Competency-based credentialing of public health administrators in Illinois.

This article describes an initiative to develop and implement a competency-based credentialing program for public health managers and administrators that is linked with practice performance standards for local public health systems. The Illinois Public Health Administration Certification Board represents an innovative model for credentialing public health workers, placing equal value on competencies secured through education and training and those demonstrated in practice. Competency-based credentialing of public health administrators may have applicability for other segments of the public health workforce.