Not all mental health care is equal. Some facilities do the bare minimum required to stay open. But others voluntarily hold themselves to a higher standard and ask independent inspectors to come in and evaluate everything.
But how can you tell the difference between the two? How do you check that there’s a system behind the care you receive? How do you know what terms like “Joint Commission-accredited mental health facility” even mean for your care? This is exactly what we’ll break down here.
On this page, we’ll cover what licensing means versus accreditation, what quality standards look like in practice, and how to find a facility that truly cares about your recovery.
An accredited mental health facility is a treatment center that has undergone an impartial and independent review to meet the standards required to get official recognition from a national accrediting body.
Accreditation is voluntary, unlike licensure, but it holds more influence. So when a facility earns accreditation, it provides evidence that the facility is always looking to improve the quality, outcomes, and delivery of its services.
In the United States, the following three major organizations provide behavioral health accreditation:
Each accrediting body reviews facilities through its own framework and usually focuses on different aspects of care. The Joint Commission, for example, is often associated with hospital-based services and is recognized nationally for its patient safety standards.
Not all accreditation is the same. The three major accrediting bodies each focus on different aspects of care and different facility types (though some may overlap), as well as check for different mental health quality controls.
Here’s what they provide accreditation for:
The Joint Commission accredits over 15,000 hospitals, labs, nursing care centers, and behavioral health organizations. When talking about behavioral health, the Joint Commission typically accredits:[1]
Joint Commission accreditation usually lasts for three years, with on-site surveys carried out unannounced to check that facilities are providing care that matches the care recorded.
It also means an organization has “deemed status,” which is a method of proving that they meet specific federal conditions of participation (CoPs). These conditions help them qualify for Medicare or Medicaid programs.[2]
CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of medical rehabilitation, behavioral health, and opioid treatment service providers. Unlike Joint Commission, CARF’s accreditation process is more consultative and person-centered.[3]
The organization works with facilities to improve the quality of their services and outcomes over time instead of expecting them to have already improved their processes. CARF mostly accredits:
In fact, most SAMHSA-certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the country are accredited by CARF.[4]
CARF accreditation lasts for three years, with one-year provisional accreditation for facilities that haven’t met all standards. Facilities have to submit annual conformance to quality reports and undergo surveys at the end of the term.
The Council on Accreditation (COA) is a nonprofit organization that accredits social service and community-based care organizations. This includes facilities that provide:[5]
The accreditation process takes 12 to 18 months to make sure service providers meet all COA standards. Accreditation lasts for four years, with annual reports of “significant occurrences” required to maintain accreditation.[6]
Not really. Each accreditation is focused on specific facilities, patient populations, and regulatory environments. For instance, hospital-based and medically complex programs usually require Joint Commission accreditation because of its deemed status with the CMS and focus on patient care.
But for rehab and opioid treatment providers, CARF may be a better option because it provides access to specific funding and improves referral opportunities. So the choice of accreditation really just depends on a facility’s goals.
If you’ve been trying to find a treatment center for yourself or a loved one, you’ve probably seen terms like accreditation and licensure thrown around, often interchangeably. Here’s what they actually mean.
“Licensure” is the legal permission a healthcare facility needs to open its doors and provide care. It’s an ongoing process, and without it, a service provider can’t legally see patients, bill insurance, or employ clinical staff.
Since licensing requirements can be different in every state, what’s required in California might be completely different from what may be required in Texas or New York. They also have three levels, which are:
So when you see that the service provider you’re looking to work with is licensed, it tells you they’ve met the minimum legal requirements to work in their state. But it doesn’t tell you much about the quality of care you’ll receive.
“Accreditation” is a voluntary quality certification that shows a facility has chosen to meet nationally recognized standards. These standards are usually tougher than the minimum legal requirements.
And unlike state licensing, which is about making sure you comply with a set of rules that rarely change, accreditation requires you to get better over time. Accredited facilities are expected to track their outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and actually do something about them.
Yes, and many are. A facility can meet every state requirement to offer services legally without ever applying for accreditation. This isn’t a red flag for small, state-funded community clinics or specialized programs.
However, for residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, and facilities that rely on commercial insurance contracts or referrals from larger healthcare systems, a lack of accreditation usually means one of two things:
AMFM is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
Mental health quality standards are the practices that affect your everyday life while you’re in treatment. For instance, how staff talk to you, if they take your concerns seriously, and if they create treatment plans that actually work.
Here are the quality standards accredited facilities have to meet:
Accredited facilities have to make sure you get care on time, from the right people, and that your care actually changes as you do. They ensure clinical quality by:
These factors are enforced by state licensing agencies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conditions of participation (CoPs) for Medicare-participating psychiatric hospitals, and the Joint Commission, CARF, and COA.
Behavioral health facilities have to create policies and protocols that protect patients, staff, and visitors from preventable harm. They’re non-negotiable and the first thing surveyors look for, especially in residential and inpatient settings where patients are under 24-hour care.
Here’s what they include:
All of these are enforced by how:
This standard may be more of a background factor for you as a patient, but it matters just as much as the others. Accredited facilities need to monitor their performance and find opportunities to improve services over time. This is of major importance if they want to maintain accreditation.
They have to do this through:
Operational quality standards aren’t usually required under state licensing laws, but they’re a major expectation of Joint Commission, CARF, and COA accreditation.
Here’s how to check that a facility actually holds the accreditation they claim to have:
The Joint Commission has a publicly accessible database of Joint Commission-accredited organizations. Here’s how to use it:
The results will show you:[7]
Some facilities may be accredited under a parent organization’s name instead of their own. If you can’t find a specific location, try searching for the organization that operates it.
CARF also has a public provider search tool on its website. Here’s how to use it:[8]
CARF accredits programs and services. So a payer asking for “CARF-accredited IOP” means the IOP program itself has to appear on the accreditation, not just the parent organization. So always verify that the specific service line you need is listed, not just the facility name.
COA has an online directory of accredited organizations. Here’s how to use it:[9]
COA accredits the whole organization instead of specific service lines. If a facility claims COA accreditation, verify that the services you need fall within the accredited scope.
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Mental Health support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
Licensing is what’s legally required for a healthcare provider to offer services. It’s the bare minimum and doesn’t really tell you about the quality of services a facility provides.
At AMFM (A Mission For Michael) Mental Health Treatment, we don’t stop at what’s required. Through Joint Commission accreditation, ongoing quality improvement efforts, and patient-focused treatment, we maintain the standards you and your family need when looking for mental health care.
This means that we:
If you or someone you love wants access to care that helps you get back to your life, we’re here to help. Our Joint Commission-accredited treatment programs offer an intimate, focused treatment experience for adults in home-like settings that are carefully maintained to be peaceful, comfortable spaces. We provide the full spectrum of care, including residential and outpatient treatment programs.
Our multidisciplinary treatment team of expert clinicians believes in treatment persistence and will personalize your treatment plan so you can achieve lasting, life-changing outcomes.
Our locations in California, Minnesota, and Virginia accept insurance and are in-network with most major providers. To check your insurance coverage for mental health care, simply complete our confidential online verification form or call us at 866-478-4383.
Reach out to us if you would like to start the admissions process or learn more about how we can support your mental well-being. Our compassionate team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide guidance with no obligation.
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At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
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