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.
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      ORGANIZATION TESTIMONIAL

      Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Inc.

      Donna Mathews, Associate Director

      Becoming accredited and maintaining our accreditation through COA has helped us increase our professionalism and thereby provide better services to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence survivors.
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      Purpose

      Residential Treatment Services provide individualized therapeutic interventions and a range of services, including education for residents to increase productive and pro-social behavior, improve functioning and well-being, and return to a stable living arrangement in the community.

      RTX 14: Services for Substance Use Conditions

      The organization provides substance use prevention and recovery services.

      Interpretation: RTX 14 applies to all residential treatment programs regardless of the population served to emphasize and support prevention and recovery for residents with substance use conditions. In addition, programs whose primary service is residential substance use treatment will also complete the applicable standards for Services for Mental Health and/or Substance Use Disorders (MHSU).

      Rating Indicators
      1
      All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, as indicated by full implementation of the practices outlined in the Practice standards.
      2
      Practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement, as noted in the ratings for the Practice standards; e.g.,
      • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted, however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
      • Procedures need strengthening; or
      • With few exceptions procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
      • For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
      • Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations (HR 6.02) and training (TS 2.03); or
      • Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
      3
      Practice requires significant improvement, as noted in the ratings for the Practice standards. Service quality or program functioning may be compromised; e.g.,
      • Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
      • Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
      • Timeframes are often missed; or
      • A number of client records are missing important information  or
      • Client participation is inconsistent; or
      • One of the Fundamental Practice Standards received a rating of 3 or 4.
      4
      Implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all, as noted in the ratings for the Practice standards; e.g.,
      • No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
      • Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing; or  
      • Two or more Fundamental Practice Standards received a rating of 3 or 4.

      Table of Evidence

      Self-Study Evidence On-Site Evidence On-Site Activities
        • Procedures for providing or arranging substance use prevention and recovery services 
        • List of substance use resources and services continuum 
        • Contracts/service agreements/MOUs for substance use prevention and education services
        • Interview:
          1. Program director
          2. Relevant personnel
          3. Residents
        • Review case records

      • RTX 14.01

        The organization provides or makes formal arrangements with appropriate organizations to provide substance use prevention and education services according to the needs and developmental stage of the resident population.

      • RTX 14.02

        The organization maintains a list of referral resources for a full continuum of services to meet the needs of residents with alcohol or other substance use-related problems.

        Interpretation: Organizations can maximize the likelihood of a successful referral by creating MOUs or linkage agreements with providers that specialize in substance use prevention and recovery services. These types of arrangements should outline the services provided, the goals and objectives of the collaboration, and the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.

      • RTX 14.03

        Referrals to self-help or peer support group services are provided to residents and family members, as appropriate.

        Interpretation: Organizations’ policies and/or procedures should promote referrals to culturally and linguistically competent service providers.

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