Search Results: MCH Organizations

Annotation: The American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) represents and sets professional standards for over 3,000 pastoral counselors and 100 pastoral counseling centers in North America and around the world. Pastoral counselors are certified mental health professionals who have had in-depth religious and/or theological training. Members provide psychotherapy using spiritual resources as well as psychological understanding for healing and growth. AAPC was founded in 1964 as an organization which certifies pastoral counselors, accredits pastoral counseling centers, and approves training programs. It is nonsectarian and respects the spiritual commitments and religious traditions of those who seek assistance without imposing counselor beliefs onto the client. The AAPC Web site provides information about the organization, a directory of pastoral counselors, and links to online discussion groups and other Internet resources.

Keywords: Accreditation, Certification, Counseling, Mental health, Pastoral care, Professional education, Psychotherapy, Spirituality

Annotation: The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is a professional organization representing the nation's podiatrists in an orchestrated effort to improve the nation's quality of foot care. APMA's Council on Podiatric Medical Education accredits the nation's podiatric medical schools, residency programs, and continuing medical education programs. APMA sponsors an annual conference, publishes the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, and provides career information and professional development opportunities. APMA also provides scholarships for podiatric medical students as well as free foot health information and online resources for the general public.

Keywords: Accreditation, Consumer education, Continuing education, Health personnel, Medical education, Medical schools, Medical students, Podiatrists, Professional societies

Annotation: The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) sponsors conferences and publishes a catalog and newsletter. The council provides reference information for consumers.

Keywords: Accreditation, Higher education, Post secondary education

Annotation: The Council on Accreditation (COA) in an international, independent, not-for-profit child- and family-service accrediting body. It assists organizations seeking accreditation and provides training workshops. It promotes best-practice standards; champions quality services for children, youth, and families; and advocates for the value of accreditation. It publishes standards for the full array of child and family services, financial management and debt counseling services, behavioral healthcare services, employee assistance programs, and other service areas. It also publishes an annual report.

Keywords: Accreditation, Child health services, Family support services, Standards

Annotation: The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) offers consultation, accreditation, training and certification services to organizations and systems that share the vision of dignity, opportunity and community for all people, focusing on improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, people with mental illness, and older adults. It is an international not-for-profit organization.

Keywords: Accreditation, Advocacy, Alternative medicine, Children, Developmental disabilities, Disabilities, Hospitalization, Quality Enhancement Certificate Program, Special health care needs

Annotation: The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies health care organizations and programs. The Commission promotes standards and measures to drive continuous improvements in patient safety. Its core offerings include accreditation, which is an objective evaluation process to help health care organizations measure and improve performance, and certification, which evaluates the quality and safety of specific clinical programs or services. The organization strives to drive change through collaboration, bringing together patients, providers, payers, and policy makers.

Keywords: Accountability, Accreditation, Certification, Measures, Program improvement, Quality assurance, Standards

Annotation: The Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC) reviews and grants formal recognition to education programs in lactation. LEAARC recognition is a formal, non-governmental, peer-review process of voluntary self evaluation. The website lists standards for accreditation and provides a list of approved courses.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Professional training, Standards: Accreditation

Annotation: The National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) informs, guides, and serves as the national voice for boards of health. NALBOH delivers technical expertise in governance and leadership, board development, health priorities, and public health policy. The website contains governance, accreditation, and partner resources; news; information about NALBOH membership and NALBOH's annual conference; and webinar recordings.

Keywords: Accreditation, Governing boards, Government programs, Government role, Health policy, Local government, Policy development

Annotation: The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. NCQA develops quality standards and performance measures for a broad range of health care entities. Its programs, services, publications, and training tools focus on measuring, analyzing, and improving health care quality.

Keywords: Accreditation, Health services, Managed care, Quality assurance

Annotation: The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), is a specialized accrediting body for teacher education. The council is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the only accrediting body for professional education units in schools, departments, and colleges of education that prepare professional educators to staff school programs for children from birth through grade 12. Services to consumers include referrals, publications, and reference information. NCATE publishes a newsletter and places its list of accredited institutions on its website

Keywords: Accreditation, Education, Professional education, Teachers

Annotation: The National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) recognizes licensed early care and education programs that meet its developmental, health, and safety standards. The accreditation process includes a self assessment, an on-site visit, surveys of parents and staff, and study and consideration by the National Accreditation Council and the NECPA Commission. The accreditation is valid for three years with the submission of approved annual reports. Standards relate to the program's administration, working environment, developmental program, health and safety provisions for children and staff, parent and community relations, and faculty. Services to consumers include referrals.

Keywords: Accreditation, Child care, Early childhood education

Annotation: URAC (formerly known as the Originally the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes health care quality through accreditation, certification, and other quality improvement activities, reviewing and auditing a broad array of health care service functions and systems. Quality benchmarking activities cover health plans, preferred provider organizations, medical management systems, health technology services, health call centers, specialty care, workers’ compensation, Web sites, and HIPAA privacy and security compliance, among other areas. URAC works with companies to improve their operations, share best practices, enhance accountability, promote patient safety, protect patients, integrate provider participation, and reduce business risks. URAC also offers education programs, publishes books and white papers on cutting edge topics, promotes important research initiatives, and holds focus groups to ensure a more accountable health care system. In addition, URAC accreditation programs are incorporated into the regulatory process in most states and by several federal agencies.

Keywords: Accreditation, Standards