Council on Accreditation

Council on Accreditation (COA) is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body that evaluates and certifies human service and behavioral health organizations based on rigorous standards of quality and organizational effectiveness.

Founded in 1977 by the Child Welfare League of America and Family Service America, COA accredits the full continuum of child welfare, behavioral health, and community-based social services. The organization currently accredits more than 2,200 programs and organizations across the United States and Canada, serving more than 7 million individuals and families. COA's standards framework applies to over 125 program types and covers approximately 47 standards addressing administrative operations, financial management, and service delivery quality.

Behavioral health agencies, child welfare organizations, and social service providers pursue COA accreditation to demonstrate compliance with evidence-based practices, meet state contract requirements, and validate their commitment to organizational quality. The accreditation process evaluates an organization's policies, procedures, staffing, and service outcomes against established benchmarks.

Based in New York, COA operates as an internationally recognized accrediting body. The organization has also been recognized by the U.S. Department of State for its role in accrediting services related to inter-country adoption. Recent organizational developments include integration with broader social services initiatives aimed at strengthening the nonprofit human services sector.