Contributed by Alecia Ormsby, PowderHorn Consulting
Daybreak, Inc., a dynamic case management agency that assists people in connecting to the services and resources identified to best meet the consumer’s mental health recovery goals, recently received the highest CARF accreditation of three years for their Mental Health Case Management program for adults.
“Daybreak is unique in that our focus is mental health case management,” says Polly-Beth Odom, MS BSW, Daybreak, Inc. Executive Director. “We do not provide any clinical services at Daybreak; our role is to assist the consumer in identifying and accessing the right set of services and providers to meet their recovery goals.”
CARF accreditation is a rigorous process, but Daybreak pursued it, showing its commitment to quality patient care, safety, and services to foster recovery.
Established in 1988, Daybreak provides comprehensive case management services to adults that allows them to live a complete and largely self-sufficient lifestyle in both the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage. Those with a mental illness diagnosis, have experienced traumatic brain injury or are re-entering the community after incarceration can engage in tailored plans to make the most of their capabilities.
“The relationships that we forge with our clients and their support systems are the foundation for all that we do,” says Odom.
“Initially, Daybreak pursued accreditation because it was a requirement of the State of Alaska, Division of Behavioral Health,” says Odom. “After the first site visit and successful accreditation in 2015, the leadership at Daybreak saw the value of accreditation to ensure consistent quality improvement of the programs and services we provide.”
For an organization to become CARF accredited, the staff and facility must establish and meet rigorous CARF standards of policies and procedures and undergo an in-depth peer review process that ensures excellent patient care. Accreditation provides a framework for continuous improvement. It often requires the assistance of consultants that have CARF accreditation experience.
“The process of a site visit during a pandemic was a challenge, but I believe we were well-prepared to move to a virtual site visit after twelve months of on-line meetings,” says Odom. “One thing that really made the difference was using PowderHorn Consulting to help us prepare for the survey.”
It is a tough job to seek accreditation, with policy making and adhering to over 1,500 CARF standards, so when the word of accreditation comes in, program employees are excited.
“The staff at Daybreak are in the community working a challenging job every day with very little fanfare. Receiving that three-year accreditation acknowledges the time and dedication the staff have put in and the high standard we set for ourselves in our community,” adds Odom.
The mission of Daybreak, Inc. is to provide a consumer with the Power, Hope, Choice and Responsibility for his or her own recovery.
CARF International is an independent, non-profit 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 persons served. CARF establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information, go to www.carf.org.
Over 315 rehabilitation facilities, and 100% of clients, have received accreditation through the assistance of PowderHorn Consulting. Specializing in The Joint Commission and CARF accreditation, the consultants, with over 160 years of experience, offer a wide range of services to health and human organizations in the United States and Canada. Fifteen years in business, PowderHorn Consulting has a proven record of accomplishment. For more information, Tom Sefcik can be reached at 740-272-1935, or at tsefcik@PowderHornConsulting.com.