10A NCAC 48C .0102      DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply throughout this Chapter:

(1)           "Accreditation" means an evaluation of an LHD's infrastructure, competence, and capacity to provide public health services through the satisfaction of the standards set out in 10A NCAC 48D Section .0200.

(2)           "Accreditation status" means the status assigned to an LHD by the Board in accordance with G.S. 130A-34.1 and the rules of this Subchapter. The types of accreditation status are accredited, conditionally accredited, or unaccredited.

(3)           "Activity" means a task demonstrating achievement of a portion of a standard.

(4)           "Board" means "Accreditation Board" as defined in G.S. 130A-2(1).

(5)           "Board of Health" or "BOH" means a "local board of health" as defined in G.S. 130A-2(4), a board of county commissioners that has assumed control of a local board of health in accordance with G.S. 153A-77(a), a consolidated human services board with the authority to carry out the functions of a local board of health in accordance with G.S. 153A-77(b)(2), or hospital authority board acting pursuant to S.L. 1997-502, Sec. 12.

(6)           "Community" means a subdivision of the population that shares one or more characteristics.

(7)           "Community Health Assessment" means a process to identify through the collection and analysis of data and to document in a written report the public health needs within an LHD's jurisdiction.

(8)           "Community Health Improvement Plan" means a written document setting out the steps to address the public health needs identified in the Community Health Assessment.

(9)           "Community Partner" means individuals, groups, or organizations that are not affiliated with federal, state, local, or tribal government, but work with the LHD to identify and address public health needs.

(10)         "Dashboard" means the web-based portal developed and maintained by the Institute to receive self-assessments submitted by LHDs. The Dashboard is located at https://nclhdaccreditation.unc.edu/nclhda-dashboard/.

(11)         "Evidence-informed practice" means a way of doing something that is based on research findings, public health data, professional public health expertise, or customer feedback.

(12)         "Institute" means the North Carolina Institute for Public Health.

(13)         "Jurisdiction" means the county or counties that an LHD serves.

(14)         "Local health department" or "LHD" means a local health department as defined in G.S. 130A-2(5), a consolidated human services agency that includes the local health department pursuant to G.S. 153A-77(b)(3), or an agency acting under the direction of a hospital authority board acting pursuant to S.L. 1997-502, Sec. 12.

(15)         "Local health director" means a local health director as defined in G.S. 130A-2(6) or appointed pursuant to G.S. 153A-77(e).

(16)         "Population" means the people residing within an LHD's jurisdiction.

(17)         "Self-assessment" means a written review that reflects the degree of an LHD's satisfaction of each standard and activity set out in 10A NCAC 48D Section .0200 that is completed and submitted by the LHD in accordance with 10A NCAC 48D .0201. The self-assessment shall include documentation supporting the completion of each activity.

(18)         "Structural or Social Determinants of Health" or "SDOH" means the non-medical factors that impact health, well-being, and quality of life including social, economic, and political factors that generate and maintain individual health outcomes.

(19)         "Standard" means a criterion to be assessed in determining an LHD's accreditation. A standard is comprised of activities.

(20)         "Source of data" means quantitative or qualitative data collected by an LHD or another entity.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-34.1;

Eff. June 1, 2026.