Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center received some big news this week.
The Center was notified Tuesday that it has achieved a three-year accreditation from CARF — the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Accreditation can be granted for up to three years, then there is a renewal process.
“It was such a great feeling to see it in writing,” said Amy Finkeldei, Bert Nash Center Senior Director of Performance and Quality Improvement, who along with Marissa Boyle, Organizational Excellence Coordinator, led the Center’s accreditation efforts. “We could not have achieved this milestone without the core group of 30-some individuals who demonstrated leadership and initiative throughout the process as well as executed key changes in working toward meeting our goal of national accreditation.”
“We are honored to attain this designation,” said Bert Nash Center CEO Patrick Schmitz. “I am appreciative of our BNC team who worked so hard to achieve this status.”
Accreditation was the culmination of a multi-effort that the Center began right before the start of the pandemic.
“In the face of a pandemic and in the context of the most sweeping changes to the behavioral health system in over 40 years with the Certified Community Behavioral Health (CCBHC) model, every Bert Nash team member decided we needed to stay the course for CARF accreditation,” Schmitz said. “This represents nearly 300 Bert Nash team members rowing in the same direction to ensure we are accountable to the highest quality of services for our community.”
A virtual survey with CARF surveyors was conducted in July. Surveyors are professionals who have gone through the CARF accreditation process in related fields. During the survey, the surveyors met with the Center’s CARF champions — staff who are experts within their own teams and who helped champion the accreditation efforts — other team members, board members, clients, and community stakeholders.
Becoming accredited is part of the Bert Nash Center’s Integrated, Cultural, Accessibility and Strategic Plan, which includes five pillars: Service Excellence, Excellence with People, Excellence in Quality, Financial Excellence and Growth.