Who initiates contact with the accrediting body, and if I am supposed to, who do I contact, and where can I contact them?
The contractor initiates the contact with the accrediting body. You can contact CQL Canada at 1 705 849-4282, CARF in the United States at 1 888 281-6531 and in Canada at 1 877 434-5444 and COA at 1 866 262-8088.
Who will pay for the costs of accreditation?
The Ministry will pay the application fee, the accreditation fee, the site review/survey fee, annual fees, manuals, and any other required costs for Ministry-/CLBC-funded organizations. These costs average $14,000 per organization, spread over either one, three, or four years, depending on the length of the accreditation earned.
How will the Ministry identify which service providers will be required to earn accreditation? Will all service provider organizations that contract with MCFD have to be accredited?
The Ministry looks at annual funding levels for all contractors to determine who is over the $500,000 threshold. Only contractors with total annual contracts with the Ministry/CLBC of $500,000 or more are required to be accredited. However, with their contract manager’s approval, the Ministry will support smaller providers who choose to earn accreditation.
I have a small agency with total contracts of under $500,000 annually. Do I have to earn accreditation also?
The threshold for the accreditation requirement is set at $500,000 total contracts annually with the Ministry/CLBC. Smaller contractors may opt into accreditation with their contract manager’s approval. If you would like to pursue accreditation, please contact your Contract Manager to discuss.
There may be exceptions where the Ministry may ask some smaller organizations to become accredited or waive the requirement for some larger organizations. However, these would be exceptions and based on special circumstances.
My annual contracts with MCFD are under $500,000, but my contracts with other ministries (e.g., Health, Attorney General, and Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance) bring my total annual budget up to approximately $1 million dollars. Should I become accredited? Will MCFD require my agency to be accredited?
MCFD does not require you to be accredited. However, given the size and complexity of your agency, you may seek to earn accreditation by choice. Accreditation can provide you with some very helpful suggestions for improving the functioning of your organization. If you wish to pursue accreditation voluntarily, please contact your Contract Manager to discuss.
What happens if I have an accreditation site review/survey but do not get accredited? Will my contract automatically be cancelled?
The decision to cancel a contract due to failure to achieve or maintain accreditation would be on an individual basis and only after reasonable attempts have been made to resolve the situation. Service provider organizations who consistently fail to earn or maintain accreditation are likely to have their contracts terminated. Terminating a contract will be the last step in a process of working with an organization to support them to achieve a successful accreditation outcome.
The Ministry will provide extra support, training, mentoring resources, and mock surveys as required to assist the organization prepare for accreditation. The accrediting bodies will also provide extra technical assistance to ensure successful completion of the accreditation process.
Are specific accrediting bodies identified for the different types of services provided by the Ministry, or do we have a choice?
The Ministry has three approved accrediting bodies: The Council on Accreditation (COA), The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL). Service provider organizations may choose which body is most appropriate for their organization, keeping in mind that CQL is available to organizations receiving only CLBC funding.
I have a multi-service agency with many types of services. What do I do about a service I provide for which there are no accreditation standards?
Some services are not covered by COA, CARF or CQL standards and may be excluded from accreditation. Please check with your accrediting body to ensure accurate interpretation of the standards.
How does agency staff manage accreditation while maintaining the same level of support to their clients?
In some cases, contractors may need to reduce client hours temporarily in order to complete the accreditation process. The decision to reduce client hours is determined on a case by case basis, through discussion between the contract manager and the contractor.
How much time do I have to prepare for my first accreditation survey?
Most service provider organizations need about 12-18 months of focused work to prepare for their first site review/survey. Some organizations could be successful with less preparation time and some need more time.
My residential program has to meet Community Care Facilities licensing requirements, the Ministry's standards for staff residential resources, and also deal with the demands of accreditation. How do I put all these different demands together?
You should consult with the licensing officer and your contract manager to minimize the duplication/overlap in the work and to arrange for joint planning of site inspections and other visits.
I have a multi-service agency. Will I have to undergo more than one site review/survey to become fully accredited?
No, you will only be required to be involved with one accrediting body.
How will accreditation fit with what the Ministry monitors on an ongoing basis in terms of my contract?
Contracts must still be monitored in terms of compliance with Ministry policies and in terms of the deliverables in the contract. The Ministry will be working out the details of how these two activities can best fit together over the next couple of years.
What is the Accreditation Mentoring Program, and how do I access a mentor to help me in the accreditation process?
A mock survey is when a mentor visits your organization and reviews how well you are meeting the accreditation standards. Organizations are required to have a mock survey/review with a mentor before scheduling their first site review/survey. This will assist with ensuring that the organization is ready. Cancellation of a scheduled site survey costs the equivalent of at least one surveyor day.
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