News Item 1
AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION AWARDS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
Robert Garvey, Chairperson of the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC), recently announced the accreditation of all three residential facilities operated by Volunteers of America of Indiana, Inc., specifically Theodora House, Hope Hall and Brandon Hall. The award was presented in conjunction with the 137th Congress of Correction Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 13, 2007. Accepting the awards for the agency were Steve Runyon, Mary Leffler and Dennis Duvall.
In presenting the awards, Chairperson Garvey, and Gary Maynard, President of the American Correctional Association (ACA) complimented the facilities on their professional level of operation and their success in completing the accreditation process. The agency is one of over 1,500 correctional organizations currently involved in accreditation across the nation.
The accreditation program is a professional peer review process based on national standards that have evolved since the founding of the Association in 1870. The standards were developed by national leaders from the field of corrections, law, architecture, health care, and other groups who are interested in sound correctional management.
ACA standards address services, programs, and operations essential to effective correctional management. Through accreditation, an agency is able to maintain a balance between protecting the public and providing an environment that safeguards the life, health, and safety of staff and offenders. Standards set by ACA reflect practical up-to-date policies and procedures and function as a management tool for agencies and facilities throughout the world.