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FAQs

Do you have a question that isn’t listed here? We invite you to send it to us using the Contact Us form

Is FPHS only in Washington?

The Public Health Accreditation Board maintains a national framework for FPHS. In Washington State, FPHS aligns with national efforts and is tailored to meet the needs of our governmental public health system.

Where does FPHS funding come from?

FPHS funding comes from the general state fund account and through the FPHS Account, as appropriated by the State Legislature.

Who decides how FPHS funding is allocated?

The FPHS Steering Committee decides how the FPHS funding is allocated. Allocation decisions are done through a concurrence process, where all governmental public health sectors reach consensus in decision-making. Additionally, Tribal Consultation and Urban Conference must take place for the decisions made around the Tribal FPHS sector.

How often are FPHS funding decisions made?

Decisions are made whenever new FPHS funds are appropriated or reduced by the state legislature, FPHS funds become available through other means, or FPHS allocations need revising. The main decision points tend to be on a biennial basis, and are attached to the State Fiscal Year, which runs from July 1st to June 30th of the following year.

What is FPHS doing for my community?

FPHS is a critical element in creating and maintaining a resilient and consistent public health system across Washington State. You can find stories about specific examples in the FPHS In Action portion of this website, as well as in the FPHS Annual Investment Reports.

Can private health or other NGOs apply for FPHS funding?

No. FPHS includes dedicated funding to support the governmental public health system.

Why aren’t hospitals and doctors part of FPHS?

While hospitals, doctors, and medical providers are all part of keeping Washington healthy, they are part of the private sector of healthcare, and not part of the governmental public health system.

What are “Indian health organizations”?

Per RCW 43.70.515, “Indian health programs” means tribally operated health programs, urban Indian health programs, tribal epidemiology centers, the American Indian health commission for Washington state, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.

Telling the Story of  Foundational Public Health Services

"Having a Community Health Assessment (CHA) allowed the department to evaluate health equity, identify critical service gaps, and understand the nuanced barriers that impact rural well-being—from healthcare access and behavioral health to food security, transportation, and childcare."

How FPHS Investment Transformed Community Health in Garfield County

"Without FPHS, BFHD’s response to a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza event would have been slower, less coordinated, and less equitable. With it, the community received swift care, workers were protected, and public health partners across Washington gained new insights to improve future responses."

How FPHS Resources Scaled the 2024 HPAI Outbreak Response

"FPHS funds supported (or in coordination with local nonprofit organizations, SRHD leveraged FPHS funds to support) the translation and targeted dissemination of plain-language public health emergency preparedness materials covering extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and general household preparedness topics to disproportionately impacted communities in Spokane County."

Enhancing Equitable Disaster Readiness in Spokane County

"Through the Language Access Collaborative led by Public Health-Seattle King County, our agency now has access to translation and interpretation services in over 50 languages… this service has become essential."

Scaling Translation Services to 50+ Languages in Grant County

"Supported by FPHS funds we partnered with Tufts Medical Center to provide training to twenty Spokane County organizations to become Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) facilitators."

How FPHS & Tufts are Reducing Childhood Trauma in Spokane County

"As firefighters battled a large warehouse fire in Finely, WA, the BFHD Communications team stepped in to battle misinformation, build trust, and ensure the community had access to accurate, timely, and life-protecting information."

Clearing the Air: A Case Study in Rapid, Multi-Channel Emergency Communications

"With consistent support from FPHS funding, Mason Matters is evolving into more than just a convening space; it has become an engine of local empowerment and innovation."

Mason Matters: Creating a Lasting Engine for Rural Health Empowerment

"From July 2024 to June 2025, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) used FPHS funding to collect the most robust information the Washington public health system has on inequities in adult chronic health, preventive care, and associated behavioral, demographic, and clinical factors."

BRFSS: A New Foundation for Data Equity

"The wraparound support of FPHS funding for communications and community engagement help the Board improve its efforts to reach those impacted by Board decisions and recommendations."

How FPHS Funding is Modernizing Public Engagement

"The impact of this work extends far beyond our agency walls. It means local families will receive timely alerts, life-saving guidance, and a coordinated response during crises. It means our health workers are trained, supported, and ready to mobilize. It means our entire region is becoming more resilient – not just for today’s challenges, but the emergencies we haven’t yet imagined"

Strengthening the Frontline with Chelan-Douglas Medical Reserve Corps

"A careful and detailed approach is needed to address benthic algae in Clark County, something we are now able to do because of FPHS funding."

Managing New Environmental Hazards Across Shared Waterways

"This funding has been crucial for SRHD to move beyond base levels of service to where we can leverage strengths across our community."

Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning

"Wahkiakum County Health & Human services used FPHS funds to begin portable blood lead testing, allowing them to increase screenings of children who wouldn’t otherwise have been tested."

Making Blood Lead Screenings Available in Wahkiakum County

"Families who have a child with an elevated blood lead level tell us how grateful they are for the education and assistance the Lead Prevention program provides."

Tacoma-Pierce County Lead Prevention Program

"Consistent FPHS funding has been critical to ensure our Immunization Assessment & Promotion (IAP) program has adequate staffing to carry out many activities in Spokane County."

Expanding Spokane’s Immunization Reach

"This has helped build a healthier, more equitable future for our entire community."

Healing Without Judgment: Normalizing Sexual Health and Expanding STI Care