About CARF

The CARF International family of organizations, including CARF, CARF Canada, and CARF-CCAC, is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services.

Through accreditation, CARF assists service providers in improving the quality of their services, demonstrating value, and meeting internationally recognized organizational and program standards.

The accreditation process applies sets of standards to service areas and business practices during an on-site survey. Accreditation, however, is an ongoing process, signaling to the public that a service provider is committed to continuously improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community. Accreditation also demonstrates a provider's commitment to enhance its performance, manage its risk, and distinguish its service delivery.

CARF's mission, vision, core values, and purposes

Mission
The mission of CARF is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served.

Vision
Through responsiveness to a dynamic and diverse environment, CARF serves as a catalyst for improving the quality of life of the persons served by CARF-accredited organizations and the programs and services they provide.

Core values
CARF believes in the following core values:

  • All people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
  • All people should have access to needed services that achieve optimum outcomes.
  • All people should be empowered to exercise informed choice.
  • CARF's accreditation, research, and educational activities are conducted in accordance with these core values and with the utmost integrity.

In addition, CARF is committed to:

  • The continuous improvement of both organizational management and service delivery.
  • Diversity and cultural competence in all CARF activities and associations.
  • Enhancing the involvement of persons served in all of CARF's activities.
  • Persons served being active participants in the development and application of standards of accreditation.
  • Enhancing the meaning, value, and relevance of accreditation to persons served.

Purposes

In support of CARF's mission, vision, and core values, CARF's purposes are:

  • To develop and maintain current, field-driven standards that improve the value and responsiveness of the programs and services delivered to people in need of rehabilitation and other life enhancement services.
  • To recognize organizations that achieve accreditation through a consultative peer-review process and demonstrate their commitment to the continuous improvement of their programs and services with a focus on the needs and outcomes of the persons served.
  • To conduct accreditation research emphasizing outcomes measurement and management, and to provide information on common program strengths as well as areas needing improvement.
  • To provide consultation, education, training, and publications that support organizations in achieving and maintaining accreditation of their programs and services.
  • To provide information and education to persons served and other stakeholders on the value of accreditation. To seek input and to be responsive to persons served and other stakeholders.

For more information visit www.carf.org