Hello ATC Team!
As you are well aware by now, ATCHQ has been working on accreditation for almost a year and we officially started reviews this month. The format for which the standards will appear in the new document and the accreditation review process have been updated. I am excited at the progress we have made and for the positive changes and updates positioning ATC for the future as we put HOPE within reach of every addict.
Some exciting updates to share:
- Part of the Accreditation Review will now be done online through Bridge, our new LMS. If you have not yet on-boarded your staff, definitely connect with Christa Teachout in our office to schedule a session. She can be reached at ChristaT@teenchallengeusa.org. Each center will benefit from multiple FREE users on the new system…and its amazing!
- On-site visits will be conducted by ATCHQ (a team of 2) where not only will we be able to review accreditation standards and evidences with your team, but time will be given to invest in your team, while on site! We are here to serve you and want to get involved when we visit your programs. Have a chapel service while we are in town? Invite us to share! It really is a privilege to be on your campus!
- 2020 is the year where we will be testing our new processes, soliciting feedback from the field, and working closely with centers that will be reviewed to help us improve the process. Special thank you to San Francisco and San Jose who have already provided some very valuable feedback! In fact, we are making specific changes already based on those conversations!
- Finally, we ask for your continued patience. We have a long-term plan to include a limited number of Peer Reviewers to assist the Accreditation team from ATCHQ, but not until we test the new system, make necessary adjustments, and refine the process to provide you (the centers) with the very best accreditation experience possible. Stay tuned later this year for updates on a limited number of Peer Reviewer opportunities.
FAQ’s:
When will my center get reviewed?
The National Office is already scheduling a limited number of programs for 2020 that would have been reviewed in 2018. We have a goal to review at least between 45-60 programs this year, but will do our best to review more. Stacy Capel, my Accreditation Assistant here at the office is reaching out to centers via phone and e-mail to schedule reviews. We are combining multiple reviews with each visit so logistics and geography play an important role in which centers will be reviewed in 2020. If your center is chosen, there will be plenty of notice (3 months or more) provided. Please note that the dates we provide are based on the availability of multiple centers that will also be reviewed on the same trip considering obstacles such as travel time between centers, size of each program, etc. We ask that you be flexible. We are reviewing your websites first to capture any major events you might have planned to avoid causing a conflict with your review.
How will multi-site corporations with a administrative office complete the online Accreditation piece?
For corporations with multiple centers that share a central administrative office, the online review will consist of two parts. The Admin office will be enrolled in a portion of the Online Accreditation review that asks for evidence traditionally provided by the Corporation’s home office (Board meeting info, Human Resources, Governance, etc.). The Local Director (or designee) will be enrolled in a course that focuses on standards regarding Residential Operations, Identity, TC DNA, etc. Both pieces (together) will result in the online accreditation review being completed for the local residential program. Please note: It is the responsibility of the LOCAL DIRECTOR to make sure all evidence is received for his/her review. Communication between the local director and the administrative office will be very important. ATCHQ will not facilitate those discussions, but will expect the evidence from both parties to be uploaded by the deadline provided. How that occurs is the responsibility of the corporation being reviewed.
When will the new Accreditation Document become available?
Soon. In fact, it is undergoing another round of edits as I type this. The document includes the 6 Core Standards, Indicators for each of the standards, and also a list of evidence that will be needed to prove that the center is meeting the indicator. We developed a document that not only serves as an Accreditation Standards document, but also a self-assessment manual. The new document easily allows staff members to see real examples of specific evidence that will be reviewed to meet each of the 6 standards! We feel that this will greatly assist in preparing for reviews in the future.
Thank you for your time! I look forward to meeting all of you soon. Don’t forget to register for our National Conference in Orlando, Florida in July! See you there!
Questions? Ideas? Please e-mail me at Accreditation@TeenChallengeUSA.org
