Accreditation – Enhancing people’s lives

CARF accreditation is confirmation that Hillel Lodge has met or exceeded a comprehensive set of standards encompassing all our activities. Accreditation also underscores our commitment to continuous quality improvement and commitment to evolve our service offering to meet the needs of the persons served.

–Ted Cohen, CEO, The Bess and Moe Greenberg Family Hillel Lodge of Ottawa,
Ottawa, Ontario,
Aging Services
Hillel Lodge has always been an accredited home, but recently switched to CARF,
and is in its first accreditation cycle.

CARF guidelines are the foundation for our program and service areas. When looking to grow into a new service area, the CARF guidelines are integral as a tool for expansion. This ensures we provide the highest quality of services and keep our focus on continuous improvement.

–Stacy Freed, Director of Programs, Pioneer Resources, Muskegon, Michigan
Employment and Community Services
Employed by CARF-accredited organizations for 18 years,
and a CARF surveyor for three years.
Pioneer Resources has been accredited for 22 years.

On With Life feels that being CARF accredited distinguishes us as an organization that strives to set ourselves apart, challenges us to be better, and holds ourselves accountable to provide high quality care and service. The consultative approach that CARF has provides us with the opportunity to be accountable to what we do, but also see how we can strive to be better!

–Tammy Miller, Director of Outpatient Services, On With Life, Ankeny, Iowa
Medical Rehabilitation
Personally involved with CARF accreditation since 2004 while
On With Life’s has been accredited since 1994.

CARF accreditation signals a strong commitment to providing high-quality services. It demonstrates that our agency is willing to undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure that our programs and services meet or exceed industry standards. Accreditation by CARF enhances an agency’s credibility. It provides external validation of CODAC’s commitment to excellence, which can be reassuring to members, families, funders, and the community. Many stakeholders, including government agencies, health plans, and members, may prioritize or require services from accredited organizations, giving accredited agencies a competitive edge.

–Amy Munoz, Chief Compliance Officer, CODAC Health, Recovery & Wellness, Inc., Tucson, Arizona
Behavioral Health
CODAC has been accredited by CARF since 2002.

At Centerstone, our noble purpose is “To deliver care that changes people’s lives.” Our noble purpose is critical to the development and provision of quality treatment to individuals that trust us with their care. We feel strongly that the mission of CARF aligns with our noble purpose. In fact, accreditation is not required in all the states wherein Centerstone provides service; instead, we proactively choose accreditation. The CARF standards provide guidance for best practices for service delivery as well as expectations for administrative functions. The application and integration of the CARF standards into our day-to-day functions supplements our organizational structure and enhances our quality of care. To internal and external stakeholders, accreditation is evidence of the organization’s commitment to the highest standards of care. The CARF standards have provided a common set of language for our organization as we moved through the merger process and has provided opportunity for standardization of functions and tasks.

–David Guth, CEO, Centerstone, Nashville, Tennessee
Behavioral Health
Centerstone has been CARF accredited since 2010. The earliest accreditation
for various legacy organizations, prior to the merger(s), was achieved in 1996.

Accreditation is a requirement for reimbursement for many of our funders; however, we would seek accreditation even if not required. It provides us a guideline of organizational best practices; it keeps us current in the field; and it provides a system of planning and documenting administrative and clinical issues. It is a great indicator of the quality of services we provide. We have added programs since the time of our original survey to now including five Behavioral Health programs and one Employment and Community Services program; and have also included the Governance standards.

–Brad Farmer, Executive Director, Acadiana Area Human Services District, Lafayette, Louisiana
Behavioral Health and Employment and Community Services
CARF surveyor for 26 years. The organization has participated in four surveys
and has received a three-year accreditation each time.

CARF accreditation is the Gold Seal of approval. It is the highest standard an organization can achieve. CARF accreditation is the recognition of the work we put in every day to meet the needs of our clients, community and stakeholders by providing the highest quality care at the highest industry standards. CARF accreditation sends a message to insurance companies, contractors and payers that our organization is able to achieve the triple aim of healthcare: access, quality, and cost.

