Corrections_Today_Summer_2024_Vol.86_No.2

STANDARDS & ACCREDITATION

Providing great service Standards and Accreditation: Who we are and what we do By David Haasenritter W hen someone says the American Correctional Association (ACA)

Standards and Accreditation De partment what do you think of? Most people think of audits and accreditation. Some will think the Standards Department creates the expected practices (previously known as standards) we use in ACA manuals. Others say it’s account ability and support. Some may not even know. So let me tell you a little about the Standards and Accredita tion Department. The department provides a service to national and international facilities and agencies, ACA members, ACA Committees and others who ask for assistance. We also assist other ACA depart ments with their mission to provide great service to our members. Supporting your accreditation needs The biggest portion of our service is in accreditation. The Standards and Accreditation department’s staff facilitates the accreditation process from initial contact, contracting, preparation, the accreditation audit right through to the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections panel

Photo courtesy ACA/David Haasenritter

ACA auditor checking the fire extinguisher and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses for serviceability during an audit.

for a final accreditation decision. ACA Standards and Accredita tion Specialists work directly with facility or agency management and staff to assist them in attaining and maintaining ACA accreditation. Constant outreach and communica tion are the key to success. Starting this year, our accredita tion specialists will call your agency accreditation manager or facility accreditation manager quarterly to see how the facility is doing, provide you updates and see if there is any thing they can provide you. To assist in this, we ask that you notify your

ACA Standards and Accreditation Specialists when you are close to leaving your position and introduce them to your replacement. To support accreditation, the department provides on-site and virtual training. We work with your agency’s requests to tailor our training to your specific needs and requirements. Some examples of recently requested training are: a remote training for an agency health care staff on the changes from the fourth to the fifth edition of the Performance-Based Standards and

Corrections Today | Summer 2024

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