Community Health and Counseling Services awarded CHAP Accreditation
BANGOR — Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc., (CHAP) announced that Community Health and Counseling Services has been awarded CHAP Accreditation under the CHAP Home Health and Hospice Standards of Excellence. By achieving CHAP Accreditation, Community Health and Counseling Services has also been recognized to meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation as a certified Medicare provider.
CHAP Accreditation demonstrates that Community Health and Counseling Services meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. The rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources and long-term viability. Simply stated, adherence to CHAP’s standards leads to better quality care.
“By achieving CHAP Accreditation, Community Health and Counseling Services has shown a commitment to excellence,” said Nathan DeGodt, CHAP president & CEO. “This is the 18th year Community Health and Counseling Services has achieved CHAP Accreditation, and we are excited to continue our partnership by offering support in its commitment to providing quality care and continuous improvement.”
Community Health and Counseling Services provides a variety of home health and hospice services to patients and their families in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock, Aroostook, Somerset and Washington counties. Community Health and Counseling Services, founded in 1883, is a private non-profit organization that provides community-based home health, hospice, and mental health services to adults and children throughout Maine.
CHAP is an independent, not-for-profit, accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Created in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. CHAP is the oldest national, community-based accrediting body with more than 9,000 agencies currently accredited nationwide. Through “deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice and home medical equipment services, to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. CHAP’s purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care. On Dec. 2 Community Health and Counseling Services was found to be in compliance with CHAP standards of excellence and granted full accreditation for a three-year term. This is Community Health and Counseling Services’ seventh successful accreditation.