ComWell Achieves National Accreditation
ComWell has achieved national accreditation through the Illinois Council on Accreditation (COA). ComWell is a local non-profit provider of behavioral health, substance use and developmental disability services in Southern Illinois.
For nearly 50 years, ComWell has been eagerly serving their neighbors and continues to develop new ways to bridge the gap between individual and resource.
ComWell has received reaccreditation from the COA since 2000. The agency’s 2020 reaccreditation preparation began in October 2019. A self-study was opened in October and a virtual review was conducted in September 2020. ComWell is accredited through 2024. Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of ComWell’s programs, services, management, and administration.
COA accreditation is an objective, independent, and reliable validation of an agency’s performance. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management, and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.
To achieve COA accreditation, ComWell first provided written evidence of compliance with the COA standards. Thereafter, a group of specially trained volunteer Peer Reviewers confirmed adherence to these standards during a series of on-site interviews with trustees, staff and clients.
Based on their findings, COA’s volunteer-based Accreditation Commission voted that ComWell had successfully met the criteria for accreditation.
An endorsement of COA and the value of its accreditation process is reflected in it being named by the US State Department as the sole national independent accrediting body under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption to accredit intercountry adoption service providers. In addition, COA is the only national accreditor designated by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop accreditation standards and processes for human service programs provided to military personnel and their families.
Founded in 1977, COA is an independent, not-for-profit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. Over 2,000 organizations — voluntary, public, and proprietary; local and statewide; large and small — have either successfully achieved COA accreditation or are currently engaged in the process. Presently, COA has a total of 47 service standards that are applicable to over 125 different types of programs. To learn more about COA, please visit www.coanet.org.
ComWell offers behavioral health services to Randolph and Washington County in Southern Illinois. ComWell has been providing services to individuals and families within our communities since 1971.
About ComWell: We are committed to empowering individuals to pursue growth and wellness by promoting positive, healthy changes for individuals and communities through engagement, education, treatment and recovery. In 1971, we saw a need for support and we answered the call. ComWell services work together to achieve our goal of bringing wellness to our communities. ComWell is the beacon of community wellness and bridging the gap from individual to resource. For more information about ComWell, please visit www.comwell.us.