RUHS Public Health Successfully Renews National Accreditation
Friday, March 13, 2026
Riverside, CA (March 13, 2026) - Riverside University Health System - Public Health (RUHS - PH) succeeded in its year-long bid for reaccreditation from the nationally recognized Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), a non-profit organization that works to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure and innovation.
PHAB’s accreditation program, which receives support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sets standards against which the nation’s governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.
"It says a lot about any organization that holds its practices and protocols up to the scrutiny of its peers. Public Health, led by director Kim Saruwatari, has been a consistent presence for good in this county, always seeking to become better, stronger and more adaptable in the face of the ever-changing landscape of health in Riverside County. I commend the staff and leadership for this accomplishment," said First District Supervisor and Board Chairwoman Karen Spiegel.
RUHS - PH first launched its bid for accreditation in 2019 with two goals: improve agency quality and performance and ensure accountability in service of the governing bodies, policymakers and communities served. The department was awarded full accreditation through 2024.
In maintaining its accreditation status for another five years, RUHS - PH has demonstrated that it meets PHAB’s quality standards and measures and has the capacity to evolve and advance the health of the residents of Riverside County.
As part of the accreditation review, PHAB evaluated the Department’s performance across some of the following key areas of public health practice: community health assessment and improvement planning, disease prevention and surveillance, emergency preparedness, workforce development and quality improvement.
"We are pleased to see RUHS - PH, along with many others, successfully maintaining their five-year PHAB accreditation," said PHAB President and CEO Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP. "This demonstrates that accreditation is not just a one-time achievement but an ongoing commitment to excellence. By maintaining accreditation, these health departments reaffirm their dedication to continuous improvement and community health."
The process of pursuing accreditation is lengthy, rigorous and entirely voluntary. Measures are peer-reviewed to ensure that the department meets or exceeds standards, in coordination with valuable feedback to inform health departments of their strengths and areas for improvement so that they can better protect and promote the health of the people in the communities they serve.
"I am immensely proud of our Public Health staff. They are a skilled and talented team committed to the health and well-being of Riverside County residents. The accreditation renewal is a welcome validation of the important work that they do without fail every day in our communities," said Kim Saruwatari, Director, RUHS - PH.
The public is invited to learn more about RUHS - PH's priorities for health in Riverside County, created in partnership with the community, by reviewing the Riverside County Community Health Assessment 2024, the Community Health Improvement Plan 2025-2030 and RUHS – PH's Strategic Plan 2024-2028.
See what health looks like in Riverside County by visiting the Epidemiology & Program Evaluation department or ShapeRivCo.org.
Visit www.ruhealth.org/public-health/phab for more information.
