CERTIFICATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS:
How others measure our standards

Having standards requires measurements. While AWS constantly measures and re-measures to ensure our work meets our high standards, we also ask objective third parties to "grade" us and participate in federal and state audits and surveys in all areas where we operate. These include client-specific, program and financial surveys/audits.

We further complement these activities by annual internal audits conducted by the AWS Compliance Department and an outside audit firm. As you'll see by the accreditations and certifications below, AWS has achieved high marks from disparate organizations.

CARF: Highest rating accreditation

CARF (Commission Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities) awarded AWS the three-year, or highest accreditation rating for Community Services and Employment Services, covering all of AWS' operations in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and New Mexico.

"AWS has strengths in many areas," wrote Brian Boon, CARF President and CEO in his report. Among factors he cited were well-developed polices and procedures, excellent new employee orientation, high ethical conduct, good use of technology, quality personnel, skillful negotiating for clients' benefits and many other factors.

Some states require CARF accreditation; other states forego annual certification processes for agencies receiving CARF certification. For more information about CARF, please visit www.carf.org.

ACHC: Accredits AWS HomePointe HealthCare

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) recently accredited AWS' HomePointe HealthCare. A survey of HomePointe HealthCare's standards, related primarily to patient care and internal structure and processes, preceded the accreditation.

The survey covered programs in Hobart and Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is valid through October 2012. For more information about ACHC, please visit www.achc.org.

Surveys Validate Group Home Standard

At least annually, the Indiana Department of Health, which also represents the U.S. Center for Medicaid/Medicare Services, surveys AWS' Group Homes. All homes are in good standing, with some homes perfectly meeting all 488 requirements. .

Surveys cover these areas: governing body, client protections, facility staffing, active treatment services, client behavior and facility practices, health care services, physical environment and dietetic services.

AWS operates 29 Group Homes across Indiana, including those designed for children and adults with extensive medical needs and extensive behavioral needs; other homes address basic developmental needs.

Annual Surveys, Audits for Waiver Clients

States, and in some cases counties, require AWS to successfully complete annual audits and surveys concerning finances and programs for clients in Medicaid waiver programs. AWS is in good standing in all the states where we provides services.

Industrial Resources: ISO 9001 certified

Industrial Resources, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was recently re-certified as an ISO 9001:2008 organization, meaning the facility uses internationally proven and audited management system and processes.

The facility employs 180 people with disabilities and is a business partner to more than 25 area companies, with 70% being repeat customers. For more information about the ISO (International Standards Organization), please visit www.iso.org/.

Post Masters: ISO 9001 certified

The International Standards Organization certified Post Masters with an ISO 9001-2008 designation in 2009. The certification means Post Masters has passed rigorous audits by documenting its processes and systems to meet or exceed ISO standards and is recognized internationally as a benchmark of quality.

Post Masters provides full-service mailing and fulfillment services and employs a diverse workforce, including people with disabilities in its Fort Wayne and Indianapolis Indiana, offices. For more information about the ISO (International Standards Organization), please visit www.iso.org