Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

STANDARDS & ACCREDITATION

stand against mandatory expected practices and what needs to be done to bring them into compliance; and on selected non-mandatory expected practices reviewed in the classroom and/or practical exercise and the next step towards accreditation. These trainings have been done in Stark County Jail (Stark County hosted several other jails to partici pate), Hawaii, and Bahamas. In all the accreditation trainings we have conducted the attendees enjoyed the training and was convinced it would help them in achieving accredita tion. Some are already planned for other U.S. and international facilities/agencies to include a U.S. agency that has had a large turn over of accreditation managers, so that training will be tailored more towards the accreditation managers and will include all the agencies ac creditation managers. Most members know about the auditor training conducted at the ACA conferences twice a year. It is a refresher training that used to be approximately four (4) hours long. Today the auditor refresher training at the conference is all day and cov ers new expected practices (formerly known as standards); expected practices that need interpretation based on audits and Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (findings); ethics; processes; re ports; and ends with scenario driven questions based on audit proce dures or interpretation of expected practices. At the conferences we have started conducting all day new auditor training for individu als who have applied to be auditors or those thinking of applying to be auditors. The subjects covered in

Nashville included: Overview of ACA Audit Process; Auditor Ad ministration, Health Care Expected Practices and Outcome Measures, Restrictive Housing, Non-applicable Expected Practices, scenario exer cise, and a test that must be passed. Instructors include ACA staff, auditors, accreditation managers and sometimes a member from the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections. The classes are updat ed at each training session to cover current topics. In October 2024, we will be con ducting auditor training by zoom. We have done some auditor training by zoom, but it has been by excep tion. October will be the first of two auditors zoom training events each year between conferences so auditors who cannot attend the auditor training at the conference has opportunities to attend training and stay current. The zoom training will be two (2) to three (3) hours conducted on one weekday and one weekend, so everyone has an oppor tunity to attend. Training ready when you are Since the 2024 Winter Confer ence, ACA has been conducting an all-day accreditation manager training. This was a request from the field who told us we needed to provide accreditation training for accreditation managers. The morn ing training featured hot topics and issues for accreditation managers and facilities and the afternoon was for breakout groups divided by facility types (prison, jails, juve niles and community corrections). This training was conducted at the

ACA Congress of Corrections in Nashville with updated topics and important information. The all-day accreditation manager training will continue at each ACA Conference, and additionally starting in October 2024 ACA will be conducting two (2) to three (3) hour virtual accredi tation manager training between each ACA conference. Like the audi tor zoom training, the training will be conducted on one weekday and one weekend, so everyone has an op portunity to attend. ACA can and has done requested specialized training by zoom or on-site at a facility or agency. Some examples of recently requested training conducted include: zoom training on health care new expected practices in the fifth edition of the Performance-Based Standards and Expected Practice for Adult Local Detention Facilities; a one day on site accreditation manager training for agency accreditation managers; a one day on-site training for Wardens and key leaders on why accredita tion is important, what it means to you and the accreditation process. ACA Standards and Accredita tion Department is available to assist you with your accreditation and other training you need. If you have a need please reach out and let us assist you. CT

David Haasenritter is the Director of Standards & Accreditation at the American Correctional Association in Alexandria, VA. For more

information, contact David Haasenritter at (703) 224-0070 or davidh@aca.org.

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