit receive final report written
  response
• Decision at next Council meeting
• Process can take up to 2 ½ years

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Application timing

• Reviewed twice annually at spring and fall
  Council meetings
• 2007 meetings
• May 4 deadline for June 23 decision
• August 23 deadline for October 6 decision

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Important Documents

• Accreditation Procedures, amended February 2006
• Substantive requirements
• Accreditation Criteria Schools of Public Health,
  amended June 2005
• Accreditation Criteria Public Health Programs,
  amended June 2005

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For Additional Information Please Contact Mollie
Mulvanity, MPH, Director of Accreditation
Services mmulvanity_at_ceph.org [phone] Or
view our website at www.ceph.org