CARF standards for behavioral health play a significant role in the working environment of anyone with a career in a mental health field as well as patients undergoing mental health treatments. CARF is short for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and it is located in Tucson, Arizona. The organization serves as an independent accreditor of providers of human and health services. A CARF accreditation is considered an important determinant of the quality of these services.
What Services Rely Upon CARF Accreditation?
CARF standards for behavioral health are used in various branches of health and human services. These include behavioral health, child services, youth services, aging services, community services and employment services. Other branches that use CARF standards include medical rehabilitation and treatment programs for drug addiction.
How Common Is CARF Accreditation?
CARF offers international accreditation. More than 59,000 programs have earned accreditation under CARF. More than 12 million people receive services from companies who follow CARF standards for behavioral health. Accredited services exist in North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
What Is the Accreditation Process?
In order to achieve accreditation, companies must meet multiple requirements that demonstrate their willingness to meet CARF standards. These steps include:
- An internal examination of their own business practices
- On-site examination by a team of experts picked by CARF
- The ability to demonstrate confirmation to CARF’s standards
- A written report submitted by the CARF expert team
- The submission of a Quality Improvement Plan to show CARF the ways it plans to address any areas that did not meet CARF standards
What Are the Benefits of CARF Accreditation?
Accreditation benefits mental health organizations by providing them with ways to continually improve their services. CARF benefits consumers and patients by providing them with a way to confidently choose a quality mental health provider.
