What do the NPHPSP instruments look like?
Each of the instruments shares the same format. The 10 Essential Public Health Services provide the framework for the instruments, so there are 10 sections or “chapters” – one for each Essential Service. Then, each Essential Service section is divided into several indicators, which are essentially titles for the subsections of each Essential Service. The indicators identify major components, activities, or practice areas of the Essential Service. Associated with each indicator are model standards (written in paragraph and bullet format) that describe aspects of optimal performance. Each model standard is followed by a series of assessment questions that serve as measures of performance. Each assessment question / measure is associated with four different response options (yes, high partial, low partial and no), which the public health system or governing entity uses to determine its level of performance. The State and Local Instruments also include two summary questions at the end of e
