CARF's Adult Day Care Accreditation

Abstract

A dult Day Care (ADC) programs throughout the United States meet the needs of thousands of Americans every day. The frailty and dependence of those enrolled justified the need for some type of oversight. The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities, commonly referred to as CARF, has stepped up to the plate by offering ADC accreditation. CARF accreditation is a seal of approval for consumers seeking ADC services. It indicates conformance with quality-related standards and represents the value of the program. The first step in the accreditation process is making the decision to become accredited. CARF has a variety of reasonably priced educational materials for sale to help the organization seeking accreditation. (The organization may choose to ask for assistance from another accredited ADC program or possibly use consultant services. Resources including books, videos, audios, and even information about grants can be found at www.carf.org.) Once the decision is made, it is important for the organization to break down the process into small and manageable pieces. Your organization must identify or clarify its core values, for it is those values that form the basis for all communications, program design, and operations. To prove your value, your organization must identify outcomes to services, which need to be individualized, to the consumer. A system needs to be implemented ensuring your follow through, review, and revision of the outcomes as indicated based on patient need. During the accreditation preparation phase, the ADC program needs to establish the following: