Catholic Charities Maine receives seal of approval

    Officials with the Catholic Charities Maine have announced the agency's re-accreditation through Dec. 31, 2009, by the Council on Accreditation (COA). This accreditation places the programs at Catholic Charities Maine in a very select group, having been closely studied and identified for meeting or exceeding standards of organizational strength and quality of service. COA is the "seal of approval" for agencies today.     COA re-accreditation is an objective and reliable verification that provides confidence and support to an organization's service recipients, board members, staff and community partners. The COA re-accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of both an organization's administrative operations and its service delivery practices. All are measured against national standards of best practice. These standards emphasize services that are accessible, appropriate, culturally responsive, evidence based, and outcomes-oriented, In addition, they confirm that the services are provided by a skilled and supported workforce and that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
    Because COA reviews and reaccredits the entire organization, not just specific programs, all the agency’s supporters and consumers can have confidence in the credibility, integrity and achievement of the entire organization.
    Since 1966, Catholic Charities Maine has dedicated itself to creating, administering, and advocating for programs and services that reach out and meet the critical human service needs of our state. The professionally trained staff and over 1,000 volunteers help individuals from birth through old age overcome obstacles in their lives that threaten their self-sufficiency. Last year, services were provided to over 45,000 individuals in Maine and touched the lives of countless others.