PHP Learning Collaborative

The Multi-State Learning Collaborative: Lead States in Public Health Quality Improvement
The Multi-State Learning Collaborative: Lead States in Public Health Quality Improvement (MLC) brought
state and local health departments together with other stakeholders—including public health institutes,
health care providers, and universities—to improve public health services by implementing quality
improvement (QI) practices. The MLC was managed by NNPHI and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation (RWJF). During the MLC's six years, QI teams in each of the 16 participant states prepared
for public health accreditation and applied QI practices to achieve specific and measurable goals, such as
increasing immunization rates or increasing the number of adults exercising in a community.
The MLC helped foster learning, comradeship, and momentum for accreditation; promote a new focus on
infrastructure in public health departments; and grow the movement toward a culture of QI. When the MLC
came to a close in April 2011, there were countless legacies, including the galvanization and preparation of
health departments across the country for national accreditation.
NNPHI, the MLC participants, and the field of public health practitioners will continue to build upon the
improved knowledge, practice, partnerships, and policy that resulted from the MLC.

To learn more about NNPHI's Accreditation and Performance Improvement initiatives, contact Whitney
Magendie, Program Coordinator, at [email protected].