For any accrediting body, the accreditation review is a core service. The CAPRSS accreditation review consists of self review, peer review and committee review. Combined, these help to ensure that accredited organizations will have institutional integrity (clear purposes, high levels of integrity, fiscal stability, systems to fulfill its purposes), PRSS effectiveness (clear and appropriate objectives & design, process of review, collection and use of data that ensure environment for recovery), and sufficient capacity to sustain quality over time.
Self Review
Each accreditation candidate completes a thorough self review as a part of the application for candidacy. The CAPRSS standards provide a framework for evaluating your program’s processes, results, and your progress toward your goals and objectives.
The process of completing the three-part program inventory—Organizational Profile, Welcome Walk Through, and Accreditation Self Study—provide an opportunity for your PRSS program to how well you are doing from a variety of perspectives. It also provides an opportunity to consider your PRSS program’s accomplishments, focus the program on common goals, and identify areas for development as well as for streamlining.
Candidates are encouraged to use variety of participatory processes to engage individuals across their program in the self review process.
Peer Review
Peer review is a common practice in many fields to maintain standards of quality, improve performance, and provide credibility. For CAPRSS, it is a reflection of the peer support process that is at the heart of PRSS; peer reviewers provide knowledge, experience, and practical help to others in the field.
The cornerstone of the peer review is the site visit, which confirms and complements the information contained the applicant’s Accreditation Self Study. The purpose of the site visit is to obtain in-depth information concerning all aspects of the PRSS program(s). The site visit permits the Peer Review Team to assess a program’s conformance with the CAPRSS Standards and also the achievement of the program’s own stated mission, goals, and objectives.
The key people from CAPRSS involved in the peer review process are CAPRSS staff member (your CAPRSS liaison), the peer review team leader, and peer reviewers. Each peer review team will consist of 1-3 peer reviewers who bring expertise from direct experience.
Review Committee
Committee review is the capstone of the accreditation process; it completes the process begun with the the Accreditation Self Study and furthered by the Peer Review Site Visit. The purpose is to (1) examine the in-depth information concerning all aspects of the PRSS program(s) gathered by the site itself and considered by the Peer Review Team and (2) determine a program’s conformance with the CAPRSS standards.
The Accreditation Review Committee is composed of three individuals with experience or expertise in PRSS. The ARC members:
- Review the site visit findings, consultative and performance improvement recommendations made by peer reviewers to ensure that are consistent with the CAPRSS standards and criteria;
- Speak with members of the Peer Review Team, if necessary, to obtain additional information and/or clarification;
- Discuss which accreditation outcome is the best fit for the candidate; and
- Issue the formal accreditation determination.
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