–Laureen Pagel, CEO, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare, Yulee, Florida
Behavioral Health
Involved with CARF accreditation for 24 years,
and our first accreditation was in 2000.

CARF accreditation has been an excellent way to demonstrate how our agency provides quality services in all areas of the organization. Continuing to receive a three-year accreditation has assisted us when applying for grants and in expanding our programs.

–Sue Evans, Chief Operating Officer, Walden Family Services, San Diego, California
Child and Youth Services
Been accredited nine years, and just completed our fourth survey.

Q: What did preparing for CARF survey accreditation do for your organization?

Primarily, gearing up for our CARF survey accreditation fostered a sense of camaraderie among our staff, as we collectively pursued the substantial achievement of international accreditation. The preparation process also facilitated a thorough examination of our organizational processes, leading to the establishment of consistency across our accredited programs. –Laura

Preparation for CARF survey accreditation helped our organization formally come together to perform a comprehensive review of how our organization conforms to the CARF standards. This review provides us with an excellent opportunity to examine our organization’s strengths and weaknesses which not only helps us plan for future quality improvement activities, but also provides valuable information that will inform our ongoing strategic planning activities. –Ted

Continuous improvement is always the goal and by preparing for our accreditation, it keeps everything fresh on our radar. It requires a lot of intentional preparation, which in turn helps us to ensure we are in conformance with quality standards. –Stacy

As a CARF accredited facility, the preparation for the surveys does not place undue stress upon us because, as an organization, our daily function is very much aligned with the CARF standards. For us the preparation is a good check and balance of where we are, what we need to continue to do better, and where we can strive to go in the future. –Tammy

Accreditation involves a thorough review of operations, policies, and procedures. This process was meaningful in identifying areas of potential risk and developing an opportunity for us to address and mitigate these risks, ultimately enhancing overall organizational resilience. Our CARF survey required collaboration among different departments and teams. Staff appreciated the teamwork involved and the chance to work together towards a common goal. –Amy

The CARF standards have provided a common set of language for our organization as we moved through the merger process and has provided opportunity for standardization of functions and tasks. The continuous quality improvement process that is built into CARF accreditation has provided significant value to our organization in that it has ensured continuous improvement and afforded us opportunities for growth. –David

It helped us organize our policies/procedures and all supporting documentation. It provided a common language internally and focused our efforts as a team. It assisted us in ensuring a thorough review of our plans, mission, strategy, implementation, and the mechanisms to ensure ongoing review and monitoring of all of those items. –Brad

Preparing for CARF helped all staff focus on the same common goal. It ensured we all spoke the same language and it provided consistency across all program areas and locations. CARF preparation “raises the bar” for the entire organization. It is an opportunity for supervisors and directors to identify gaps in care, training deficiencies, communication breakdowns, and possibly even rogue staff who decided not to follow agency policy. As well as those who exemplify the CARF standards every day in their work. CARF preparation is not something that occurs six months before a site visit…it is something we do every day. –Laureen

CARF accreditation has led to our organization continuing to improve our standards by building frameworks to continually review our systems and services, and looking at ways we can improve to provide relevant services. CARF has been a valuable tool as our agency has grown and developed new programs. The standards have assisted us in ensuring that our services are client centered and continuing to develop based on the feedback of our youth and families. –Sue

Q: What was your staff members’ general impressions and feelings about the survey process?

Initially, our staff members felt a significant amount of anxiety and stress leading up to the survey process. However, the actual experience of the survey proved to be quite uplifting and affirming. The presence of surveyors who demonstrated a clear understanding of our work and their capacity to offer supportive feedback was immensely beneficial. –Laura

Once our staff members became familiar with the accreditation process they really appreciated how the CARF standards added structure to their departmental quality improvement initiatives. CARF outlines what is expected for our home to achieve conformance to the standards and also provides documentation requirements and review cycles as well as education requirements. This structure helps to support our quality improvement program. –Ted

Staff who are new to the organization can be intimidated by the process. However, we do try to focus on the peer-consultation process of the surveyors, ensuring that staff understand they are there to support and offer suggestions on ways we can make our programming even better. –Stacy

