Accreditation Committees

Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS) supports Standards and Accreditation by collaborating with advisors and experts who are, in most instances, arms-length from our organization. We utilize their skills and expertise through Accreditation committees.

Commission on Accreditation

The Commission on Accreditation (Commission) is an eight-member arms-length body that reviews and renders accreditation decisions on Accreditation Level 2 site survey reports for organizations that provide services with the Community Disability Services (CDS) sector.

The Commission is chaired by a representative of the legal community and includes members who have an interest in and knowledge of the Accreditation Level 2 process and have a commitment to promoting Accreditation Level 2 surveys. Members may include

• leaders of Level 2 accredited organizations, usually ACDS member organizations
• representatives from
  • secondary schools
  • children’s services
  • mental health
  • brain injury
  • seniors’ services

Click on Commission on Accreditation to learn about the review process and possible Accreditation decisions.

Interested persons can apply to participate on this committee by sending an Application to Participate on the Commission on Accreditation form to accred@acds.ca.

Exemption Panel

The Exemption Panel is made up of six members who represent Community Disability Services (CDS) and the Ministry of Community and Social Services; Disabilities, Inclusion and Accessibility Division (DIAD, still commonly known as Persons with Developmental Disabilities [PDD]). The members must be familiar with the Creating Excellence Together (CET) Standards and review process.

The Panel only meets when organizations that have reason to believe that their services do not fit with the CET survey process request exemption from the process.

The Panel can be made up of any combination of persons who

• represent the Board
• represent CDS (e.g., the executive directors of CET Accredited organizations)
• represent DIAD (e.g., Regional Directors)
• are certified CET site surveyors

Click Exemption Panel to learn about the exemption process and criteria.

Appeal Panel

The Appeal Panel is struck by the ACDS Board of Directors (Board) for the purpose of reviewing a service provider’s appeal of

• its CET survey based on its concerns about the survey's objectivity or
• the decision of the Commission on Accreditation

The Panel is comprised of members who work outside of the service provider’s region. Members generally include

• a representative of the Board
• an executive director of a similar organization 
• a CET surveyor who did not participate in the original site-survey

The ACDS Director of Services and Accreditation takes part in Panel meetings to provide general clarification on the survey process and specific clarification around the survey being appealed. This is an ex officio non-voting role.

Other people who may be asked to take part in a specific meeting or be asked to provide additional information for the Panel could include

• a representative of the organization that has launched the appeal
• the survey team leader
• a Commission on Accreditation member
• a representative of the funder
• other stakeholders

Click on Appeal Panel to find more information on the process.

Standards Review Committee

Every three years, ACDS draws on the knowledge and experience of service providers, site surveyors and other stakeholders, plus formal and informal feedback, to ensure that the CET Standards

• are written clearly and concisely
• reflect the current expectations of and leading developments in the CDS field
• address or resolve issues identified in the field
• can be applied consistently, ethically and professionally through the ACDS Accreditation Survey Process

Click on Standards Review Committee to see which version of the CET standards are currently being used and to find out what is on the near horizon.