CARF ACCREDITATION

CARF accredited organizations are required to submit a yearly Quality Report, which not only holds the individual organization accountable for maintaining those standards but also allows CARF to continuously provide feedback on how each specific organization can improve its practices. The specific benefits of a CARF accreditation include:

• Clients and individuals seeking care are receiving services that have been compared against and conform to standards that are not only internationally accepted but that have been approved by board members and by the public.
• CARF is always communicating with its accredited organizations and vice versa on how those programs and services can continuously be improved upon for the best-guaranteed results for each client’s needs.
• CARF holds organizations accountable to funding sources, referral agencies, and the community to which those services are provided.
• The accreditation shows governments that the organization has committed to providing the highest level of programs and services when they receive government funding.
• Constantly improving upon standards for both management and employees, and holds them accountable for the services they provide at a personal level.
• CARF constantly supports its accredited organizations through consultation, publication, conferences, training opportunities, and industry newsletters.

Like with most things, you should always do your research to determine which rehabilitation center is the best for you. A CARF accreditation is just one of many metrics that should be taken into consideration, because even a center that has been accredited may not offer the programs or staff that you need for treatment. It’s important to consider what your values are, what treatment goals you have, and what specific programs and therapy options you want for yourself or for a loved one.

• Look at the accreditations. It’s better to choose a treatment program that has either been accredited by CARF or by the Joint Commission as this offers another level of comfort knowing that internationally accepted standards are being used to evaluate the treatment program you may go to.
• Look at the online reviews. Even if a center has been accredited, if they have 500 Google reviews rated less than two stars, it’s probably not the best place to go.
• Check through CARF or Joint Commission that the treatment program you are looking at actually is accredited. People can do almost anything on the Internet, so it is important that you double-check that their accreditation is real.
• Consider the location of the facility and the programs that are offered. You may want to consider traveling for inpatient treatment.
• Do they provide on-site holistic services like yoga or equine therapy, or are they added to treatment at an additional cost?
• Does your insurance cover the treatment program, or will you need to pay out of pocket?

All of these are things you should consider when looking for a rehabilitation center. It can be overwhelming, so if you don’t know where to begin, we have hand-picked some of the top dual diagnosis treatment centers which include both inpatient drug and alcohol rehabs and outpatient rehabilitation centers in each state and major city around the US. All of the centers have either been accredited by CARF or the Joint Commission and were rated based on a number of different metrics.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring mental illness, calling one of these accredited centers is critical in your recovery journey. Find a rehabilitation program near you and give them a call today to find help. You can also give us a call and we will help point you in the right direction to ensure that you receive the treatment you need as soon as possible.