Children’s Home Society (CHS) has earned accreditation from the Council of Accreditation (COA) following months of preparation. In February 2026, CHS transitioned from Joint Commission accreditation to COA to better align with all of the services it provides.
“Achieving COA accreditation reflects the strength of our programs and the dedication of our staff,” said President and CEO Michelle Lavallee. “It reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality, trauma-informed care for every child, adult and family we serve.”
COA is a globally recognized, independent nonprofit that partners with human service organizations nationwide to help them meet rigorous standards of best practice.
Hope Perini, Compliance Director at CHS, led the accreditation process, ensuring that CHS met COA’s nationally recognized standards for quality and effectiveness.
“COA is meaningful for our organization because it evaluates the full scope of services we provide,” said Perini. “From early childhood programs and residential treatment to foster care and adoption services, COA reviews how all our programs work together to support children and families at every stage of their journey.”
To earn accreditation, CHS completed an extensive process that included detailed documentation, program and operational evaluations and an in-depth site review performed by experienced peer reviewers.
“The volunteers who conducted the evaluation help run PRTF (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility) programs in other states,” said Freddy Maseman, Vice President of Psychiatric Residential Treatment at CHS. “They understand the work we do and recognize the standards and challenges we face every day.”
Evaluators added valuable insights on ways to strengthen programs, but receiving their praise was even more noteworthy.
Over the next four years, COA accreditation will guide CHS’s ongoing quality improvement efforts, enhance programs, support staff and expand services so that clients can heal, grow and thrive.