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Choosing the Right Resource

In the process of choosing a resource, regardless of type, there are a number of criteria you should consider to determine if this resource will meet your needs and is the right match for your child or family. Following are suggestions for information that you should gather from the prospective resource and evaluate before you make a decision about selecting this resource. If possible, visit and evaluate several similar resources before you make a final decision.

General Information

  • Types of services/programs offered
  • Eligibility criteria for services/programs
  • Whether or not resource is inclusive (i.e., serves non-disabled peers)
  • Location and proximity to where you live and to public transportation
  • Physical accessibility of resource’s facilities
  • Operating hours (early morning, evening and weekend options)
  • Age range served
  • Language capabilities of staff
  • Types of funding/payment accepted
  • After-hours access(phone, pager, answering service etc.) that can be used in case of emergency
  • The organization’s process for handling of grievances/complaints
  • How the organization protects the privacy of its clients and confidentiality of client information

Quality of Resource/Program/Service Information

  • Ask for references from other people, including parents and friends who are familiar with or have used the resource.
  • Find out if there is a licensing or accreditation program for this type of individual professional, program or service; if so, ask if the resource is licensed or accredited, and, if not, what their plans are for obtaining the appropriate license or credential
  • Similarly, inquire about the license/certification/credential status of the staff members and their experience working with people with developmental disabilities
  • Ask what types of professional development activities are provided to staff
  • Ask about the training and experience of the program director
  • Ask about staff turnover
  • Ask about the staff-to-participant ratio, and whether it meets established guidelines for the type of program or service. For example: for children’s programs, there should be at least one adult for every four infants, five younger toddlers (12 to 24 months), six older toddlers (2 to 3 years), and nine or 10 preschoolers.
  • Ask whether and how clients and their family members/caregivers give feedback on the services offered by the program (e.g., through surveys, suggestions, focus groups).

Additional Resource/Program/Service Information

  • Services/programs you or your family member are specifically eligible for
  • Potential benefit of the services/programs to you or your family member
  • Timeframe to begin receiving services
  • Duration of the service/program
  • Flexibility of service/program schedules to meet individual needs or preferences
  • How services are individualized based on client needs
  • How are participants of different ages, needs and abilities grouped (if applicable)
  • Size of a group (if applicable)
  • How does the program make reasonable accommodations to enable participation

In-Person Visit to the Service or Program
In addition to considering the factors listed above, you should always visit a program, perhaps taking a family member or friend with you for a second opinion. Your first-hand impressions of the resource and the facility can be very helpful in your decision making about the appropriateness of a resource. Try to schedule a visit of at least two hours to be able to get a true sense of the place and its people. Here are some things to look for during your visit:

  • You are greeted personally and welcomed
  • Each program participant receives individual attention from staff and is treated with respect
  • Staff appear to enjoy their work
  • Staff interact primarily with clients rather than with each other. Staff communicate with family/caregivers regularly
  • There is continuity of care (e.g., low staff turnover) and participants have the opportunity to build a relationship with staff
  • The facility appears well-maintained, clean and safe
  • The facility is physically accessible
  • Access to facility is secure, and a protocol and procedures exist for visitors
  • There are clear health and safety procedures, as well as policies for handling emergencies, and staff are informed about them
  • If food is offered as part of the service/program, it appears to be fresh and nutritious
  • Participants are offered the opportunity to make choices throughout the day
  • Participants are offered a variety of activities; watching television or videos is allowed only if the program is educational
  • The facility has adequate parking

Finally, ask yourself if you can picture your child or family member in the program. If you cannot picture him or her being happy and involved in the program, keep looking.

Determining if a Resource is Integrated
So, how do you determine if a resource is integrated? It’s pretty simple actually: if more than 10 percent of the total number of people being served by a provider have a developmental disability, then the resource is no longer considered integrated.

FINDING AN ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATION
Many of the types of resources listed in this Network of Care site have professional organizations that are responsible for accrediting them. Following is a list of some of the accreditation organizations that are associated with agencies and programs serving people with developmental disabilities.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Accredited early childhood programs voluntarily measure up to national standards of quality established by NAEYC, the professional organization for early childhood educators. Going beyond minimum licensing standards, accredited programs make a commitment to excellence. Staff in NAEYC-accredited programs take part in ongoing training. They are more likely to understand children’s needs at different ages, plan appropriate activities, interact with children in warm and stimulating ways, and provide positive guidance for children rather than harsh discipline. These programs undergo in-depth self-study, independent observation by professional experts and review by a national committee. Approval is for a three-year period, subject to review for re-accreditation. A list of NAEYC-accredited programs, which applies to programs in centers or schools, is available at www.naeyc.org.

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
NAFCC is the only national accreditation system for family child care providers. This system was developed with input from hundreds of providers, parents, and early care and education experts to create a definition of quality for family child care programs across the country. Each family child care program goes through the in-depth accreditation process: requiring training, health assessments, criminal background checks, as well as an observation verifying compliance with the Quality Standards for NAFCC Accreditation standards. Decisions are made individually based on information gathered from an observer, the provider, and the parents of the children in the program. A list of NAFCC-accredited programs is available at www.nafcc.org.

CARF
Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the CARF International family of organizations includes CARF, CARF Canada, and CARF-CCAC. They are an independent nonprofit accreditor of health and human services in the following areas: Aging Service, Behavioral Health, Business and Services Management Network, Child and Youth Services, Employment and Community Services and Medical Rehabilitation. Through accreditation, CARF assists service providers to improve the quality of their services, demonstrating value, and meeting internationally recognized organizational and program standards. The Accreditation process applies sets of standards to service areas and business practices during an on-site survey. Accreditation, however, is an ongoing process, signaling to the public that a service provider is committed to continuously improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community. Accreditation also demonstrates a provider’s commitment to enhance its performance, manage its risk and distinguish its service delivery. You can find accredited providers at www.carf.org.

The Council on Quality and Leadership
For more than 40 years, CQL has been a leader in working with human service organization sand systems to continuously define, measure and improve the quality of life of all people. Services that are person-centered…that support each person to live his or her own life – to plan, to contribute, to participate, to choose, and to be respected and valued is what really matters. CQL offers consultation, accreditation, training and certification services to organizations and systems that share our vision of dignity, opportunity and community for all people. Learn more about CQL accreditation at www.thecouncil.org.