Since 2016, Nua Healthcare Services has successfully achieved accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, more commonly known as CARF, an American-based independent accreditor of health and human services.
In August 2016, Nua underwent its first set of CARF accreditation surveys in our Head Office and Clinical Department, our Day Services, and all our Intellectual Disability Services (at that time). The accreditation process, which, again, at that time, included a rigorous peer review and inspection of services and applied to three main categories of services.
1. Behavioural Consultation Services
2. Community Housing
3. Community Integration
INua Healthcare Services was inspected across 930 standards and achieved a total score of 96.7%. This accreditation was in place until August 2019.
In 2019, Nua was re-surveyed, this time with a fourth category of service: ‘Inpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Adults)’. This survey consisted of an inspection of 1,630 standards and resulted in Nua achieving a total score of 96.5%. The accreditation was in place until August 2022, however, CARF inspectors extended it out until February 2023 due to the ongoing pandemic.
In February 2023, Nua underwent the re-accreditation process, during which 1,876 standards were inspected across services. This resulted in Nua achieving an incredible total score of 99.2%. Below are some extracts from the 2023 CARF report, which can also be read here in full below.
“Nua excels in maintaining the safety of service users and staff members in the community. Through ongoing risk assessments, staff members become aware of the potential risks faced by service users when participating in community life. Rather than limit their access to the community, the organisation goes above and beyond to implement supports that facilitate the successful inclusion of service users in community activities.”
In October 2023, Nua Healthcare's Mental Health Services underwent its very first accreditation survey with CARF, during which a number of interviews were held between CARF surveyors, Nua Senior Management and Departmental Managers. The evaluation included in-depth interviews, reports and document reviews, vehicle inspections, virtual house tours, and conversations with individuals residing in Nua’s Mental Health Community-Based Residences.
CARF assessed 1,400 standards of practice within 18 areas of Nua's operations. Very impressively, the Assessor only made one recommendation, and we surpassed our remarkable score from February 2023, achieving a total score of 99.73%. The report can be read here in full below.
In conclusion, CARF surveyors highly praised Nua’s Mental Health Services, noting that we have “consistently met the highest standards and pre-emptively addressed potential challenges.”