Accreditation Standards implementation support to service providers, accreditors and funders, Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Implementation of the National Accreditation Standards for Trauma Recovery Programs: PTSD, Department of Veterans’ Affairs

A new set of trauma recovery program – post traumatic stress disorder accreditation Standards were introduced by DVA in 2015. The contracted hospital providers were required to meet the new set of accreditation Standards by June 2017.

DVA engaged HMA to assist with the implementation of the new accreditation Standards. HMA worked with contracted hospital providers and accreditors during this process, and informed DVA of the implications for refinement and ongoing development of the Standards. Key tasks included:

• providing information sessions on the Standards to service providers and accrediting agencies
• conducting post-accreditation interviews
• delivering ongoing support on the accreditation framework to service providers and accrediting agencies, as required
• assessing the implications of feedback for refinement to the Standards and support resources, and
• developing, identifying and adapting resources / tools to further assist with implementation of the Standards.

HMA prepared advice for the Department on how the existing DVA PTSD standards should be modified to accommodate newly released National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards released in 2018.

The project was completed in June 2018.