WHO IS ACCREDITED?

Private Organization Accreditation
Sweetser, a Maine non-profit agency operating since 1828, provides comprehensive mental and behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services. Statewide, it serves around 15,000 consumers a year, including children, adults, and families in outpatient, office-based, and residential settings.
read more >>
VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIAL
Audrey Coleman, RN-MSN
Volunteer Roles: Military Reviewer; Peer Reviewer; Team Leader
My first experience with COA was in 1999 with what was a NC Area Program. I started as a peer reviewer in 2005, doing two to four site visits a year. I am also a team leader and have recently been approved to be a military reviewer.
read more>>
Purpose
The organization’s administrative and service environments are respectful, caring, safe, and accessible, and contribute to organizational productivity and effective service delivery.
FOC
ASE 1: Promotion of Health and Safety
In its daily operations, the organization ensures the health and safety of its personnel and the individuals and families it serves.
Table of Evidence
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
---|---|---|
|
|
|
-
FPASE 1.01The organization ensures that its administrative and service environments promote the health and safety of personnel and service recipients.
-
FPASE 1.02The organization develops and implements a policy to prohibit smoking in all areas of its buildings except in specified circumstances and in locations environmentally separate from administrative and service areas.
Interpretation: In developing its smoking policy, the organization considers fire risks, duration of care, clinical implications, and laws governing tobacco use by minors.
Research Note: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has concluded that secondhand smoke is an occupational carcinogen containing over 50 cancer-causing chemicals. Smoke-free workplaces are the only effective way to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace. Other methods such as separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposure.
-
ASE 1.03
The organization offers information on healthy living choices to service recipients, if desired.
Interpretation: Information offered may include books, magazines, pamphlets, websites, organization names or phone numbers and addresses, for example, smoking cessation, gambling or other addictions, nutrition, fitness, healthy habits, or stress management.
-
ASE 1.04
The organization takes steps to reduce the environmental impact of its daily operations.
Interpretation: Examples of standard implementation include, but are not limited to, instituting a recycling program, using environmentally friendly products, and/or reducing water and energy consumption.
-
FPASE 1.05The organization maintains a work environment for its personnel that is conducive to effectively providing services to individuals and families in a private and confidential manner, as needed.
Interpretation: Organizations should extend policies and procedures to remote locations as much as feasibly possible and inform service recipients of any limitations on privacy and confidentiality. When providing services remotely using technology, organizations should consider: (1) the location(s) where personnel are providing services, and (2) the location(s) where individuals are receiving services.
-
ASE 1.06
When services are offered on a regular and ongoing basis in a location that is not owned or leased by the organization, the organization ensures:
- the space and required equipment is appropriate to the services being offered, and the ages and abilities of clients;
- facilities are clean;
- there are no observable safety hazards in the space and required equipment is safe;
- fire drills are conducted in accordance with legal requirements; and
- smoking is prohibited in all areas of the building except in specified circumstances and in locations environmentally separate from administrative and service areas.
Update:
-
Revised Standard - 06/15/17The standard was revised to clarify applicabilty and some elements were removed.
Interpretation: The organization must be able to demonstrate that mechanisms are in place to ensure the safety and appropriateness of facilities prior to their use. The organization may accomplish this by incorporating requirements into service agreements and/or by visiting the facility to assess the space. See RPM 9.07 for more information on establishing formal service agreements with the host.
Interpretation: When Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Youth Development Services (YD) are being offered, smoking should be prohibited anywhere on the premises.Note: This standard is not intended to apply in situations where a location is used intermittently to accommodate the needs of a particular client.
NA The organization does not offer services at locations it does not own or lease.