What the heck is this FPHR thing all about?

By: Stephany Medina

When the time finally came to buy my first house, I was excited. I also found it to be anxiety-provoking. I wanted to do all the research I could to make sure I didn’t wind up in an unfortunate housing situation. All of the research said make sure you hire a qualified home inspector. Easy advice, right? But I came to a surprising realization: Minnesota does not require any experience, education, or licensing to become a home inspector. None. This made me even more nervous for the home inspection. However, I did learn there are home inspector associations that ensure their registered professionals have the foundational skills required to be a quality inspector. It was a relief to know that I could find an inspector in line with national standards. 

What does this have to do with public health? Community members should be able to trust that their local public health department has the foundational skills to protect their health, just like I wanted a home inspector with the foundational skills to assess my future home. Some public health departments pursue accreditation through PHAB (the Public Health Accreditation Board), but that’s not the best fit for all departments. That’s where the Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) come in.

This framework introduces the key areas of work and foundational skills, or capabilities, public health departments need to prevent, promote, and protect the public’s health. Organizing our work under this framework can help us to assure that no matter where someone lives, they have the same public health protections and the same opportunity to achieve their best health. 

This blog will share evidence-based and innovative ways to expand our work under the FPHR framework. Bookmark this blog and check back in for short reads on practical applications of the FPHR framework!