Why Accreditation?

There are a myriad of reasons, many of which are likely to apply to you, but we will concentrate on three - competence, credibility and capital.

Competence: To become an accredited organization, you must do several things. First and foremost is to be able to show that the services you provide are making a difference in the lives of the people you serve. This is accomplished by putting in place various feedback systems, such as consumer satisfaction measures, that give you information about how your are doing and support program improvement. Developing systems to make sure that your organization operates smoothly in a variety of ways, e.g. obtaining appropriate insurance coverage, providing useful policies and procedures, and regularly reviewing the individual clinical records and treatment plans. Accreditation standards can provide guidance for responsible management and the professional growth of personnel. Using national standards as you would a business or organizational plan can facilitate these changes. Preparing for a survey can be a teambuilding process. Passing an accreditation survey is a boost to both individual staff members and the organization.

Credibility: If you choose to be accredited by a national accreditation body, you will be compared to standards that are applied to programs internationally. Undergoing the accreditation process proves that the organization is willing to be scrutinized by an outside authority. In a change of Federal oversight of opioid treatment programs, accreditation is now required for maintaining a license to dispense methadone. Despite decades of intensive regulation, little attention has been paid to the efficacy of this treatment other than medication research. The stated reason for this regulatory adjustment is to "raise the bar" for this modality of treatment. This change should, over time, mainstream opioid substitution treatment and decrease the stigma experienced by both patients and providers. Accreditation will force methadone programs to meet the same standards - and then some - that are met by other behavioral health programs.

Capital: It is common for insurance companies and others who will pay for your services to ask what, if any, accreditation you hold. Obtaining accreditation demonstrates that you have attempted and passed an accepted standard, which helps managed care companies make decisions about which providers to use to treat their policyholders. The National Commission on Quality Assurance (NCQA), an organization that accredits managed care companies, encourages their organizations to use nationally accredited providers. To your customers, funding sources and others this shows that you operate based on a best practice model. Depending upon the type of accreditation you choose, the return on your investment can be very high. In crowded markets or in the case of opioid treatment, it may mean your survival.