Quality across the lifespan®

Annually we accredit thousands of health and human service programs across the continuum of care—from children to seniors—and in a variety of settings, environments, and specialty options. The programs and services we accredit are organized into a standards manual for each of the areas below.

Areas of accreditation

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Aging Services (AS)

Senior living/residential programs and home and community-based services to meet the health and personal care needs of persons over 60 years of age.

Senior group friends relaxing after exercising

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

CCRCs (life plan communities) offer multiple levels of care and are designed to foster a culture of independence, safety, and community for older adults.

Therapist meets with her female client in her office

Behavioral Health (BH)

Programs for integrated behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorders/addictions, psychosocial rehabilitation, and family services.

Middle age man talks with a female counselor at home

Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP)

Programs that provide medication-assisted treatment for persons diagnosed with opioid use disorder.

small group of children huddle together

Child and Youth Services (CYS)

Programs/services for children and youth (from birth through young adulthood) in the areas of child welfare, behavioral health, and healthy development.

smiling special needs employee in industry

Employment and Community Services (ECS)

Programs/services that provide employment and life skill development and support for persons to live and work as independently as possible.

Doctor measuring blood pressure to a smiling woman

Medical Rehabilitation (MED)

Programs/services to enhance or restore the functional ability and quality of life for a person who has been disabled from a disease, disorder, or injury.

Happy Asian blind woman working with colleague in office

Vision Rehabilitation Services (VRS)

Programs/services to maximize function, independence, and community involvement for persons who are Blind or have low vision.

Additional information

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Education and training

Details about our training opportunities and educational webinars.

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CARF Connection blog

Learn about current trends, improving services, and the latest CARF news.

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Get the standards

Purchase standards manuals and accompanying publications to prepare for accreditation.

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We’re here to help!

No matter where you are in your accreditation journey, we are here to answer your questions and provide assistance.