Public Health Consulting Rooted in Real Experience
Public health strategic planning that actually gets implemented. We help health departments navigate community health assessments, PHAB accreditation, and data modernization with practical plans built for your constraints. Woman-owned. 8(a) certified.
Schedule a ConversationStrategic Services
Strategic Planning
Community health improvement plans (CHIP), PHAB accreditation preparation, and strategic direction that reflects what's actually achievable with your resources and staff capacity.
Learn More →Research & Assessment
Community health assessments (CHA), staff surveys, community health needs assessments, and honest evaluation of your current capabilities. Data you can actually use.
Learn More →Data Governance
Health department data governance policies and practices for managing your data assets. Who can access what, how long you keep it, and how you ensure data quality and compliance.
Learn More →Data Modernization (DM3)
Our public health data modernization maturity model for assessing where you are and building a practical roadmap for data interoperability and infrastructure improvements.
Learn More →Our Approach to Strategic Consulting
Most strategic plans fail at implementation. They're too ambitious, too vague, or disconnected from the people who have to execute them. Our Thrive methodology was built to change that.
Thrive is how we approach every strategic engagement - from community health assessments to IT implementation planning. It ensures our work is practical, sustainable, and built with your team from day one.
- Start with constraints, not aspirations. What's your actual budget? What can your staff realistically take on? What will your board actually approve?
- Involve the people who do the work. Plans created in conference rooms die in the field. We talk to frontline staff before we talk to leadership.
- Build in accountability. Every deliverable includes clear ownership, realistic milestones, and measures you can actually track.
- Plan for Monday morning. If your team doesn't know what to do next week, the plan isn't finished.
IT Implementation Strategy
Beyond strategic planning, we help health departments navigate the complex world of IT modernization. From system selection to implementation oversight, we bridge the gap between public health needs and technology solutions.
System Selection
RFP development and vendor evaluation that prioritizes your actual needs over feature lists.
Implementation Oversight
Project management that keeps vendors accountable and protects your investment.
Change Management
Staff adoption strategies that ensure your new systems actually get used.
Public Health Consulting Questions
How do I prepare for PHAB accreditation?
PHAB accreditation preparation requires a systematic approach: completing your community health assessment (CHA), developing your community health improvement plan (CHIP), ensuring your strategic plan is current, and documenting policies and procedures. Most health departments benefit from a readiness assessment 12-18 months before applying. We help departments identify documentation gaps, align existing work with PHAB requirements, and develop realistic timelines for Version 2022 standards.
What's included in a community health assessment?
A community health assessment (CHA) examines the health status, behaviors, and needs of your community using both quantitative data (vital statistics, surveillance data, demographic trends) and qualitative input (focus groups, community surveys, key informant interviews). For PHAB accreditation, your CHA must be completed within the past five years and include community engagement. We use the MAPP framework and integrate equity considerations throughout the assessment process.
How often do CHIPs need to be updated?
Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) should be updated every 3-5 years, with annual progress reviews. PHAB requires your CHIP to be current and aligned with your most recent CHA. The best CHIPs include measurable objectives, clear strategies, identified responsible parties, and realistic timelines. We help departments develop CHIPs that are ambitious enough to drive real change but practical enough to actually implement with available resources.
What consultants help with public health accreditation?
Public health accreditation consultants range from large consulting firms to specialized boutique practices like F&T Labs. What matters most is experience with PHAB requirements and understanding of health department operations. We've supported PHAB accreditation efforts from initial readiness assessments through successful site visits. Our team includes practitioners who've worked inside health departments—we understand documentation challenges and resource constraints from firsthand experience.
How much does PHAB accreditation cost?
PHAB accreditation costs include application fees (based on jurisdiction population, typically $12,000-$20,000), staff time for documentation preparation, and any consultant support. Most departments spend 12-24 months preparing. Consulting costs vary based on current readiness—departments with recent CHAs and CHIPs need less support than those starting from scratch. We provide honest assessments upfront about what's needed and what you can accomplish internally.
What is public health data modernization?
Public health data modernization refers to upgrading data systems, infrastructure, and practices to improve how health departments collect, manage, analyze, and share data. This includes moving from legacy systems to modern platforms, implementing data governance, improving interoperability between systems, and building staff capacity for data analysis. Our DM3 maturity model helps departments assess current capabilities and build practical roadmaps for improvement.
How is F&T Labs different from other public health consultants?
We're public health practitioners first. Our team includes former epidemiologists, health directors, and informaticists who've worked inside health departments. We understand grant constraints, political dynamics, and the reality of implementing plans with limited staff. We're woman-owned, 8(a) certified, and focused exclusively on public health—not a large consulting firm that added public health to their portfolio.
Ready to Plan Strategically?
Let's talk about what you're trying to accomplish and whether we can help.
Schedule a Conversation →