Accreditation and Standard-Setting
Series:
Related Organizations Lists
Author(s):
Child Welfare Information Gateway
These results are current as of: December 31, 2012
Includes selected national organizations that provide agency/member accreditation and/or standard-setting for child welfare-related services. If you are aware of any others, please contact Child Welfare Information Gateway at OrganizationUpdates@childwelfare.gov.
To search for child-welfare related national organizations by topic, use the Related Organizations Search at http://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/search.cfm.
American Bar Association (ABA)
740 15th Street NW
Washington , DC 20005-1019
Phone:
(202) 662-1000
Toll-Free:
(800) 285-2221
General Scope: The ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public. ABA publications include a "Consumer's Guide to Legal Help," with lawyer and pro bono attorney locator services.
Training Specific: A portion of the ABA website is dedicated to Education Resources, including continuing legal education and educating the public. For more information, see http://www.abanet.org/education.html
.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- ABA Section of Family Law - http://www.abanet.org/family/home.html
- Standards of Practice for Attorneys.... - http://www.abanet.org/child/clp/ParentStds.pdf
CARF, International (CARF)
6951 East Southpoint Road
Tucson , AZ 85756
Phone:
(520) 325-1044
Fax:
(520) 318-1129
Toll-Free:
(888) 281-6531
CARF, International, founded as the Commission of Rehabilitation Facilities, is an independent accreditor of health and human services. Through accreditation, CARF assists service providers in improving the quality of their services, demonstrating value, and meeting internationally recognized organizational and program standards. The Child and Youth Services accreditation area covers 28 distinct types of programs including those specific to child welfare, behavioral health, and child development.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Child and Youth Services - http://www.carf.org/Programs/CYS/
- Behavioral Health - http://www.carf.org/Programs/BH/
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
Headquarters
1726 M St. NW, Suite 500
Third Floor
Washington , DC 20036
Phone:
(202) 688-4200
Fax:
(202) 833-1689
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is the oldest national organization serving vulnerable children, youth, and their families. CWLA provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to child welfare professionals and agencies while also educating the public on emerging issues that affect abused, neglected, and at-risk children. Through its publications, conferences, and teleconferences, CWLA shares information on emerging trends, specific topics in child welfare practice (family foster care, kinship care, adoption, positive youth development), and Federal and State policies.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- NRC for Child Welfare Data and Technology - http://www.nrccwdt.org/
- Kinship Care - http://www.cwla.org/programs/kinship/default.htm
- Child Welfare Standards of Excellence - http://www.cwla.org/programs/standards/default.htm
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria , VA 22314
Phone:
(703) 838-9808
Fax:
(703) 253-0508
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's (AAMFT) Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) is a specialized accrediting body that accredits master's degree, doctoral degree, and post-graduate degree clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy throughout the United States and Canada.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Standards of Accreditation (Version 11) - http://www.aamft.org/imis15/Documents/COAMFTE/Understanding_Version_11_Standards.pdf
Council on Accreditation Services for Children and Families (COA)
120 Wall Street
11th Floor
New York , NY 10005
Phone:
(212) 797-3000
Fax:
(212) 797-1428
Toll-Free:
(866) 262-8088
The Council on Accreditation Services for Children and Families, which was founded by the Child Welfare League of America and Family Services of America, is a child and family service and behavioral health care organization. COA promotes best-practice standards, quality services for children, youth and families, and advocates for the value of accreditation.
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
1725 Duke Street
Suite 500
Alexandria , VA 22314-3457
Phone:
(703) 683-8080
Fax:
(703) 683-8099
The Council on Social Work Education is a partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States. CSWE works to ensure that social work professionals are competent by promoting and maintaining high quality social work education.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Accreditation - http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation.aspx
Healthy Families America (HFA)
200 South Michigan Avenue
Suite 1700
Chicago , IL 60604
Phone:
(312) 663-3520
Fax:
(312) 939-8962
http://healthyfamiliesamerica.org
Healthy Families America, a program of Prevent Child Abuse America, promotes child health and development and positive parenting through voluntary home visits by trained staff.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS)
117 South Saint Asaph Street
Alexandria , VA 22314
Phone:
(703) 535-8045
Fax:
(703) 535-8049
The Joint Council on International Children's Services is an affiliation of licensed, nonprofit international adoption agencies. JCICS membership includes parent groups, advocacy organizations, and individuals who have an interest in inter-country adoption. JCICS member agencies subscribe to established Standards of Practice designed to protect the rights of children, birth parents, and adoptive parents.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Member Agencies' Standards of Practice (2006) - http://www.jointcouncil.org/?s=member+agency+standards
National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA)
Administrative Offices
403 Marquis Avenue, Suite 200
Lexington , KY 40502
Phone:
(859) 514-1921
Fax:
(859) 231-1943
General Scope: The National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA) is dedicated to the protection of the health, safety and well-being of children and vulnerable adults in day or residential human care facilities through licensing and other forms of regulation.
Training Specific: NARA offers several options in the area of professional development and training services, including the annual Licensing Conference and Seminar, Core Knowledge, Best Practices, Online Courses, customized on the ground training, and more. For additional information about these opportunities, please see http://naralicensing.org/Products_Services.
