WHO IS ACCREDITED?

      Private Organization Accreditation

      Debt Education and Certification Foundation (DECAF), a private non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, provides high-quality financial education and counseling, with nationwide outreach throughout the U.S. DECAF is HUD-approved, and recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Texas.
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      ORGANIZATION TESTIMONIAL

      Holy Family Institute

      Sister Linda Yankoski, President/CEO

      The Council On Accreditation provides all stakeholders involved in the delivery of social services the assurance that the organization is credible, effective, and is committed to quality improvement. The COA process is an important tool for anyone involved in leading an organization to establish best practices and maintaining and updating these practices over time.
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      Purpose

      The agency earns and sustains the public trust through honest, truthful, and responsible transactions, partnerships, and relationships with individuals, communities, providers, businesses, donors, and government entities.

      FOC
      PA-ETH 4: Protection of Reporters of Suspected Misconduct

      The agency prohibits employment-related retaliation against employees and others affiliated with the agency who come forward with information about suspected misconduct or questionable practices, and provides an appropriate, confidential channel for reporting such information.

      Related

      Interpretation: An agency establishing a policy to protect reporters of suspected misconduct can begin by adopting a code of conduct and ethical practice and developing reporting procedures. Procedures should include avoidance of baseless allegations, maintenance of anonymity, definitions, rights and responsibilities, and the role of supervisors, senior management, and governing body officers or committees.

      Note: Please see the Whistleblower Policy Template - Private, Public, Canadian, Network for additional assistance with this standard.

      Rating Indicators
      1
      Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
      A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
      • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions: exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
      2
      Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
      A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement.
      • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented. 
      • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.
      3
      Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
      • A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
      • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.  
      • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner.  
      • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.  
      • Capacity is at a basic level.
      4
      Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
      • A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
      • The agency’s observed administration and management infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.
      Please see Rating Guidance for additional rating examples. 

      Table of Evidence

      Self-Study Evidence On-Site Evidence On-Site Activities
        County/Municipality Administered Agency, State Administered Agency (Central Office), or other Public Entity
        • EEOC policy
        • Grievance policy and procedures
        • Whistle-blower provisions in legislation or administrative code
        • Documentation of any grievances/incidents related to retaliation
        State Administered Agency (Regional Office)
        • Documentation of policy communication to staff (e.g. memos, staff meeting minutes, training documents)
        • Documentation of any regional grievances/incidents related to retaliation
        All Agencies
        • Personnel Manual (printed or online)
        County/Municipality Administered Agency, State Administered Agency (Central Office), or other Public Entity
        • Interview:
          1. Agency head
          2. Ethics officer/in-house counsel
          3. Personnel
          4. HR director
          5. Persons served/community stakeholders
        State Administered Agency (Regional Office)
        • Interview:
          1. Agency leadership
          2. Personnel
          3. HR staff
          4. Persons served/community stakeholders
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