COA - Council On Accreditation

	Social Advocacy

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

Service Narrative (SOC):

Part 1: Program Information

Organizations may complete one template for all programs, or a separate template that addresses each program being reviewed under this section. Provide responses in each box provided.

Organizations being accredited for the first time: Please provide information for the last year.

Organizations being reaccredited: Please provide information for the period since the last accreditation review.

1. Describe any significant changes, challenges, awards received, changes in funding, or obstacles faced by the organization with regard to its social advocacy initiatives.

2. Provide an overview of the program(s) being accredited under this section. The overview should describe:

the programs' service philosophy and approach to delivering services;
any unique programs or special services provided to specific populations;
major funding streams; and
any additional information referenced in the Table of Evidence.

3. If service components are provided through contract in cooperation with other organizations or through a formal, coordinated service delivery system provide a list that identifies the providers and the service components for which they are responsible. Do not include services provided by referral.

4. Provide any other information your organization would like the peer review team to know about these programs.

Attachments

A list of all program sites, including the following information for each program site: a) name of program/site director; b) address; c) phone number; d) hours of operation; e) number of FTEs; and f) directions or a map to each program site from the main organization office
If applicable, a demographic profile of stakeholders involved in the initiative(s) being reviewed under this service section with percentages representing the following: a) racial and ethnic characteristics; b) major religious groups; c) major language groups; d) gender; and e) age. Include an explanation of how the program ensures that it is culturally competent
Two quarterly reports of accidents, incidents, and grievances related to this service (See RPM 2.02)
All COA-approved NA Requests
A list of all NAs applicable to your organization provided within the standards

Part 2: Program Outputs and Outcomes

Provide a response in each box describing how the program is making progress toward achieving its aims and promoting positive results.

1. A summary of where the organization is in the development of its program for measuring quality and outcomes, specific to the service.

2. A list or description of outputs and desired outcomes and any outputs and outcomes being measured including measurement tools used.

Note: Outputs may include number of activities or projects implemented, number of partners or other stakeholders engaged, stakeholder satisfaction, etc.

3. An overview of the organization's process for analyzing data.

4. Examples of program improvements made based on the outcomes data.

Attachments

Outcomes measurement/data collection procedures
Outcomes results reported for the previous two quarters


	Self-Study Documents	On-Site Documents	On-Site Activities
SOC 1 Service Philosophy	Include Service Philosophy in Service Narrative Part 1: Program Information		Interview: Program director Relevant personnel
SOC 2 Setting the Agenda	Agenda Procedures for agenda setting Include description of how advocacy efforts relate to the organization’s mission, in Service Narrative Part 1: Program Information		Interview: Program director Relevant personnel Governing body or advisory group members, if possible and appropriate
SOC 3 Advocacy Issue Assessment	Advocacy issue assessment Procedures for assessing the advocacy issue		Interview: Program director Relevant personnel
SOC 4 Advocacy Planning	Advocacy plan Procedures for advocacy planning Procedures for periodically reevaluating the advocacy plan		Interview: Program director Relevant personnel Governing body or advisory group members, if possible and appropriate
SOC 5 Civic Engagement	Outreach procedures and informational materials Procedures for communicating and collaborating with stakeholders, including procedures for collecting stakeholder feedback Include description of civic engagement efforts, in Service Narrative Part 1: Program Information	Evidence of collaboration with stakeholders	Interview: Program director Relevant personnel
SOC 6 Partnerships and Collaborations	List of partners, including organizations and decision-makers	Evidence of collaboration with partners (e.g., meeting notices, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, correspondence, documentation of decisions, etc.)	Interview: Program director Relevant personnel Collaborating organizations or other partners, if possible and appropriate
SOC 7 Advocacy Activities and Interventions	Include description of activities implemented, and rationale for how activities promote the goals specified in the advocacy plan, in Service Narrative Part 1: Program Information	Documentation that demonstrates implementation of activities (e.g., meeting minutes, research reports, letters, survey results, printed materials, etc.)	Interview: Program director Relevant personnel
SOC 8 Personnel	List of personnel that includes: name title degree held and/or other credentials FTE or volunteer length of service at the organization time in current position Table of contents of training curricula Procedures and criteria for assigning and evaluating workloads Program staffing chart that includes lines of supervision	Job descriptions Training curricula Documentation of training Contracts or other agreements with consultants or other specialists, if applicable	Interview: Program director Relevant personnel Governing body or advisory group members, if possible and appropriate Review personnel files

Fundamental Practice Standards:


Essential Life and Safety	Health and Welfare	Client Rights

RELATED FILES


	ADVOCACY An act performed with or on behalf of others through direct intervention, empowerment, or representation. Case advocacy refers to actions taken in relation to a particular individual consumer. Cause, social, or systems advocacy refers to actions taken in relation to a common issue affecting a group of persons.


	PRACTICE Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.


	SERVICE PHILOSOPHY The theoretical framework that describes and explains an organization's approach to service.


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	PERSONNEL The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards


	GOVERNING BODY A person or persons with the legal authority and responsibility to set policy and oversee the operations of an organization. Generally, the governing body is a group, such as a board of directors or board of trustees. While the exact responsibilities of the governing body depend on the nature and character of the organization, the governing body has minimum fiduciary responsibilities to the organization set by statute, regulation, and case law, and typically assume responsibilities for long term planning, risk management, and evaluation and effectiveness of management.


	ADVISORY GROUP A group of individuals selected by an organization's governing body or management who possess unique skills and/or knowledge and whose role is to make recommendations, provide information, and/or share input from stakeholders. Advisory groups do not have formal governance authority or responsibilities. Advisory groups can be ongoing or ad hoc.


	ASSESSMENT An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.


	PLANNING The process of specifying objectives, evaluating the means for their achievement, and exercising deliberate decision making about appropriate courses of action.


	OUTREACH Contact initiated by a provider to identify persons in need of services, to provide information to them about services and benefits, and to encourage the use of appropriate services.


	STAKEHOLDER Any person, group, or organization that has a vested interest in the services provided by the organization. Examples: clients, consumers, personnel, funding organizations, referral organizations, vendors, and governmental bodies.


	RESEARCH For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.


	VOLUNTEER An individual who performs services for an organization for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation, or receipt of compensation for services rendered. Such service must be offered freely and without pressure or coercion, direct or implied, from an employer. If the individual is otherwise employed by the same employer for which s/he volunteers, the individual cannot volunteer to perform the same type of services that s/he is paid to perform as an employee.


	TRAINING Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.


	CRITERIA Systematically developed, objective, and quantifiable statements used to assess the appropriateness of specific decisions, services, and outcomes.


	WORKLOAD The amount of work assigned to or expected from a person within a specified period of time. See also CASELOAD.


	SUPERVISION Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.


	JOB DESCRIPTION Explicit obligations and specific tasks required of personnel as a condition of employment. Such descriptions are in writing and may include educational, experiential, and skill requirements associated with the job.


	CONTRACT A formal written agreement between two or more parties that specifies the services, space, or products to be provided in exchange for some form of compensation. Also known as "purchase of service arrangement."


	CONSULTANT A person who provides specialized or technical advice or services to an organization for specific purposes on a contractual or fee basis, or who provides such services as a volunteer with an agreement to provide services on a pro bono basis.