Eleven MHA Programs Earn CARF International Accreditation
SPRINGFIELD — CARF International, an independent international nonprofit accrediting body, announced that the Mental Health Assoc. Inc. (MHA) has been accredited for a period of three years for 11 programs. Included are MHA’s BestLife Emotional Health and Wellness Center, which provides outpatient behavioral-health clinical services to adults, children, families, and couples; GRIT, MHA’s residential rehabilitation-services program; the Tenancy Preservation Program; Housing First; and residential programs funded by the Department of Mental Health and Department of Children and Families.
CARF accreditation ensures and validates that MHA is meeting internationally accepted standards that emphasize an integrated and individualized approach to services and outcomes, establishes accountability to funding sources and referral agencies, and reassures the community of MHA’s ongoing commitment to self-evaluation in its pursuit of excellence, quality outcomes, and positive impact.
“MHA has a fiduciary relationship with our funders and donors, so their confidence in our programs must be both meaningful and measurable,” said Cheryl Fasano, president and CEO of MHA Inc. “CARF accreditation validates that. When an organization like CARF illuminates every aspect of a program and acknowledges the high standards we consistently achieve in quality and accountability, that speaks volumes about MHA as an organization. More than 60 years ago, our founders established MHA with a profound passion and commitment to improving the lives of those challenged by mental health and developmental disabilities. They would be proud to know how forward-thinking and forward-moving MHA is today.”
CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous-improvement services that center on enhancing the lives of the people served.
“MHA received the highest level of CARF accreditation for these programs,” Fasano said. “MHA put itself through a rigorous peer-review process and demonstrated to surveyors during on-site visits our commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality. MHA teams worked tirelessly on this process for 18 months. There were countless hours of preparation and personal commitment from every person involved, notably achieved in the midst of a global pandemic. Our teams have set an extraordinary example of commitment and professionalism. I am grateful and extremely proud of the passion MHA people bring to their work every day.”
MHA’s BestLife Emotional Health and Wellness Center partners with adults, children, families, and couples impacted by the challenges of long-term or temporary mental-health, substance-use, and/or co-occurring concerns. MHA designed its GRIT Residential Rehabilitation Services program to help those who struggle with addiction and a co-occurring mental-health diagnosis. MHA applies the principles of Housing First through a variety of person-centric, need-specific programs to ensure that all people have access to safe and affordable housing, regardless of their individual challenges.