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CARF Connection Blog

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The CARF Connection blog, previously distributed in the form of a newsletter, provides timely tips, resources, and updates about CARF accreditation, business practices, and related matters. Learn about current trends in the fields that CARF accredits, improving services, and the latest CARF news.

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5/6/2021

Honoring nurses across health and human services

May 6 12, 2021, is Nurses Week. CARF recognizes the profound impact the nursing field has across health and human services.

11/13/2019

10 tips: How unpaid caregivers can beat burnout

With a growing aging population, many adult children and other loved ones step up to provide care, but family caregivers take on a significant amount of work in addition to regular jobs and family responsibilities, which can lead to extreme burnout.

7/25/2019

Addressing social determinants with higher standards

Social determinants of health (SDH) are the conditions in which people live, work, and age and include factors like housing stability, employment status, geographic location, education, and other socioeconomic circumstances. SDH, often determined by distribution of wealth and resources, has proven responsible for inequities in healthcare and has become its biggest cost-driver.

3/14/2019

Elevating social work

By CARF International

The CARF Connection blog often discusses integrative services and ways to approach a person in a holistic way. In other words, we focus on many of the things that social workers have been advocating since the era of Jane Addams in the 1890s. It is no wonder that CARF’s workforce is teeming with social work professionals.

This March, CARF joins the National Association of Social Workers in celebrating social workers.

2/25/2019

Your health literacy: 5 ways to be your own best advocate

By CARF International

With healthcare information more widely available than ever, consumers are boosting their health literacy, taking the initiative to educate themselves more thoroughly on how to take care of themselves. Here are some suggestions for taking control of your own health literacy.

2/13/2019

3 examples of outcomes management systems in action

By CARF International

CARF shares best practices related to outcomes management through its standards. To complement that effort, here are some recent field examples of outcomes systems’ improving performance.

1/3/2019

World investing in and collaborating on healthcare quality

By CARF International

As providers, regulators, and payers in health and human services around the world seek value and efficiency, many are adopting new standards, integrating new methods, reviewing existing regulations, and exploring innovative practices from other countries.

12/20/2018

2018: CARF’s Year in Review

By CARF International

As 2018 comes to a close, we thank the many stakeholders who spent another year advancing the goals and values close to CARF’s mission. In a brief look back, here are some of the most consequential stories from 2018.

11/29/2018

All about outcomes: Performance-based reimbursement is changing health and human services

By CARF International

Many payers are exploring value- and performance-based payment models in which providers are reimbursed for positive outcomes. Most analysts believe such payment systems, which offer lower costs for payers, are the wave of the future.

10/16/2018

Not just a headache: What to know about youth concussions

By CARF International

In the past, a concussion sustained while playing sports may have been dismissed as just a bad headache. These days we understand a bump, blow, or jolt to the head (or even the body) can affect brain function and impeding an athlete’s ability to participate in sports for some time afterward. In worst-case scenarios, coma or death can result.

9/25/2018

3 reflections from the 2018 Zero Suicide International summit

By Michael Johnson, managing director of behavioral health, CARF International

I attended the Zero Suicide International Summit this year to exchange ideas with global thought leaders on how to eliminate the public health crisis of suicide. I came away with many thoughts, but here are some of the highlights.

9/19/2018

Eradicating suicide: Tips for better public service messaging

By CARF International

As suicide rates edge up, many human service organizations are challenged to publicly talk about the issue in responsible and effective ways.

8/30/2018

FFPSA changing funding for child welfare services

By CARF International

For U.S. providers of child-welfare services, one of the most impactful laws to take effect this year has been the federal Family First Prevention Services Act or FFPSA.

6/8/2018

Recent CDC report, deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, again bring attention to suicide as public health issue

By CARF International

This week brings renewed attention to the issue of suicide. While the tragic losses of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain will get headlines, they represent a growing public health issue that is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States: suicide. These events offer an opportunity to address misconceptions, stigma, and a lack of resources that act as barriers for people at risk, and to bring the focus toward resources and best practices.

5/24/2018

The Value of Professional Development

By CARF International

Take advantage of the professional development resource offered to CARF-accredited organizations, and encourage your emerging leaders to become CARF surveyors. 

5/17/2018

4 ways accreditation supports the human services ecosystem

By CARF International

A recent report discusses the future of community-based human services. The first four initiatives are directly supported by CARF standards, meaning, if you’re a CBO applying the standards for accreditation, you’re likely strengthening the overall ecosystem. Here are the standards and other CARF resources that can offer guidance to your organization.

5/10/2018

Perspective of a social justice mental health microbusiness

By Valeria Benabdallah, CEO/Psychotherapist, VEMB Psychotherapy Services

Being a microbusiness means that stakeholders, persons served, and the two staff members at VEMB Psychotherapy Services work closely together. My work as a social justice mental health clinician is to collaborate with appropriate systems while providing psychotherapeutic interventions to clients and their families. As a CEO, my job is to provide sound leadership and oversight to all business, clinical, and financial functions of the organization. 

4/10/2018

Seen and heard at the CARF surveyor conference

By CARF International

Surveyors representing health and human service organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada attended the 2018 CARF Surveyor Continuing Education Conference on March 24 and 25 at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

3/13/2018

How accreditation supports child welfare’s shift to prevention

By Brad Contento, Corporate Communications

One of the biggest drivers of service options is the availability of funding. When a piece of federal legislation redefines how public funds can be used, it changes the array of available services.