National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)
1825 Marion Street
Suite 242
Denver , CO 80218
Phone:
(303) 864-5320
Fax:
(303) 864-5351
Toll-Free:
(888) 828-NACC
The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) works to improve the legal protection and representation of children by training and educating child advocates and by effecting policy and legal systems change. The NACC sponsors conferences and seminars on important issues confronting child advocates and files amicus curiae briefs in selected court cases affecting children. The Association also has a legislative agenda, a national child advocate awards program, and a speakers bureau.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- NACC Child Welfare Law Specialist - http://www.naccchildlaw.org/?page=Certification
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
750 First Street NE
Suite 700
Washington , DC 20002-4241
Phone:
(202) 408-8600
The National Association of Social Workers is a private, nonprofit membership organization committed to enhancing the profession of social work, developing and supporting social policy, and promoting human services programs. There are NASW chapters in every state; most are engaged in child welfare and family violence program activities at the local level. The national office is primarily concerned with social policy, federal legislation and advocacy, and social practice standards that protect, promote, and ensure the welfare of children and families.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Help Starts Here - http://www.helpstartshere.org/
- NASW Credentialing Center - http://www.socialworkers.org/credentials/default.asp
National Children's Alliance (NCA)
516 C Street, NE
Washington , DC 20002
Phone:
(202) 548-0090
Fax:
(202) 548-0099
Toll-Free:
(800)239-9950
http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/
General Scope: The National Children's Alliance is a nonprofit membership organization that provides training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to communities seeking to plan, establish, and improve Children's Advocacy Centers. These Centers further the goal of serving abused children through a comprehensive approach to services for victims and their families.
Training Specific: A wide range of training opportunities can be found in the Comprehensive Training Catalogue For Children's Advocacy Centers. The pdf version of the Catalogue is available for download. For more information about training resources, see http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/index.php?s=54.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Accreditation Information - http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/accreditationquestions
National Network for Social Work Managers
c/o Jane Addams College of Social Work
1040 West Harrison Street M/C 309
Chicago , IL 60607-7134
Phone:
(312) 413-2302
Fax:
(312) 996-2770
http://www.socialworkmanager.org/
The National Network for Social Work Managers is dedicated solely to improving the quality of organizations by equipping managers to become effective “people-centered” leaders. Its mission is to make available the knowledge and experience of its members to one another in order to maximize their effectiveness.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Leadership and Management Practice Standards - https://www.socialworkmanager.org/standards.php
National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA)
810 First Street, NE
Suite 500
Washington , DC 20002-4267
Phone:
(202)682-0100
Fax:
(202)682-2328
General Scope: The mission of the National Staff Development and Training Association (NSDTA) is to build professional and organizational capacity in the human services through a national network of membership sharing ideas and resources on organizational development, staff development, and training.
NSDTA was founded in 1983 and incorporated as an affiliate of the American Public Human Servics Association (APHSA) in 1985 to support persons responsible for human service training and staff development on the local, state, or federal level.
Training Specific: The NSDTA represents training professionals working in public human services. Each year, NSDTA sponsors a Professional Development Institute, a national training and networking event for people involved in human services training, staff development and organizational development. Presenters represent governmental agencies including human services, public health, child welfare, corrections and human rights, as well as nongovernmental agencies including private sector child welfare and community-based organizations. For additional information, see http://nsdta.aphsa.org/pro_dev_inst.htm.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Code of Ethics for Training and Development Professionals in Human Services - http://nsdta.aphsa.org/resources.htm#CodeEthics
Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA)
500 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 200
Chicago , IL 60611
Phone:
(312) 663-3520
Fax:
(312) 939-8962
http://www.preventchildabuse.org/
Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) is committed to promoting legislation, policies, and programs that help prevent child abuse and neglect, support healthy childhood development, and strengthen families. Working with State chapters, PCCA provides leadership to promote and implement prevention efforts at the national and local levels.
PCAA's research arm is the National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research (http://member.preventchildabuse.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_index). The Center provides a link between research and practice by developing and evaluating prevention strategies, and by disseminating information about child abuse maltreatment and its prevention across the country.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Healthy Families America - http://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/
- Credentialing (Healthy Families America Programs) - http://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/network_resources/credentialing.shtml
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
Office of Public Affairs
Room 5541 Cohen Building - 330 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington , DC 20201
Phone:
(202) 619-1343
Fax:
(202) 260-8512
The mission of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to protect the integrity of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, as well as the health and welfare of the beneficiaries of those programs.
OIG has a responsibility to report both to the Secretary and to the Congress program and management problems and recommendations to correct them. OIG's duties are carried out through a nationwide network of audits, investigations, evaluations and other mission-related functions performed by OIG components.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- State Standards and Practices for Content of Caseworkers Visits With Children in Foster Care - http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-04-03-00351.pdf
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
2201 C Street, NW SA-29
Washington , DC 20520
Phone:
(202) 736-9130
Fax:
(202) 736-9080
Toll-Free:
(888) 407-4747
http://adoption.state.gov/index.php
This part of the U.S. State Department website provides both information and guidance to U.S. citizens seeking information about intercountry adoptions.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Adopting Parents - http://adoption.state.gov/adoption_community/parents.php
- Social Workers - http://adoption.state.gov/adoption_community/social.php
- Intercountry Adoption - Accreditation - http://adoption.state.gov/hague_convention/accreditation.php