View the complete Standards and Measures for Domain 5 [pdf]

Domain 5 focuses on the development of public health policies and plans. Written policies and plans serve as tools to guide the health department’s work and bring structure and organization to the department. Written policies and plans provide a resource to health department staff as well as to the public. Policies and plans help to orient and train staff, inform the public and partners, and serve as a key component of developing consistency in operations and noting areas for improvement. The development of policies and plans can be a vehicle for community engagement and shared responsibility for addressing population health improvement.

Policies and plans that are not public health specific may also impact the public’s health, for example, zoning, transportation, and education. Policy makers should be informed of the potential public health impact of policies that they are considering or that are already in place. Policy makers and the public should have access to sound, science-based, current public health information when policies are being considered or adopted.