WHO IS ACCREDITED?

Private Organization Accreditation
Money Management International is a nationwide nonprofit organization that provides counseling and education related to credit, housing and bankruptcy, and offers debt management assistance if needed. MMI also conducts community education programs in the areas where we have a physical presence.
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ORGANIZATION TESTIMONIAL
Family Services of the North Shore
Kathleen Whyte, Manager of Human Resources / Accreditation Coordinator
Family Services of the North Shore is about to enter our third accreditation cycle with COA. Accreditation has provided us with a framework that enables us to demonstrate accountability to our clients, our funders and our donors. There is no question that the accreditation process and COA have benefited our agency.
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Purpose
Individuals participating in Mentoring Services develop supportive, positive relationships that contribute to the achievement of personal, social, and educational growth.
MS 4: Screening and Selection of Mentors
Prospective mentors are screened to determine their suitability for the role and to safeguard and promote the well-being of mentees.
Note: The standards in MS 4 should be incorporated into the organization’s hiring practices for the mentoring program (see HR 3) when paid program staff are used as mentors.
Table of Evidence
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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No On-Site Evidence
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FPMS 4.01The mentor screening process includes:
- a written application;
- an in-person interview that includes an assessment of the applicant’s motivation for becoming a mentor;
- reference checks;
- criminal history checks, where legally permissible; and
- child abuse registry checks, where legally permissible.
Interpretation: The screening process is to be completed before a prospective mentor serves children, youth, or dependent adults in any capacity. An organization’s procedures should clearly detail what qualities and qualifications it is seeking in its mentors and what characteristics would disqualify a prospective mentor from participating in the program.
Interpretation: For programs utilizing mentors with lived experience, such as mentors who were victims of human trafficking or those with a history of drug or alcohol use, the mentor may have a criminal history of prostitution or other minor charges which should not disqualify the mentor from the program.
Interpretation: For survivor mentoring programs utilizing mentors who are not survivors of human trafficking, additional consideration should be given to assessing mentor qualifications, including, but not limited to, education, experience working with children, and commitment to maintaining the mentoring relationship regardless of the residential placement or location of the mentees.Note: If mentors have opportunities to transport mentees, the organization should also review their driving records, as referenced in ASE 6.03.
Research Note: Congress has extended SafetyNET, a pilot program developed to support the mentor selection process for programs serving children and youth with fitness determinations through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Fitness determinations are based upon nationwide, fingerprint-based criminal background checks performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Organizations can apply for this service through MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership for a nominal fee.
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MS 4.02
A prospective mentor’s availability and/or caseload size are assessed to determine if there will be sufficient time to establish and maintain a strong mentoring relationship with a prospective mentee.
Interpretation: The organization should clearly communicate expectations regarding: (1) how frequently mentors and mentees will meet, and (2) the minimum length of time mentors need to commit to the program. Although expectations can vary based on program type and model, many programs ask mentors to meet with mentees at least one hour per week, or for several hours once or twice a month, for at least a year.
Interpretation: There are a number of factors that impact how many relationships an individual mentor can take on including:- whether the mentor is paid or volunteer:
- whether the mentor is full-time or part-time;
- the number of hours committed by the mentor;
- the program’s model and objectives; and
- the service population in question.
Note: See Research Note to MS 7.01.
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MS 4.03
The organization assesses whether the prospective mentor’s personal qualities will facilitate the development of a trust-based relationship centered on the mentee.
Note: See Research Note to MS 6.02