Level of Care Certification – Process
- Initial contact. Contact the CARF
Certification Support Team for information and to answer questions about the certification process.
- Self-assessment. The organization should obtain the ASAM Level of Care Certification Manual so that it can assess the extent to which its services at the location seeking certification (“Services”) satisfy the rating elements CARF will apply during the survey.
Additional resources are also available.
- Application. CARF will provide the organization with an application for certification upon request or, in the case of recertification, prior to expiration of the current certification. CARF will review the submitted application and may contact the organization for additional
information.
- Fees. All
certification fees (PDF)
are due and payable in full within 10 calendar days of invoice.
- Scheduling. CARF will schedule the survey to occur during the six months following
completion of the application process. Best efforts are made to avoid scheduling on problem dates identified in the application and to notify the organization of the specific survey date(s) at least 30 calendar days prior to the survey.
- Survey. On the scheduled date, CARF will commence the survey. CARF will make observations and review a sample of records and other presented documents to determine the demonstrated satisfaction of applicable rating elements. CARF will notify the organization when the survey
is complete, after which all communication should be directed to the organization’s designated representative at CARF headquarters.
- Certification decision. CARF will determine the certification decision based on the survey and issue the decision, Plan of Action form, and certificate (if applicable) approximately six to eight weeks after the survey.
- Plan of Action. Within 90 days of issuance of certification, the organization must submit to CARF a Plan of Action, in the form provided by CARF, in which it outlines the actions it will take in response to the identified applicable elements not satisfactorily demonstrated during the survey.
- Annual reports. The organization must timely submit an annual report for the Services in the form provided by CARF. The report is due on the first and second certification anniversary dates. Through the annual report, the organization certifies that its Services at all times have the capacity to
deliver services at the certified Level(s) of Care and that it is in compliance with all applicable terms and conditions of certification.
Effective Date: June 1, 2020