FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cassandra Boyce
Director of Development & Marketing
cboyce@acendahealth.org
844-422-3632 x1022
Acenda Integrated Health awarded Behavioral Health Care & Human Services Accreditation from The Joint Commission
(Glassboro, NJ) March 11, 2021 – Acenda has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Acenda underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review in October 2020. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with behavioral health care standards spanning several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, and rights & responsibilities of the individual.
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. These standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews with the Acenda leadership and program teams.
“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Acenda for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”
In preparation for the Joint Commission's visit, Acenda created Gold Standard policies that aligned with Joint Commission standard elements and set expectations agency-wide; created program-specific manuals that supplemented Gold Standard policies, describing how each policy is operationalized within each specific program, while maintaining the unique nuisances of programs; and trained staff on the Accreditation standards.
“We are proud to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval across our 100+ programs and services,” said Dr. Anthony DiFabio, Acenda President & CEO. “This highly regarded accreditation is a representation of Acenda’s commitment to safety and quality of care.”
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.
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About Acenda Integrated Health
Acenda Integrated Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to industry-leading prevention, treatment and wellness services compassionately delivered to ensure that every individual, family and community achieves their greatest potential. Acenda is at the forefront of community-based services, providing over 100 health and social service programs at 56+ locations throughout a 12-county region in New Jersey. For more information visit acendahealth.org.