Accreditation

Why It Matters

 

Local sexual assault centers are an essential resource for survivors, their loved ones, and their communities. These local organizations are supporting people through a very vulnerable time in their lives and helping them navigate complex procedures, such as reporting to law enforcement. LaFASA’s accreditation standards ensure that survivors are receiving quality care and support from well-trained professionals and volunteers.

 

Accreditation Standards

 

Accreditation assesses the centers’ governance, management, policies, procedures, and services to determine that they meet or exceed minimum standards. In a field where so much is at stake – the recovery process following a sexual assault, the pursuit of justice, efforts to prevent sexual violence, and more – a system for quality assurance is essential.

 

All centers must meet certain standards - defined as Level One Accreditation.  These standards include appropriate agency operation policies and procedures, as well as specific core services.  The core services include: hotline and in-person support and referrals, accompaniment to hospitals in the center's parish for forensic exams, accompaniment for legal services in the center's parish, information on medical and legal options, community outreach and engagement, and primary prevention.

 

To be accredited at Level Two and Three, centers must meet all standards within the level.  The survivor services in these levels include therapy for survivors and their loved ones, accompaniment throughout the service area, and group support.  In addition, centers engage in systems-level change efforts through sexual assault response teams (SARTs), training allied professionals in effective victim services, social change campaigns, and coalition-building for prevention.

 

To find out about the available services at your local accredited center, visit our sexual assault center directory for the center's contact information.

 

What You Can Do

 

There are currently 7 unserved parishes in Louisiana. If you are interested in becoming a local service provider in one of these unserved areas, please contact LaFASA's Director of Education & Prevention, for more information.