Public health departments have lower standards than zoos

Libraries, universities and even zoos have national accreditation standards they must meet. But public health departments -- the very agencies that oversee disease outbreaks and the sanitation of restaurants and drinking water -- don't. There is, however, a movement to change that. A national accreditation board for state and local public health departments was officially formed in 2011, but the process is currently voluntary. Since then, 96 agencies across the country (out of 2,615) have received accreditation, with an additional 253 in the process. If all 253 attain accreditation, that still only makes 13 percent.