A key component of the accreditation process is the Peer Review Site Visit. The purpose is to obtain in-depth information concerning all aspects of your PRSS program(s). In addition, the two-day site visit permits the Peer Review Team to assess your program’s conformance with the CAPRSS Standards and the achievement of your own stated mission, goals, and objectives. The site visit confirms and complements the information contained in the comprehensive Self-assessment Study completed as a part of the application process. The tasks to prepare for and host the site visit are described below.
Participate in CAPRSS Peer Review Site Visit orientation webinar
The purpose of the orientation webinar is to give an overview of the site visit process. It provides an opportunity for the members of your Accreditation Coordinating Committee to get answers to specific questions about your site visit.
Set dates for Peer Review Site Visit
The Peer Review Site Visit will take up to two full days. Identify several dates, a minimum of 6 weeks from the date you submit your Program Inventory.
Finalize agenda for Peer Review Site Visit (with CAPRSS liaison)
In this manual, you will find a sample site visit agenda. We know that every organization is different. Your CAPRSS Liaision will work with to to set a agenda that is specific to your organization and its needs.
Help CAPRSS with travel logistics
Your CAPRSS Liaison will work with you to coordinate the travel of the Peer Review Team. Your suggestions about good hotels near your main site, restaurants that deliver (for PRT working lunches), exact locations of your sites, and other tips that travelers need to know will help your liaison to make the best travel arrangements for the team.
Announce/introduce process to your community
Applying for CAPRSS accreditation is a big deal. Let your community know that you are in the process, what it means, and how they can help.
Identify peer participants and community stakeholders to be interviewed during site visit
The accreditation process is another opportunity to engage peer participants and your many stakeholders, to get their input, feedback, and good thinking. The Peer Review Team also needs their participation in order to gain a complete picture of your organization. Let peer participants and community stakeholders know that there will be an opportunity to talk with the Peer Review Team, either in small groups or individually.
Set up Resource Room for Peer Review Team
The Resource Room will be the “home base” for the Peer Review Team while it is visiting your organization. The team will need privacy and Internet access.
Additionally, you will need to prepare binders for each of the Peer Review Team members with hard copies of all of the documents submitted with your application. The documents checklist provides the listing of the sections for the binder, and the order of the documents in each section.
Host the Site Visit
Each Peer Review Team will be composed of 2-3 individuals with expertise or experience in peer recovery support services. The team may include a:
- PRSS program manager or administrator
- Peer leader
- Consultant who has worked extensively with PRSS
CAPRSS will designate one person on each team to serve as lead; this person is responsible for coordinating the activities of the team when on-site and is the spokesperson for the group.
Peer Reviewers do not decide if you are accredited or not. They are observers and reviewers—that is, they will document and comment on what they observe on site. It is the CAPRSS Accreditation Review Committee’s role to determine whether an organization will be accredited or not.
The site visit begins with the Peer Review Team meeting with your organization’s Accreditation Coordinating Committee, and a dialogue about your Welcome Walk-through and Self Study results. The site visit ends with an Exit Conference between the Peer Review Team and your Accreditation Coordinating Committee, in which the team summarizes findings from the visit, gives general recommendations, and maps out next steps. In between, the peer reviewers will review documents, talk with peer participants, peer leaders, board members, and community stakeholders to get a comprehensive view of your organization.
Directly following the visit, the Peer Review Team Leader will oversee the compilation and synthesis of the onsite report. The Team Leader will prepare a checklist and assign specific sections of the report to team members. The completed report will be submitted to CAPRSS within ten (10) days following the site visit.
All information gathered during the site visit and the report will be kept strictly confidential. Peer Reviewers adhere to strict codes of ethics and confidentiality are not allowed to share any information, except with each other and with CAPRSS. This includes any final accreditation suggestions or decisions.
Within 6 weeks of the visit, CAPRSS will make final accreditation determinations and contact the applicant organization.
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