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Interest in initiatives that focus on public health improvement is increasing. This includes support for accreditation of public health departments, administered by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) . Interest in public health improvement is also shown by increasing expectations that health departments should use evidence-based programs, services, and policies such as those included in The Community Guide.

Successful navigation through the accreditation process developed by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) requires strong and effective leadership. Situational leadership, a contingency theory of leadership, frequently taught in the public health classroom, has utility for leading a public health agency through this process. As a public health agency pursues accreditation, staff members progress from being uncertain and unfamiliar with the process to being knowledgeable and confident in their ability to fulfill the accreditation requirements.

Accreditation has been identified as a crucial strategy for strengthening the public health infrastructure. As agencies prepare for accreditation, it is important to understand how intentions to seek accreditation are related to the current level of readiness based on the three Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) prerequisites.