South Dakota Achieve Awarded a Four Year
Re-Accreditation
by the Council on Quality and Leadership!
Story by Becky Hansen, Vice President of
Services
About CQL:
The
Council on Quality and Leadership
(CQL)
is an international not-for-profit
organization that brings together
providers, professionals, advocates
and other leaders in the disability
field whose vision is community
inclusion, dignity and quality of
life for people with disabilities.
Through groundbreaking research and
publications; trainings; workshops
and conferences; accreditation and
certification programs -- CQL is a
leader in shaping the future of
disabilities services.
CQL Reviewers pictured along with
Becky Hansen, VP Services, & Anne
Rieck McFarland, President and CEO
The Accreditation Process:
During the week of August 10th-13th
2009, four reviewers from
CQL spent several days in
Sioux Falls learning about
South Dakota Achieve while
conducting the
re-accreditation review. An
intensive review of the
organizations systems,
policies, and data
management systems related
to health, safety and
welfare was conducted. CQL
also measured the
organization’s direct impact
on the lives of people
receiving services through
Personal Outcomes data.
Additionally, a variety of
focus groups were hosted by
CQL, These focus groups
involved staff, self
advocates, community members
and family members and were
focused on gathering
information about South
Dakota Achieve from their
perspectives.
Accreditation Criteria:
In order to receive
re-accreditation, an
agency must meet the
following criteria;
Alignment with CQL’s
Shared Values as
demonstrated through
self assessment
validation
100% compliance with
46 Basic Assurances
indicators
A minimum of 11/11
for aggregate
Personal Outcomes
scoring
The Results:
On August 13, 2009, South
Dakota Achieve
organizational members
learned that the great
services we provide, the
values we hold dear and the
systems in place to maximize
health/safety/welfare had
been validated through the
review process. South
Dakota Achieve received
official news that the Council on
Quality and Leadership
recommended a 4 year
accreditation!
We will be working
collaboratively with CQL
over the next 4 years while
maintaining our
accreditation. The focus of
our work will be to maintain
the gains we have made and
to build upon them.
