Peer Assessment Program

ASTHO’s Peer Assessment Program, offered through the ASTHO STAR Center, is a valuable resource for enhancing organizational capacity that provides targeted technical assistance and an external, evidence-informed assessment.

An effective and efficient administrative infrastructure is critical for a public health agency to successfully deliver the 10 Essential Public Health Services and support public health response. The Peer Assessment Program provides an opportunity for health agencies to identify opportunities for modernizing their agency’s infrastructure and operations to meet the needs and challenges of public health.

The program is structured to assess state, territorial, and freely associated states (S/TFAS) public health agencies against a set of evidence-informed indicators through a process facilitated by administrative leadership peers from across the country. By engaging a team of external peers as assessors, health agencies benefit from fresh perspectives, valuable insight, and an objective assessment, free from internal biases. Throughout the assessment process, the health department will connect with internal and external partners to consider challenges, opportunities, and solutions for improving administrative processes and policies to address different public health threats.

Core Assessment Indicators

The Peer Assessment Program utilizes a core group of indicators to define S/TFAS administrative and organizational capacity. The indicators are used to assess and improve the core administrative processes needed most to support delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services and are organized into 10 capacity areas identified below:

  1. Human Resources Management 
  2. Workforce Development
  3. Information System Management
  4. Facilities Management
  5. Accounting, Budgeting, and Audit
  6. Procurement of Equipment, Supplies, and Services
  7. Administrative Policy and Planning
  8. Communications
  9. Performance Management/Quality Improvement and Evaluation
  10. Learning Organizational Efforts and Innovations

The indicators for these areas are used as a foundation for collaborative discussion about what is working well and areas that require improvement to modernize the agency’s administrative infrastructure and operations.

Get With the Program

If you are interested in participating in the Peer Assessment Program or you have questions, please email starpeerassessment@astho.org.

Learn How to Participate

Apply to Particpate

Health Agencies

The Peer Assessment Program is a technical assistance opportunity for health agencies to review and assess their current administrative and organizational capacity against evidence-informed indicators, consider challenges and opportunities, and prioritize and focus resources to improve in these areas. Participating agencies will engage internal and external partners during the assessment and site visit process, culminating in a report of findings and recommendations.

Benefits

 S/TFAS that participate in the Peer Assessment program will:

  • Improve agency understanding of administrative gaps and its ability to prioritize resources to improve these areas.
  • Build capacity to problem solve and develop innovative solutions that improve administrative readiness.
  • Enhance collaboration and working relationships within administrative units, across program areas, and with external partners.
  • Strengthen public health agency infrastructure and improve performance.
  • Contribute to the evidence base for modernizing public health infrastructure.

Resources

Apply

During the open application period, interested jurisdictions will submit an online application to be considered for the upcoming Peer Assessment Program cohort.

Get the Application (Word download)

Peer Reviewer Candidates

Peer reviewers are public health professionals with expertise in the administration or operations of S/TFAS and who volunteer to play a central role in the ASTHO STAR Peer Assessment Program. They are trained to assess an agency’s current administrative and organizational capacity, conduct an efficient site visit, and summarize and present findings and recommendations for improvement. A peer review team is selected by ASTHO and made up of a team leader and two team members.

By serving in this role, peer reviewers use their experience to advance S/TFAS organizational and administrative capacity to effectively and efficiently take-in, deploy, and manage funding that addresses critical population health needs and emerging public health threats.

Benefits of Volunteering

  • Learn about innovative and promising administrative practices.
  • Identify resources and expert technical assistance.
  • Network with other leaders in public health.
  • Contribute to the improvement of administrative readiness of state or territorial health agencies.
  • Job enrichment with an opportunity to build leadership skills.

Selection Criteria

  • Experience working in a S/THA in one or more core areas of administrative or organizational capacity (e.g., accounting/budgeting, procurement, IT, HR, Facilities Management).
  • Management experience.
  • Verbal and written communication skills.
  • Willingness to travel.
  • Availability.

Resource

Apply

Applications are open for Peer Reviewers! Interested individuals should complete the Peer Reviewer Application and submit the application via this online form.

Peer Reviewer Application (Word download)