CARF Accreditation

In 2010, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an international nonprofit organization focusing on human services, again awarded FREE a three year accreditation for meeting superior standards of care and excellence. 

The organization was complimented on its exemplary succession planning and the process used in the transition of the Agency's Chief Operating Officer in 2008.  The Board of Directors was complimented for engaging in the process years ahead of the actual transition, and for the communication efforts that led to a very successful transition.  Proactive communication and planning made it a positive experience for staff members and stakeholders alike.  Leadership of the organization was commended also for its exemplary strategic planning efforts, and setting goals and priorities to form the organization's work plans.  The Leadership team, led by the CEO, conducts over 25 forums twice annually to gather information from its staff and stakeholders, which is then used to set and continuously refine FREE's "Wildly Important Goals",  a concise set of corporate goals from which all organization objectives and benchmarks flow.   

Click Here to View 2009 CARF Satisfaction Survey Results.

In 2010, the CARF Surveyors noted:

• "The organization has an excellent human resources team and is commended for the attention paid to recognizing the work of its staff members."
• "FREE is commended for developing increased volunteerism and using volunteers to assist in many of its day to day operations."
• "The organization has a strong commitment to compliance and self-inspection, at the same time keeping these practices aligned with the organization's mission."
• "The organization has well-defined fiscal practices that guide its operations and is commended for its strong committment to professional development and training of its staff; both upon hire and then on an annual basis."
• "The homes for persons served are in lovely residential neighborhoodsand offers safe and comfortable housing for the many individuals who reside there."
• "Men and women served by the organization, their family members, and funders all reported high satisfaction with the services of the organization."
• "The employees at FREE  are committed to the individuals they serve and to the mission and values of the organization.  Built-in flexibility to the programming allows people options for longer stays or a return to 24 hour care as necessary."

"Family Residences and Essential Enterprises demonstrates exemplary conformance to the standards.

FREE is commended for its focus on its mission, its dedication at every level of the organization, and for its efforts to increase self-advocacy and independence within its service delivery.  The organization offers a wide range of services for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.  Its passion and experience in the field are evident in many areas, including its innovations in programming, commitment to providing quality services and longevity of senior staff."