Service Providers like VGS, seek accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Accreditation is a process that demonstrates a provider has met standards for the quality of its services. CARF also evaluates how well a provider is serving people and how it can improve. As a step toward accreditation, a provider invites CARF to send a team of professionals, called surveyors, to visit its sites and evaluate its services for quality.  Based on the surveyors’ review, the provider may be awarded CARF accreditation for one or three years. Vocational Guidance Services has invited CARF surveyors to evaluate our services again this year. They will be at VGS August 19 – 21, 2009. The surveyors will interview people who use our services, their families, our staff and others. VGS has the honor of being one of the first four Agencies ever accredited by CARF, and is one of only two that have achieved 14 consecutive maximum 3-year accreditation. Our CARF Task Force is capably led by Rick Lakatos who is himself a CARF Surveyor. He is joined by 13 individuals representing each of our Divisions, primary Departments and Major Facilities. Accreditation areas we are contemplating are: Employment Services: Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation, Employee Development Services (Work Adjustment), Skills Training, and Community Employment Services (Placement) – Job Development, Job Training and Job Supports. Community Services: Community Integration. This will be the first year that our Columbus Operations will be surveyed.