Florence Crittenton Announces National Accreditation

Florence Crittenton has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). Florence Crittenton provides innovative, comprehensive services and nurturing programs that empower young pregnant women and parenting families to thrive and build productive lives.

In February 2013, COA conducted an extensive on-site evaluation of all components of Florence Crittenton's Residential Program, Community Outreach Services and their Child Enrichment Center. In addition they evaluated their management and administration, including the organization's ethical practices, financial transparency, and oversight of the organization as a whole. As a result of their investigation the agency was awarded an expedited accreditation status.

COA accreditation is an objective and independent validation of an agency's performance. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.

Florence Crittenton's primary objective in seeking accreditation is to ensure that the organization is delivering the highest quality of care to pregnant and parenting young families. Florence Crittenton is recognized nationally as a quality provider of care to this very specialized service area of pregnant and parenting young families.

Florence Crittenton is the only provider of these specialized services in Montana and in several surrounding states. Accreditation provides a benchmark by which the organization can ensure continued quality and measure the impact their programs have.

"We provide essential services for youth and children and take that responsibility very seriously". Stated Barbara Burton, Executive Director. "Achieving national accreditation provides assurance to our clients, donors, and partner organizations that we adhere to the highest ethical standards, best practice models, and are good stewards of our resources".

Florence Crittenton has approached the accreditation process as an investment in the lives of the families it serves, and as an opportunity to continue to build a system of accountability, both internally and externally. This process has proven that the organization is meeting all the standards to ensure sustainability in providing quality programs and services to these two generations in their care.

About Florence Crittenton
Florence Crittenton is a private, non-profit organization that has served young women and families in Helena for over 113 years.
Mission Statement: To provide innovative, comprehensive services and nurturing programs that empower young, pregnant women and parenting families to thrive and build productive lives.
For more information go to www.florencecrittenton.org.

About Council on Accreditation
Founded in 1977, COA is an independent, not-for-profit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. Over 2,000 organizations - voluntary, public, and proprietary; local and statewide; large and small - have either successfully achieved COA accreditation or are currently engaged in the process. Presently, COA has a total of 47 service standards that are applicable to over 125 different types of programs. To learn more about COA, please visit www.coanet.org.