Accreditation
Aspire receives funding to operate its programs through the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Community Living BC (CLBD). In order to maintain our contracts with these funding agencies, we must meet international quality standards. In 2003 Aspire set forth to ensure our agency met the high standards and expectations outlined by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an independent, nonprofit organization focused on advancing the quality of services offered by service providers.
The accreditation process begins with our commitment to continuous improvement through a thorough self-evaluation that applies relevant standards against our current practices. CARF then sends a survey team of industry peers who conduct an on-site survey following a consultative (rather than an inspective) approach. In addition to interviewing staff, persons served and their families, the surveyors observe organizational practices, review appropriate documentation, answer questions, and suggest ways to improve our operations and service delivery. After completing the survey, CARF evaluates our level of demonstrated conformance to the standards and delivers a report that identifies our strengths and areas for improvement.
Aspire undergoes the accreditation process every three years: to date we have received the highest level of accreditation since 2005. Accreditation has changed the way we do things at Aspire; improving our work by challenging us to be self-reflective and demonstrate our commitment to continually improve services, encourage feedback, and serve the community. We completed our last survey in June 2021 with great success once again.
