CARF is considered the premiere accrediting body for rehabilitation programs. Facilities that are CARF-accredited must meet stringent standards.

CARF accreditation is voluntary. This means that organizations seeking CARF accreditation spend their own time, money and efforts to undergo the in-depth assessment and review that CARF requires. The survey process is not centered on inspection but rather on consultation, where the CARF survey team works with the provider to improve service resources and outcomes.

CARF sees itself as a catalyst for enhancing the quality of life of the persons served by CARF-accredited organizations. It places particular emphasis on diversity and cultural competence in all CARF activities and associations. This contributes to what CARF sees as its core values: ensuring that all people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect; that all people have access to needed services that achieve optimum outcomes; and that all people be empowered to exercise informed choice.

CARF standards are continually developed and revised through a series of leadership panels, national advisory committees, focus groups and field reviews relying heavily on active involvement at all levels by persons served.

CARF standards are continually developed and revised through a series of leadership panels, national advisory committees, focus groups and field reviews relying heavily on active involvement at all levels by persons served.

Achieving accreditation requires a service provider to commit to quality improvement, focus on the unique needs of each person the provider serves, and monitor the results of services. A service provider begins the accreditation process with an internal examination of its program and business practices. Then the provider requests an on-site survey that will be conducted by a team of expert practitioners selected by CARF. During the survey, the provider must demonstrate that it conforms to a series of rigorous and internationally recognized CARF standards.

Based on the results of the survey, CARF prepares a written report of the provider’s strengths and areas for improvement. If a provider has sufficiently demonstrated its conformance to the standards, it earns CARF accreditation.

After receiving the report, the provider must submit a Quality Improvement Plan to CARF to show how it is addressing any areas for improvement. Then, each year during the term of accreditation, the provider must submit a report to CARF documenting additional improvements it has made.

CARF offers several levels of accreditation, the highest being the Three-Year Accreditation. This indicates that the provider is meeting or exceeding CARF standards and will not need to be reviewed again for another three years. The second level is the One-Year Accreditation, which indicates that while there are still some existing deficiencies in conforming to CARF standards, the program shows capability and commitment toward correcting the deficiencies and making progress. The third level is known as Provisional Accreditation, which means the provider is still functioning at the One-Year level the following year, and has one year to correct the deficiencies and meet CARF standards or it will receive an outcome of non-accreditation.

According to CARF, organizations that have received accreditation demonstrate:

• A higher degree of internal quality
• Greater involvement of persons served in their treatment and services
• Increased cohesion among staff members at all levels within the organization
• Enhanced status of the surveyed services within the community

What this means is that when an organization is accredited, the public is assured that it is committed to continually improving the quality of its services and the organization’s focus is on service outcomes and customer feedback and satisfaction. In addition, CARF accreditation allows clients and referrers to compare programs on key areas such as durability of outcomes, cost-effectiveness, quality and consistency of care, patient satisfaction, qualifications of staff and all the other factors that influence a referral choice.

Consumers face a variety of options when deciding what services to use and who should provide them. Accreditation is a sign of quality and is an important consideration in their decision-making. They look for CARF accreditation in their choice of treatment for addiction and substance abuse, rehabilitation of a disability, home and community services, retirement living, and other health and human services.

The Joint Commission’s standards and emphasis on clinical practice guidelines help organizations establish a consistent approach to care, reducing the risk of error. Certification standards help organize the disease management program. This helps to maintain a consistently high level of quality, using effective data-driven performance improvement. Certification provides an opportunity for staff to develop their skills and knowledge. Achieving certification provides the clinical team with common goals and a concrete validation of their combined efforts.

Joint Commission reviewers have significant experience evaluating disease management programs. They are trained to provide expert advice and education on good practices during an on-site review. Organizations must demonstrate the ability to provide treatment that addresses the health needs of the whole person, potentially improving overall satisfaction with the care experience.

Organizations undergo a rigorous on-site survey. During the review, a Joint Commission expert surveyor evaluates compliance with standards relating to key concepts of person-centered health care to support recovery and resilience philosophies. Meeting Joint Commission standards is an accomplishment recognized with the awarding of The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™. Certified organizations proudly display the Gold Seal to demonstrate their commitment to health care quality.

Achieving certification makes a strong statement to the community about an organization’s efforts to provide the highest quality services. Clients can feel assured that they are choosing a reputable institution when it is Joint Commission Certified.

Accreditation is a sign of quality and is an important consideration for clients in their decision-making. Accreditation allows clients and referrers to compare programs on key areas such as durability of outcomes, cost-effectiveness, quality and consistency of care, patient satisfaction, qualifications of staff and all the other factors that influence a referral choice. In some markets, certification is becoming a prerequisite to eligibility for insurance reimbursement, or participation for managed care plans and contract bidding.