The Center has received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services including behavioral medicine. The survey was completed and accredited under UNC Behavioral Health Community Access and Recovery Empowerment, (UNC BH CARES) which is an accrediting collaboration of the Center and UNC Horizons, a program in the UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The accreditation extends through May 2017.
To receive accreditation, an organization must demonstrate it provides quality care using established standards and customer satisfaction. A team of professionals from CARF visited service locations in May, consulted with staff and providers, and interviewed individuals who use the services of both organizations.
The Center, which was created in 2009 by a grant from The Duke Endowment, provides a continuum of behavioral (mental health) services at locations in Orange, Wake and Chatham counties. Its programs include outpatient services at the STEP and OASIS clinics in Orange County, the Wake STEP Community Clinic in Wake County along with Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) services in Orange, Chatham and Wake counties. UNC Horizons provides interdisciplinary care for women and their children who are affected by substance use disorders in Orange, Alamance and Wake counties.
The very positive accreditation survey results states, “Services personnel and documentation clearly indicates an established pattern of practice excellence.”
“Accreditation standards, not only help improve organizational performance, but also help us keep the people we work with in the Center apprised of everything that we do,” says Thava Mahadevan, MS, director of operations at the Center.
Mahadevan and Elizabeth “Beth” Rossi, BA, director of quality management, led the Center accreditation process, working closely with UNC Horizons and the CARF team.