(PORTLAND, Maine, November 10th, 2020) – Foundation House has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Foundation House underwent a rigorous 5-day onsite review on October 19th, 2020. During the visit, Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with Behavioral Healthcare standards spanning several areas, including the environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management. Foundation House’s accreditation applies to each of its eight locations, including its newest 120-acre ranch located in Bethel, ME.
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess, and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Foundation House for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”
“Foundation House has been at the forefront of treatment for some time, as a provider of an unparalleled recovery experience for the past 18 years,” added Will Hutchinson, General Manager of Foundation House’s operations. “When deciding to pursue accreditation, the Joint Commission was our obvious choice considering their historical record of rigorous transparency and accountability, two values we at Foundation House hold to be of the utmost importance. We’re pleased to be granted the status of accredited following our initial survey, and we look forward to working closely with the Joint Commission for years to come.”
Foundation House’s initial survey took place during an unprecedentedly difficult time for treatment facilities across the world. With the COVID-19 pandemic gearing up across the United States for what appears to be a grim second wave, the infection control protocols at Foundation House have been successful in thwarting the presence of even a single case of COVID-19 in its staff or residents. “This has been a very challenging year, and it’s certainly not over yet,” Will continued. “We were grateful to have such a rigorous review of our infection control protocols during this time of increased health risk, and we are pleased to know our efforts are in line with the Joint Commission’s demanding standards.”
Over the next several years, Foundation House will be developing additional program offerings at their ranch property in Bethel, ME. “All of our new facilities and programs will seek similar accreditations with the Joint Commission,” Will concluded.
For more information, please visit the Joint Commission website or the Foundation House website.
About Foundation House:
Since its inception in 2002, Foundation House has been a pioneer in the fields of substance abuse and mental health treatment. A program dedicated to the long-term success of its residents, Foundation House consistently offers progressive clinical care in place of tired treatment methods, favoring an approach that empowers its residents and removes the impediments of institutionalization. Throughout the Foundation House program, residents are offered a dynamic selection of therapies and activities, including outdoor adventure, intramural sports leagues, educational tutoring, service missions, money management, acupuncture, surfing, reiki, yoga, cooking lessons, alumni engagement, painting classes, professional music studio time and international expeditions. For more information regarding Foundation House or the above press release, visit www.foundationhouse.com or call 207-791-2000.