INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Independence, Missouri-based nonprofit Community Services League announced it received accreditation from the International Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
This “seal of excellence” allows the organization, which also received accreditation in 2017, to continue working with the state of Missouri to help people with mental or physical disabilities find employment.
Last year, CSL helped about 50 people through its vocational rehabilitation program including Larry Austin, who landed a job in customer service at Swiss Colony Brands.
A traumatic brain injury took him out of the workforce for a long while, and he’s grateful CSL got him back on the job.
“More than grateful,” he said. “They care, they work hard at it, they don’t give up, they’re always behind you and encouraging you to keep moving forward.”
Lynn Rose, CSL’s chief program officer, used the term “seal of excellence” to describe CARF’s 3-year accreditation. She said accreditation proves CSL abides by 1,100 standards and passed on-site evaluation.
“It shows that CSL is a best-in-class organization,” Rose said. “It helps us hold ourselves accountable, it helps the community hold us accountable to do what we say we’re going to do.”
Several other organizations in the metropolitan area like Goodwill and The Salvation Army carry CARF accreditation as well.
