Serenity Profile July 2018 Newsletter

Serenity Profile A publication of Residential Treatment Services of Alamance, Inc. July 2018 From the Desk of Ron Osborne CARF Accreditation Highlights RTSA Strengths For those who have been through an accreditation, you know that the reviewers look at every aspect of the program. The staff checked all of our policies and procedures; making sure we were doing what we said we were doing and confirming all staff were familiar with the policies and procedures. A great deal of time was spent in preparation for the review. What about the Hall Avenue facility? Appearance goes a long way! Whenever you are in an old building, it is easy to overlook things that need attention. But we have always lived by the philosophy that no matter how old the building is - there is no reason for it not to be clean. The residents witnessed the staff preforming extra duties and took it upon themselves to make the Hall Avenue facility a showplace and the residents didn’t miss a thing. They took ownership of the place in which they were residing and took the building up a notch or two! The reviewers arrived on Thursday morning, March 22, 2018, at 7:45 am, and I can truly say that the building looked better than I have ever seen it in the 41 years I have been affiliated with the agency. One thing we learned from this review was that our staff is a team, did what was needed, and the residents in our programs joined us and made us look even better. We recently received notification from our accrediting body, Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) that we were being awarded another three year accreditation. RTSA has been cited as a quality program providing Detoxification, Crisis Stabilization and Community Housing for those building strong recovery programs. The review brought to our attention our strengths and reinforced the good work going on in our programs. I am taking the liberty to share the survey summaries and strengths the CARF reviewers cited for the agency. Highlights documented by the reviewers were:  RTSA is well respected in the community because of the genuine dedication, compassion, and commitment of the organization’s mission and vision.  Staff members are well trained and extend the mission and related values of the organization in an effective and efficient manner.  RTSA staff members have positive relationships with the residents. This is the result of a focused and personalized approach to service delivery and excellent communication.  Residents interviewed expressed great gratitude to the organization as a whole, sharing that treatment is meaningful because the staff genuinely care about their recovery and personal well- being.  The organization’s programs are located in easily accessible areas and provide residents and their families with a high level of comfort and professionalism. It is evident by the appearance of the buildings that health and safety are paramount. The facilities are neat, clean, and well maintained. The organization has established itself as a provider of choice in offering quality programs to residents.  There is longevity within the leadership team. The leadership team is well liked and respected by staff members and external stakeholders.  The board of directors of RTSA is active, engaged, and truly committed to supporting the organization in its efforts to change the lives of the residents.  RTSA has established a resident council, which provides the residents an opportunity for solving in-house problems, planning activities, and giving input for improving services.  RTSA utilizes multiple creative fundraising activities to assist in raising monies for the operation of its programs.  RTSA conducts an annual retreat for staff members that includes team-building activities and the opportunity to complete competency trainings in a team setting. Cont. Page 2, RTSA Strengths