Quality Starts With ... CQL Accreditation

Quality starts from the person’s perspective – how do people define quality in their own lives, what expectations do they have about the service provider or system, how well are those expectations – personal and/or family definitions of quality – being met, what needs to change?

CQL Accreditation measures the organization’s direct impact on the lives of people receiving services. And in these times of limited funding and resources, CQL Accreditation helps you focus on the initiatives most important to the people you support.

CQL Accreditation is grounded in an organization-wide systems approach. Because we believe in the provider’s role and responsibility to meet the needs of the whole person (not by programmatic slots), we do not accredit separate programs within an organization. Just as we expect providers to look at and support a whole person/family, we conduct reviews of whole organizations. We believe this approach ensures that organizational resources are consistently aligned around persons supported.

 “CQL challenges us to look not only at our own practices as an agency, but they also encourage us to keep focusing outwardly. CQL conferences and our accreditation review have re-energized us to build Social Capital and make a positive difference in our community.”

Tim Quinn, Executive Director, The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region

 We work with the full range of providers, including:

• Community-based residential supports and services
• Employment and other work-related day services
• Service coordination/Case management
• Family and individual supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Behavioral health care
• Services and supports for families, children and youth, adults and elders
• Networks and regional systems
• Comprehensive human service systems
• Local, county and state governments
• Small, non-traditional supports