After four days, and countless preparation hours, 
the Council on Accreditation, (COA) review has concluded and I could not be more proud. The reviewers have confirmed what I have always known…Family & Children’s Center operates amazing programs that meet the needs of those in the community AND that our staff are our greatest asset!
Thursday morning the COA reviewers held an exit interview and I hope in this message to relay some of their comments. A full report for each reviewed standard is forthcoming and rest assured the formal results will be shared at that time.
The reviewers went thru all the various standards and the feedback was the same…procedures were thorough and clear and covered all best practice standards. They commented on how staff respect our clients, they commented on our facilities, describing them as warm and welcoming. They commented on the team work of staff and of our collaborations within the communities we work.
The reviewers were particularly impressed by our culture of PQI. They commented on the systems that we have in place and the understanding the staff has about PQI and their utilization of it. Staff were aware of the elements of a PQI system and outcomes, all things that point to a culture of PQI. They challenged us to take the next steps with PQI, like aggregating incident report data, looking at trends and finding additional ways to address/measure what quality is and means to each of our programs.
The comments were overwhelmingly positive and I was particularly touched when they shared comments from our consumers…Many of the clients interviewed were able to provide specifics about how they were helped by the staff at FCC, for example, some stating that they are better able to manage their anger. Others talked about how the staff support and respect them. While others talked about all the little things staff do for them like ensuring they get to their appointments on time.
I was overwhelmed by the positive comments about our staff as well. You all are the heart and soul of Family & Children’s Center and I am proud to work with such dedicated staff.
This process is not an easy process and the work is ongoing. Your dedication to this process along with all your other work that you manage each day is amazing. This national accreditation puts us in an elite group as not every non-profit agency can attain this achievement.
Finally, I would be remiss without mentioning the work of Rich Petro and Kenzie Scoville who led this effort. The reviewers commented on the organization and the detail…one reviewer commenting this was one of the very best reviews she has been on.
I am truly grateful for the efforts of the entire agency to get us through this process and am humbled by the work you do each and every day.
With warm appreciation,
Tita