Bloom Our Youth, Inc. (d.b.a. Bloom) has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). Founded in 1986, Bloom is a leading provider of foster care services in metro Atlanta. Bloom’s programs include:
foster parenting, training, and support for families, and The Bloom Closet, which supplies free clothing and essentials to 4,500 foster children annually. Organizations pursue COA accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best-practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of Bloom’s programs, services, management, and administration. Based on their findings, COA’s volunteer-based Accreditation Commission voted that Bloom had successfully met the criteria for accreditation.
¨We are so proud of our team for this amazing accomplishment,¨ comments Becky Davenport, Bloom President, and CEO ¨COA accreditation means that our organization’s programs, services, administration, and management have been rigorously evaluated and meet best practice standards.¨
COA accreditation is an objective, independent, and reliable validation of an agency’s performance. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management, and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.
To achieve COA accreditation, Bloom first provided written evidence of compliance with the COA standards. Thereafter, a group of specially trained volunteer Peer Reviewers confirmed adherence to these standards during a series of on-site interviews with trustees, staff, and clients.
An endorsement of COA and the value of its accreditation process is reflected in it being named by the US State Department as the sole national independent accrediting body under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption to accredit intercountry adoption service providers. In addition, COA is the only national accreditor designated by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop accreditation standards and processes for human service programs provided to military personnel and their families.