There is always trepidation when the word “survey” comes up, especially when a majority of “surveys” that come to our buildings are much more tied to deficiencies or punitive in nature. Our staff has really begun to appreciate the CARF survey opportunities in which they can share the incredible things that we are doing as an organization and ask questions of the surveyors of how they can be better—what they have seen others do. They enjoy the consultative experience that has come with doing the CARF surveys. –Tammy

Many staff members expressed a sense of pride and validation during the CARF survey process. Achieving accreditation can be seen as a collective accomplishment, reflecting our hard work and CODAC’s commitment to high standards and quality services. Specifically, staff members appreciated the chance to showcase their knowledge, skills, and dedication to quality care during the survey process. The overall pressure associated with the survey was seen as a motivator for maintaining excellence. –Amy

As an organization, we approach accreditation less about a required activity, but rather, activities that enhance service delivery and business functioning. As such, generally speaking, staff are well aware of the organization’s commitment to accreditation and all levels of the organization participate in the accreditation processes. On an ongoing basis, the effort is to effectively integrate standards in such a way that they are relevant to staff and meaningfully contribute to quality of care for persons served. –David

Our original survey was intimidating to many of the staff as it seemed to be a huge project. Now that we have been accredited for a number of years, the staff looks forward to the surveys as a way to hear feedback from peer surveyors, to learn new trends and information, to be recognized for their efforts. We have designated a “CARF team” to help us maintain our efforts in between surveys and those team members take pride in their efforts and appreciate working with the surveyors when they are on site. –Brad

Our QI Director found the survey process to be simple and straightforward. We know what to prepare for and what to expect. The surveyors are always professional, courteous and helpful. They have a vested interest in helping organizations maintain the CARF standards and it shows. –Laureen

Although initially preparing for our first survey was a lot of work for many staff, once the structure was in place the staff have found it beneficial and helpful as the agency continues to grow and develop our programs. Our staff have found the survey process beneficial in discussing best practices and how other accredited agencies have met standards. –Sue

Q: Do the persons you serve notice or make comments about your CARF accreditation?

Many individuals and families we serve have actively participated in interviews during our survey process and found it to be a positive experience. While I believe that most of the individuals we serve value the improvements implemented as a result of CARF accreditation, they may not be fully aware of all the specific changes attributed to CARF. The counties we serve and our donors, however, highly appreciate the assurance that comes with partnering with an internationally accredited provider. The recognition of our CARF accreditation instills confidence in the quality and standards of our services. –Laura

Our persons served are very aware and proud that we are CARF accredited. They experience the benefits of the accreditation process daily through improved services and outcomes. Each quality improvement project is ultimately focused on helping Hillel Lodge evolve to better serve the needs of the persons served. –Ted

Families understand that CARF accreditation is the gold standard for service organizations. They know that the organization is focused on continuous improvement and satisfaction of services. –Stacy

Because we place signage around our facility and on our website, we are often asked about it from our persons served and families. When we talk about it and share with them what it means, they are impressed with our desire to constantly be holding ourselves accountable, seeking growth, and striving to be a top provider offering quality services. –Tammy

Members voiced appreciation for the opportunity to be involved in the accreditation process. The members interviewed during CODAC’s survey felt empowered knowing that their feedback contributes to the evaluation of services. –Amy

While clients are involved in the actual survey, I believe that the accreditation process and outcome is often invisible to them. What they do see and experience is our commitment to delivering care that changes people’s lives which aligns with CARF standards. –David

Not so much in those direct words, but we do hear positive feedback about things that we do as a part of our efforts to meet the standards. For example, as part of maintaining a warm, safe, and welcoming environment for services, clients make comments about the cleanliness of the facilities, or the artwork in the clinics, and the opportunity to directly provide feedback about concerns they may have. Clients also appreciate the customer service focus offered and the opportunity to actively participate and provide input into services provided. –Brad

The families and youth have been very willing to talk with surveyors and share their experiences of the services provided and how they have been able to give their feedback into how services are offered. –Sue

Thank you to all who contributed to this article. We are grateful for your commitment to continuous improvement and enhancing the lives of persons served!