The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities recently announced that Beaufort County Developmental Center has been awarded a three-year CARF accreditation for the following programs/services: community housing, community integration, organizational employment services and community employment services: job development, job supports and job-site training. BCDC was first accredited in 2003 and has maintained the three-year maximum accreditation since that time.
CARF is an independent, international accrediting agency whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. The Commission establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.
Achieving accreditation means that BCDC is committed to quality improvement, focusing on the unique needs of each person the agency serves. The accreditation process begins with an internal audit of all programs and business practices. Then a team of expert practitioners, selected by CARF, conduct an on-site survey. To be eligible for accreditation, BCDC had to demonstrate that it conforms to a series of more than 2,000 rigorous and internationally recognized CARF standards.
During a CARF survey, people who are receiving services are asked about their level of involvement, happiness with the services, and their achievements in the programs. While this award is important to the staff and consumers of BCDC, it is also important for other organizations that BCDC partners with in the community. It confirms to everyone that BCDC is operating services which meet or exceed accepted “best practice” standards. When the services or providers consumers choose is CARF accredited, they’re assured the highest quality services possible.
“CARF accreditation is a sincere team effort,” said Chris Kiricoples, BCDC’s chief executive officer. “Everyone plays an important role in showcasing the superior level of care our consumers receive at BCDC. We are honored that we have consistently received the maximum accreditation awarded by CARF, and particularly pleased with the surveyors’ overwhelmingly positive impressions of BCDC.”
The CARF survey team identified a number of strengths, including the agency’s “openness, professionalism and provision of services that strengthen communities, families, and individuals.” It was impressed with BCDC’s board, executive leadership, management team and staff members and “their degree of passion and commitment to fulfilling the organization’s mission.” The agency was commended for its “continued financial solvency and stability during statewide fiscal challenges and the commitment and sacrifices made by staff and leadership to assist the agency through severe economic times.”
The surveyors also highlighted BCDC’s diligence in pursuing multiple funding sources, including grants, innovative approaches to finding alternative funding sources and significant fundraising activities. The survey also recognized the satisfaction with services provided by BCDC — “persons served look forward to coming to the programs every day.  Long-term friendships are developed at BCDC.”
Chip Edwards said, “I am honored to serve as chairman of the BCDC Board of Directors — a board that was commended by surveyors as being a “dedicated board that is strongly committed to BCDC’s mission and ensuring that the organization provides quality services to persons served. The CARF accreditation acknowledges the high standard of services provided by BCDC.”
Kiricoples was particularly proud of CARF’s praise.
“Consumers face a variety of options when deciding what services to use and who should provide them.  Accreditation is a sign of quality — a distinction that indicates we are committed to our consumers in all aspects of care, including safety, financial responsibility, quality of care and evidence-based practice,” he explained.
This accreditation outcome represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the standards established by CARF. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are the highest quality.
Beaufort County Developmental Center, established in 1974 to serve residents of Beaufort County with Developmental Disabilities, is located at 1534 W. Fifth St. in Washington. Services include fully licensed and accredited supervised and semi-independent residential services through group homes and apartments; vocational training programs which include job-placement and community-support services; and five-star licensed and nationally accredited child-care and child-development center. The agency also manages the Beaufort Area Transit System for Beaufort County.
The mission of BCDC is to empower people with developmental disabilities through service alternatives which promote self-advocacy, self-reliance, self-actualization, self-direction and self-sufficiency. For more information about BCDC’s services, call 252-946-0151 or visit www.bcdcsolutions.org.