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) primary focus is prevention services. Simply put, states will be able to use Title IV-E foster-care funds for services for children at risk of entering foster care. Previously, these funds could be used only for foster care itself and for adoption assistance.

2/28/2018

Seen and Heard at the Transforming Outcomes Institute

CARF’s winter Transforming Outcomes Institute concluded on February 24. It hosted more than 100 participants in Tucson, AZ. Here’s a visual breakdown of the training.

1/19/2018

What the loss of Tyler Hilinski teaches us about the vital, ongoing conversation around suicide

On Tuesday, January 16, Tyler Hilinski, the starting quarterback for the Washington State Cougars football team, lost his life to suicide. His death leaves family, teammates, classmates, and many other members of the community in a state of deep pain. Tyler was not someone most would have imagined was dealing with a behavioral health issue. He was young, intelligent, and a star Division-1 athlete. These facts underscore a major misconception about suicide.

9/1/2017

Message from CARF CEO regarding Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

We at CARF are deeply concerned about the many lives affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, natural disasters of significant scope and scale.

8/23/2017

Where CARF surveyors come from

We spoke with three former CARF surveyors who are now CARF staff members. They shared some interesting context on themselves and why they first got into surveying

7/11/2017

Hope in the hallways:

Halfway into the 1971 classic film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Gene Wilder, wearing an orange top hat and oversized bow tie, excitedly shows off a special wall covered in fruit-decorated wallpaper. “Lick a pineapple,” he implores. “It tastes like a pineapple. Try some more! The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!” While snozzberries and lickable wallpaper are the stuff of fiction, the interactive wonderland of Wonka’s chocolate factory is not far from reality at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Indiana.

3/23/2017

The essential philosophy of serving youth with diverse SOGIE (Part 2 of 2)

4 practices to develop a SOGIE-literate culture: CARF spoke with Los Angeles Youth Network (LAYN), about what it does to create and maintain a SOGIE-conscious culture. CEO Mark Supper identified four cultural competency practices that help LAYN stay inclusive of diverse SOGIE.

3/21/2017

The essential philosophy of serving youth with diverse SOGIE (Part 1 of 2)

In this case study, we follow a youth named Adam through his decision to come out as transgender, the resulting trauma and homelessness, and the services provided to get him on a path to success. The challenges he experienced were a direct result of his gender identity and new expression of it. Valuing that part of his identity was an important element in creating a service environment for him to succeed.

9/21/2016

The newest quality frontier: child and youth services

As part of CARF’s 50th year anniversary celebration in 2016, we are sharing snapshots of the industries in which we offer accreditation. This is part 5 of a series: Child and Youth Services. Leslie Ellis-Lang, CARF’s managing director of child and youth services, discusses how CARF’s development and advancement of distinct child and youth standards parallel how society itself has viewed children and young persons over time.

9/16/2016

Quality Practice Notice on Suicide Prevention

Responsible, quality-based practitioners in the health and human services industry should educate and train themselves to act in a responsible and timely manner when presented with a person at risk for suicide. We know through research that applying evidence-based practice and delivering comprehensive and integrated prevention programs can reduce the rate of suicide. In regard to Suicide Prevention Month, please access CARF’s Quality Practice Notice on Suicide Prevention for first step resources to saving a life.

6/21/2016

Technology continues to ingrain itself into health and human service fields

Telecommunications and data management technology has unavoidably made its way into healthcare industries because it can increase consumer access to services and providers’ ability to provide them. Many providers are successfully incorporating technological solutions, which is why CARF has made an effort to highlight practices related to this topic in the Promising Practices newsletter series. This blog post features some articles that highlight successful uses of technology to improve business practices or service delivery.

5/31/2016

Increasing formation of healthcare networks calls attention to quality guidelines

A major story so far in 2016 has been the change in service delivery models toward larger systems and networks through affiliations, mergers, and various other types of integrations. Providers are forming relationships across multiple sectors to expand their reach and provide services more efficiently to a broader population. The changing environment poses challenges for providers as they find themselves operating within a new service infrastructure or environment. This trend is of particular interest to CARF because it poses quality questions for providers across a spectrum of industries.

4/8/2016

The ins and outs of choosing and displaying the CARF seal of accreditation

After your programs or services have earned CARF accreditation, you will want to market and advertise your achievement to your community and stakeholders. CARF provides resources that can help you promote your accreditation, including guidelines for citing your accreditation, example news release and letter text, and several CARF seal options. This blog post explains how to properly use and display the CARF seals of accreditation in your online and printed materials.

3/16/2016

Three recent additions to CARF’s International Advisory Council part of larger expansion of child and youth focus over past decade

In the past few months, three child and youth advocacy organizations accepted invitations to join CARF’s International Advisory Council (IAC). The Association of Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC), Youth M.O.V.E. (Motivating Others through Voices of Experience) National, and National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health (NACBH) join the growing contribution of the children and youth services industry in CARF standards.

6/30/2015

Report suspicions of abuse: Protect young people and the organizations serving them

Although this article focuses on sexual abuse of minors, vulnerable populations are not only children and youths. Adults with disabilities and elderly persons can be at high risk for abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Protecting the rights of persons of any age or ability served by CARF-accredited programs is at the heart of the CARF accreditation process.

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