CARF Accredited Drug And Alcohol Rehab Centers

What Is CARF Accreditation In Addiction Treatment?

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is focused on the quality of rehabilitation treatment and treatment outcomes. This non-profit agency evaluates and offers accreditation to rehabilitation facilities that meet a specific set of standards.

An accrediting agency since 1966, CARF has helped over 67,000 programs worldwide demonstrate their commitment to quality. They also provide consultation and advise best practices to many health and human service administrations. Since 2001, CARF has also been one of the agencies that accredits opioid treatment facilities that meet federal regulation guidelines.

These standards for CARF accreditation include business practices and treatment services, which means that the patient receives quality care, and payers (like insurance companies) can feel confident in the services being provided.

CARF-Accreditation Process

The process for CARF accreditation can take a long period of time to complete, sometimes up to 12 months. Although it does take time, completing the accreditation process shows a level of dedication to patient services, treatment being offered, and commitment to continued growth as a facility.

Completing an internal examination is the beginning of the CARF accreditation process. This allows the provider to explore and evaluate its own facilities program and business services. After this step, CARF selects a group of expert practitioners to visit the facility and conduct an on-site survey. It is during this survey that the program will be evaluated to ensure that CARF standards are being demonstrated and maintained.

The on-site evaluation includes observations, interviewing people getting services, document review, and consulting with staff. After reviewing the findings of the evaluation, CARF will render a decision and grant accreditation if the criteria are met.

After the decision, a provider has 90 days to complete and submit a quality improvement plan (QIP) as a condition of the accreditation. The QIP addresses any concerns or areas of improvement CARP outlined in their on-site evaluation. A plan of action to correct these areas, or proof of completion, needs to be included with the QIP.

During the time a provider is accredited, CARF will maintain contact to ensure standards continue to be met, and a yearly report, called an Annual Conformance to Quality Report (ACQR) needs to be submitted to CARF.

It’s worth noting that CARF awards three different accreditation term lengths (one year, two years, or three years) depending on how well a facility performs during the survey process. A three-year accreditation is the highest level CARF can award and indicates that a facility demonstrated substantial conformance across all standards evaluated.

When researching treatment options, asking a facility about their accreditation term length can give you a clearer picture of how they performed, not just whether they passed.

How Does CARF Accreditation Benefit People Receiving Treatment?

There are many advantages to choosing a CARF-accredited substance use disorder and addiction treatment provider, which include:

• guaranteed top-level industry standards, through accountability and risk reduction
• patient-focused treatment using internationally recognized standards of care
• standards of performance that were developed with both professional and consumer involvement
• knowledge that the program has met consumer standards
• positive treatment outcomes with the patient in mind
• insurance companies recognize and accept CARF accreditations

The overall mission of CARF is to improve the quality of life for every person who receives services from a CARF-accredited program. By using these standards of care that were developed with individuals who use these services and professionals who treat them, CARF accreditation can ensure that each patient is receiving a standard of care that only a CARF-accredited program can offer.

CARF has recently collaborated with ASAM to create a certification process to ensure that services provided within substance use disorder rehabilitation centers meet criteria that adhere to ASAM standards of care.

Who Are The ASAM?

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is a professional group with over 5,000 members in the field of addiction medicine. This includes physicians, researchers, and clinicians, among other substance use disorder professionals.

This group has several goals, including supporting research, prevention measures, public education, increased access to substance use disorder treatment programs, and improving the quality of available treatment programs.

How Are CARF And ASAM Improving Addiction Treatment?

Both of these agencies are important in substance use disorder and addiction treatment. CARF helps maintain a standard for the patient by holding providers and facilities to a specific standard of care, while ASAM has diligently worked with professionals in addiction treatment to maintain a standardized quality of care using evidence-based, outcome-oriented treatment methods.

Nearly thirty years ago, members of the ASAM developed what has come to be known as “The ASAM Criteria”. This set of criteria is the standard by which addiction treatment facilities operate, and is required in over thirty states.

Until the collaboration between CARF and ASAM, there was no process available to ensure that treatment facilities were, in fact, abiding by the ASAM Criteria. Because substance use disorder and addiction have become significant health concerns in the United States, this certification program will ensure that a treatment facility is using effective intervention methods that are defined by the ASAM Criteria.

This certification is known as the ASAM Level of Care Certification. CARF is currently the only entity approved by ASAM to certify residential substance use disorder treatment services. CARF provides an independent review exploring levels of treatment and dimensions of patient care. If a provider meets the criteria, CARF grants ASAM Level of Care Certification for up to three years, with annual reviews.

CARF-Accredited Treatment

Being a CARF-accredited substance use disorder treatment facility means that a gold-standard level of care is provided. If you or a loved one may benefit from a CARF-accredited inpatient substance use disorder program, browse our website to find a treatment center to contact today.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff