An Introduction to COA Accreditation
I. Introduction to COA
A. Course Overview
B. How COA Started
C. COA’s Mission
II. Characteristics of COA Accreditation
A. Overview of COA Accreditation
B. The Accreditation Process
III. Benefits of COA Accreditation
A. The Value of Accreditation
IV. COA Standards
A. Overview and Development of the Standards
B. What is a Standard?
C. Categories of Standards
V. COA Accreditation 7-Step Process
A. Overview of the Accreditation Process
B. Step 1: Application and Agreement
C. Step 2: Intake
D. Step 3: Self-Study
E. Step 4: Site Visit
F. Step 5: Ratings Report and Pre-Commission Review
G. Step 6: Accreditation Decision
H. Step 7: Maintaining Accreditation
VI. Overview of COA Website and MyCOA Portal
A. Overview of the COA Website
B. Where to Find Accreditation Information
C. Where to Find Standards Information
D. Where to Find Training Information
E. Overview of MyCOA Portal
VII. Next Steps
A. Resources
B. Course Summary
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Section 1: Introduction to COA
Course Overview
Welcome to this introductory training about the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the COA
process. After completing this training course, you will have gained an understanding of COA’s
mission and history, what is involved in becoming accredited, and where to find the information
you need to get started. You will also learn about benefits of accreditation, the steps in the
accreditation process, detailed information about standards, how they are structured, and how
to find them on the COA website. Please keep in mind this is a general overview of COA and
there may be minor differences specific to your organization or program. These are covered on
our website at coanet.org and will also be discussed in future trainings and during
conversations with your coordinator. Let’s get started!
How COA Started
The Council on Accreditation is an international, independent, not-for-profit, human service
accrediting organization. It was founded in 1977 by the Child Welfare League of America and
Family Service America, now known as the Alliance for Children and Families. Within a few
years COA expanded beyond its child welfare roots to become an accreditor of the full range of
community-based social service and behavioral healthcare programs. Currently, COA accredits,
or is in the process of accrediting, more than 2000 private and public organizations and
programs that serve more than 7 million individuals and families each year.
COA’s Mission
COA's mission statement, which is simple, but powerful states:
“We partner with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery
outcomes by developing, applying, and promoting accreditation standards.”
Your commitment to the accreditation process makes all the difference to the people you
serve. And we are committed to partnering with you to provide you with the resources you
need for a successful accreditation experience.
Section 2: Characteristics of COA Accreditation
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Overview of COA Accreditation
The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization or
program’s administrative functions and service delivery practices.
To achieve COA accreditation, your organization or program undergoes an extensive selfevaluation during which you assess your practices against COA's standards, and provide
documents as evidence that the standards have been implemented. Next, a group of specially
trained volunteers conduct a Site Visit to confirm implementation of the standards. Based on
their findings, COA’s Accreditation Commission then determines whether an organization or
program has successfully met the criteria for accreditation.
The Accreditation Process
The accreditation process is open, facilitative and collaborative -- we work with you at every
stage of the process to help you become accredited.
The accreditation process includes reviewing all programs and services your organization or
program delivers, as well as aspects of your organization or program's administrative
operations and management.
Typically, the time it takes for an organization or program to complete the entire accreditation
process is between 9-18 months from Intake to the point a decision is made about your
accreditation. The length of time depends on the size and readiness of your organization or
program. It is important to be aware of this time frame when planning for the accreditation
process. Accreditation is usually awarded for four years.
Section 3: Benefits of Accreditation
The Value of Accreditation
COA accreditation can strengthen your organization or program by helping you build
infrastructure, implement quality improvement processes, and adopt nationally recognized
best practices, the result of which is the provision of high quality programs and better client
outcomes.
Some of the most significant benefits of COA accreditation include:
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External validation
Implementation of best practices
Framework for ongoing performance and quality improvement
In-depth self-assessment
Increased accountability
Improved staff recruitment and retention
Improved quality of services and client outcomes
In summary, COA accreditation reflects a commitment by your organization or program to
deliver the highest quality of service.
Section 4: COA Standards
Overview and Development of the Standards
Let’s talk a little bit about COA standards and the accreditation process. COA standards describe
standards of best practice developed by experts in the field and COA’s Standards Department.
These standards emphasize services that are:
Accessible
Appropriate
Client focused
Community-based
Culturally competent
Provided by a skilled and supported workforce
Respectful of individual rights
Strengths-based
Treat all people with dignity
They can best be described as “Rigorous, Relevant, and Realistic.”
1. Rigorous: The standards are meant to be challenging. They are designed to push your
organization to operate at a higher level.
2. Relevant: The standards are developed by the social and human services community.
We are continually looking for feedback to ensure they remain relevant to how
organizations operate.
3. Realistic: The standards are achievable. They should be considered goal statements.
Perfection is not the goal. In fact, no organization or program must meet all of COA's
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standards to become accredited.
One final note, these standards also describe “What” not “How.” A standard describes what it is
you need to do and leaves the how you get there for you to decide. Different types of
organizations and programs will approach standards differently. In fact, there are many ways to
successfully achieve the standards. This is why we call COA’s standards contextual, meaning
they are able to be implemented by all types of organizations and programs, from 5 employees
to public systems of 20,000 employees, in rural settings and urban settings. This also allows
COA accreditation to take into account each organization’s unique mission, vision and culture.
What is a Standard?
A standard is a practice goal for a field or industry that is widely recognized or employed as
exhibiting a model of excellence. A standard is not a regulation. While a regulation is generally
set as a minimum requirement for a field, a standard represents a higher level of practice.
Our goal is to enable an organization or program to demonstrate implementation of COA's
standards and validate its effectiveness, while realizing its unique mission and service delivery
goals.
Categories of Standards
COA standards are grouped into three main categories: Administrative and Management
Standards, Service Delivery Administration Standards, and Service Standards.
The Administration and Management Standards focus on administrative and operational
functions of an organization or program. They demonstrate implementation of such functions
as financial stability, executive stewardship, governing responsibilities, ethical practices, HR, risk
management, quality improvement, and more.
The Service Delivery Administration Standards focus on issues related to the service
environment, client’s rights, and staff training.
And finally, COA has close to 50 sections of Service Standards that apply to over 125 different
types of programs.
Section 6: COA Accreditation 7-Step Process
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Overview of the Accreditation Process
The COA accreditation process involves seven steps. Let’s briefly walk through each of the steps
you will need to successfully achieve become COA-accredited.
Step 1: Application and Agreement
The first step in the process is the application and accreditation agreement.
Once we receive your organization or program’s application, we will complete a review in
approximately one week. We will then send a letter accompanied by an Accreditation
Agreement.
Step 2: Intake
The second step in the process is the Intake stage.
The Intake stage is where the accreditation process begins for your organization or program.
During Intake you will receive an overview of the process. The Intake Coordinator will assess
your readiness for accreditation, and will work collaboratively with you to understand your
organization's culture and its approach to service delivery.
This stage allows COA to better understand the diverse make-up of each organization or
program and match it with the appropriate Accreditation Coordinator who will work with the
organization or program to assign the relevant service standards, develop a timeline for
accreditation including important milestones such as the date of your site visit, and identify
technical assistance and training opportunities.
Step 3: Self-Study
The next step is the Self-Study phase of the accreditation process.
The Self-Study is the heart of the accreditation process and is synonymous with the in-depth
self-evaluation that we spoke about earlier. This is where the work of becoming accredited is
done. To help you with this process COA matches each organization or program with an
Accreditation Coordinator who provides facilitative, personal assistance throughout the entire
process. The coordinator is your single point of contact with COA. S/he answers questions,
provides feedback and guidance, connects you with resources, helps you meet the timetable
and milestones, and helps you prepare the Self-Study and for the Site Visit.
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You will also designate an employee to act as a coordinator for your organization or program to
work with the COA Coordinator.
At the end of the Self-Study process, approximately six to ten weeks before your Site Visit, you
will submit Self-Study Evidence, which includes copies of polices and procedures as well as
written narrative responses to specific questions designed to demonstrate how your
organization or program is meeting the COA standards. The Self-Study evidence helps the
Review Team understand your organization and how if operates and is used to help them
assess and rate implementation with the standards.
Step 4: Site Visit
The Site Visit is the fourth step in the accreditation process. Following submission of the SelfStudy Evidence, a team of volunteer reviewers conduct a Site Visit. This team consists of
experienced professionals who've been trained in COA's process, and who as a team, have the
requisite experience to review the organization or program's services. The size of the team and
the length of the Site Visit vary depending on the size of the organization and the number of
program sites.
While onsite, the team will conduct activities intended to verify and clarify the extent to which
your organization has implemented the standard. These include a review of client records and
other documents, observation of programs in operation, including interactions between staff
and clients, and interviews with a variety of staff and stakeholders which include clients. During
this process, the review team will determine the level of implementation or compliance for
each standard.
Step 5: Ratings Report
The next step is the ratings report, formally known as the Pre-Commission Review Report or
PCR Report.
Immediately following the Site Visit the Review Team will submit its findings to COA. COA will
then prepare your organization's or program's PCR Report. Organizations and programs receive
their PCR Report within 20 business days following the Site Visit. The report will include a list of
any standards that still need to be addressed before your organization can become COA
accredited, along with specific guidance on how to demonstrate implementation.
You will be given at least 30 business days to respond to the PCR Report.
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If, following your Site Visit, there are no standards that require remediation, your organization's
accreditation decision will be fast-tracked, or "expedited".
Step 6: Accreditation Decision
The sixth step in this process is the accreditation decision.
Once you have responded to the PCR Report, your response and the original report are
forwarded to COA's Accreditation Commission.
COA’s Accreditation Commission is a group of volunteers who are drawn from COA's most
senior and experienced volunteers. If the Accreditation Commission decides your organization's
response is sufficient, your organization will achieve accreditation. Your organization or
program’s expiration date is established based upon the notification of achievement of
accreditation, usually four years.
Step 7: Maintaining Accreditation
The final step is maintenance of your accreditation.
Maintaining your accreditation status is key to sustaining a culture of quality within your
organization. COA requires all organizations to annually submit a Maintenance of Accreditation
(MOA) Report in the years between becoming accredited and re-entering the accreditation
process. Among other things, the MOA Report is used to inform COA of significant changes
within your organization or program, e.g., the opening of a new program site, or a change in
leadership.
Approximately 18 months before your accreditation expiration date, the accreditation process
will start again.
Section 6: Overview of COA Website and MyCOA Portal
Overview of the COA Website
Welcome to Section 6: Overview of www.coanet.org COA Website and MyCOA Portal. COA’s
website, www.coanet.org is where you can find anything you need to know about COA’s
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accreditation process, standards, available resources, and much more. The MyCOA Portal is a
secure, private website that Streamlines the accreditation process and ultimately reduces the
overall time and cost of accreditation.”
Let’s take a few minutes to explore some important aspects of the COA website.
Where to Find Accreditation Information
Notice the accreditation drop down menu on the left. This is where you go for basic information
about COA and the process of accreditation. Here you can access the pages where you can
apply for accreditation, review information about expectations, policies and procedures, and
rights and responsibilities.
Where to Find Standards Information
The standards drop down menu gives you access to all of the standards for specific types of
organizations and programs. Here you will find important information for any organization or
program looking to become COA-accredited.
Where to Find Training Information
Under the training and resources drop down menu, you have access to two really important
functions:
First, the training calendar where you will find all the scheduled live training, as well as
recorded webinars, and self-paced trainings.
Next, you will be able to access tools and training resources such as worksheets,
checklists, crosswalks, and tip sheets, to help guide you through the accreditation
process.
Overview of MyCOA Portal
Once you have started the accreditation process you will be given access to your MyCOA Portal.
Your MyCOA Portal is a secure, user-friendly web portal designed to simplify your work flow
and facilitate a smooth accreditation process.
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Your MyCOA Portal has many features and benefits, including the ability to view only those
standards which apply to your organization or program, online submission of accreditationrelated forms and documents, access to recommended tools and resources, and more.
Additionally, the MyCOA Portal:
Enhances communication between you and COA
Allows for the collection and sharing of data resulting in increased organizational
effectiveness and capacity
Ensures the reliability of data
Eliminates paper processing and redundancies
Section 7: Next Steps
Resources
Now that you've completed this training, the next step is to visit the COA website and begin to
familiarize yourself with the standards.
Following that, we strongly recommend that you review the Accreditation Guidelines, which
provide practical advice on planning, organizing, and managing the work involved with getting
accredited, a link which can be found on every page of the Standards.
• Visit www.COAnet.org
• Review the Standards for your type of organization or program
• Review the Accreditation Guidelines for your type of organization or program
You should also visit resources under the “Training and Resources” tab of the website to
familiarize yourself with what is available to help you with accreditation process. Here you will
find additional COA trainings, worksheets and other tools to help you manage the work, and
much more.
On this page is a link to an important tool we recommend you review called "How to Read the
Standards and Table of Evidence. There are also direct links to the Training Calendar and the
Tools Search function on the COA website.
Course Summary
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Congratulations! We have come to the end of this course. Let’s review what we have addressed
during this training.
We discussed COA and COA’s mission.
We reviewed the characteristics and benefits of COA accreditation.
We provided an overview of COA’s standards.
We described the 7-step accreditation process.
We took a brief look at the COA website and MyCOA portal.
We hope you have found this training useful and informative. If at any time you have questions,
please contact your coordinator or use the “contact us” link at COAnet.org. Thank you for
participating in this training.
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