With thousands of addiction treatment centers across the US, choosing the best one can be challenging. It’s even more difficult when you consider which facilities are reputable and which ones are not abiding by regulations. This is where The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO) comes in. JCAHO Accredited treatment centers are recognized for their dedication to high-quality service in the healthcare industry.
What Does JCAHO Accreditation Mean?
JCAHO stands for the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. For many years, this non-profit organization has set the standard for how healthcare organizations should be run. Choosing a JCAHO facility means that you are receiving the highest quality of care for the treatment of addiction.
The History of The Joint Commission
Upon its founding in 1951, the Joint Commission was known as The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH).
In 1961 JCAH gained national importance when the federal government decided that if hospitals met all of the JCAH’s requirements it would meet the Medicare conditions of participation. This was a historic move by the government to put so much faith in the opinion of a non-profit organization.
In 1970, now named JCAHO, the organization began accreditation processes for behavioral health, which included substance abuse treatment centers. In 1998, the Joint Commission International was formed taking its influence on healthcare organizations outside of the United States.
Today, the Joint Commission is known across the country as the “gold standard” of substance abuse accreditation. Every year it evaluates more than 21,000 organizations in the United States.
The Process for JCAHO Accredited Treatment Centers
One of the main reasons that JCAHO Accreditation has become so well respected is the extensive, rigid, and tough accreditation process. The Joint Commission’s accreditation requirements look at an organization’s conduct regarding treatment, care, and services. They ensure these areas meet the highest level of quality and compassion.
Once the accreditation process begins, a team of behavioral health care professionals starts conducting surveys. Only those with the highest levels of licenses, experience, and education conduct these surveys.
This highly qualified group of accreditation professionals includes social workers, psychologists, behavioral health counselors, and more. Most of the individuals conducting the surveys also work in other drug and alcohol treatment facilities; this ensures that the best experts in the industry are the ones granting accreditation.
Every 39 days accreditation is due for renewal. To ensure facilities are meeting these standards, the surveys happen at random times. Anyone can pass a test when they have 2-weeks to prepare for it. But it takes a reliable and exceptional drug rehab to be in proper condition to pass the strict standards of JCAHO 365 days a year.
The JCAHO team then speaks to random patients and all of the healthcare professionals that they have interacted with or received care from. Once this intense inspection of records, administration procedures, medication handling, and maintenance concludes, a rehab can then be certified for 39 months.
Completing a JCAHO survey is an incredible accomplishment for any drug rehab.
Benefits of the JCAHO Accreditation for Substance Abuse Treatment
The rigorous process to obtain the accreditation, greatly benefits those seeking substance abuse rehab centers. With the myriad of options available, knowing that you can trust one with the right accreditations can make a huge difference and make the process easier.
1. Organizational Structure
The first of these benefits is that the Joint Commission provides a guidepost and framework for how to structure and manage a drug rehab. By offering a guide book on the organizational structure, it ensures that treatment centers for drug and alcohol abuse adhere to policies that benefit the patients and prevents over-enthusiastic and eccentric business owners with no mental health experience from dictating unproven treatment methods and modalities.
2. Confidence
Knowing the survey procedure and the credibility that comes with JCAHO approval means you can confidently trust a treatment center. The certification gives you confidence in the safety, effectiveness, and standards a drug rehab center is willing to maintain to facilitate treatment.
3. Ongoing Support and Resources
The Joint Commission is not an organization that polices substance abuse facilities. They are a trusted partner in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics. They make sure the facilities they visit are doing everything in their power to help their patients, and they also provide support and resources to ensure that the centers keep performing above standard.
Choosing a JCAHO Accredited Treatment Centers
When you are looking for high quality, leading addiction treatment center, only look at rehab centers with the JCAHO certification. After all, a highly reputable facility will have all of the qualifications, licenses, and credentials that are appropriate for a treatment facility to have.
Lighthouse Recovery Institute has the JCAHO “Gold Seal” of Approval and is also carries licenses by the Florida Department of Children and Families. In addition to this, we’re certified by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences. These credentials are necessary because they help indicate the reputability of the facility.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorders, contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment services. Our accredited facility is not only accredited by the joint commission standards, but it’s also open to offer individualized treatment programs that meet your unique needs. The time to seek addiction treatment is today, don’t wait any longer.
