Our Services

CONSULTATION

PowderHorn Consulting services include:

• Comprehensive accreditation preparation, assessment, review and technical assistance for new and existing CARF accredited agencies
• Policy and procedures development
• Program documentation review and recommendations
• Administrative documentation review and recommendations

Consultation can begin with the first thoughts of accreditation or to address the recommendations received on a previous survey. Telephonic review is available to assist in determining your organizational readiness for completing the "Intent to Survey" to a comprehensive onsite Mock Survey to determine possible opportunities for improvement.

Comprehensive Accreditation Preparation:
This service is an agency's best option for preparing for CARF accreditation. Through collaboration between PowderHorn Consulting and the agency, the consultants produce an agency-specific Policy and Procedure Manual, Quality Assurance Plan, Corporate Compliance Program, Risk Management/Strategic Planning Model, Accessibility, Information Technology, Health and Safety Policy and Procedure Manuals, Customized Assessment and Survey Instruments, and Customized Consumer Handbooks.

Accreditation Compliance Program:
Once CARF accreditation has been achieved, PowderHorn Consulting may provide your agency with on-site visits devoted to assistance with quality assurance, performance measurements, professional training, and new CARF standards. This service provides for the creation of any new CARF related policies and procedures since the time of your survey. This service helps to ensure that your agency maintains its operating protocol to the standards necessary for continuance of accreditation.

Accreditation Readiness:
For those agencies seeking initial accreditation, planning is the key. In general, we believe that preparation for an accreditation survey should take place at least 9 months before the initial survey visit. Our consultants are familiar with the expectations surrounding CARF accreditation standards. We offer accreditation preparation services, on-site visits, and documentation and policy review to prepare you for your initial CARF survey.

Currently Accredited Programs:
Organizations that are currently accredited and approaching renewal will benefit from consultation. A survey preparation will ensure your agency is positioned for a successful next survey and continuous accreditation. In the early stages of accreditation, some organizations are awarded a one-year outcome. Those currently accredited for one year demonstrate a commitment to standards and conformance, but need improvements. We will assist the organization with resolving any cited recommendations, interpreting policies, and implementing new or updated standards.

MOCK SURVEYS

Mock Surveys are indicated for organizations:

• Upon initial application for CARF accreditation
• When adding a new program under a currently accredited organization
• For organizations that have received a one-year accreditation, and are preparing for their re-survey visit

Initial Site Visit/Mock Site Visit:
In many cases, mock surveys, on-site review and technical assistance is the most efficient way to prepare for any survey. The comprehensive baseline Organizational Assessment evaluates your organization's current level of compliance with the specific CARF standards that are applicable to your organization. The assessment is tailored to your organization's specific scope of service, client population, and setting. This baseline Organizational Assessment provides the foundation for developing a Customized Survey Preparation Plan for CARF survey readiness. This allows the consultants to provide a survey in a way similar to the actual process, assisting the organization to obtain the best outcome and familiarization of the accreditation survey process. A Representative from PowderHorn Consulting will spend one-two days reviewing your current policies/procedures, operating methods, and matching them to current CARF accreditation standards. The agency decides whether it would like to have this service before they begin the process of preparing for accreditation or after they have completed their process and are preparing for an official CARF site visit. The agency will receive a detailed report outlining strengths and areas of improvement. This is an excellent way to make sure that you are ready for an accreditation site visit.

The mock survey provides a critical opportunity for your staff to experience the CARF Survey process and gain confidence in their survey presentation skills. The mock survey simulates the actual schedule of your CARF Survey and includes numerous tracers and all of the standard CARF Survey interviews. Our consultants are up to date on the most current CARF Survey techniques and can coach your managers and staff on how to handle challenging survey issues.

Our findings and recommendations are reported concisely to the management team before leaving the client's location and followed up with a written analysis. On-site and off-site follow-up is available for assistance in implementing corrective actions.

DOCUMENTATION

With over 90 years of combined experience in mental health, and accreditation processes, PowderHorn Consulting has developed some of the best policy and procedure documents, quality assurance processes, corporate compliance programs, and performance management measurement instruments in the behavioral health industry. We customize any of these documents to meet the specific needs of your agency.

An exploratory telephone conference, at no cost to you, is available to determine your needs. We look forward to your call at 1.609-955-2487 today to schedule a telephonic meeting!