FSH gets recognition

It was standing room-only in the chapel at Florida State Hospital as the mental health facility celebrated an achievement which drew the Department of Children and Families’ highest-ranking official to the party.
Hospital Administrator Diane James welcomed DCF Secretary George H. Sheldon and other dignitaries to share in the moment, as hospital staffers celebrated receiving accreditation from the international Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
According to James, CARF accreditation is a voluntary effort and the goal isn’t easy to achieve. In fact, FSH is the only Florida hospital of its kind to have attained it. It is considered the highest level of accreditation available to a mental health treatment facility.
The hospital staff members worked toward the goal for nearly a year, honing and adding programs for the clients they serve, and aggressively identifying and correcting problems or weaknesses that could keep them from gaining this gold-standard recognition.
The staff charted progress toward their goals, and on Thursday posted detailed displays showing how the process worked.
They were rewarded for all their hard work with certification on their first try, something not all applicants can claim. Typically, CARF will ask an entity to come back and try again armed with recommendations, after the organization’s first review of programs, policy and practices.
The hospital also earned especially high marks from CARF for a handful of specific programs.
Sheldon was one of several guest speakers who praised James and her team for their accomplishments.
His remarks closely followed his earlier, written statement in a press release about the accreditation.
“This is proof that all of you working at this hospital are true to your mission of rehabilitating individuals with mental illness and restoring the hope that empowers them to acquire or recover the skills, support and stability they need to successfully live,” Sheldon wrote.
Another guest speaker was Robert Williams, the long-time FSH administrator James replaced several years ago.
James acknowledged Williams for the foundation of excellence he built in the many years he was at the helm.
Williams, in turn, said he’s never been prouder of any group he’s ever worked with, and wished the hospital well.
Chattahoochee Mayor Pete Whiddon also spoke, acknowledging the interdependence of the town and the hospital.
Those assembled were also among the first to meet a new DCF administrator. Four days ago, Dave Sofferin became the new assistant secretary over substance abuse and mental health.
Sofferin also spoke at the gathering and encouraged the staff to take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.
James said the certification is more than just a piece of paper to hang on a wall. It’s not only is a symbol of excellence, it’s a document that can be of use in finding the best team members possible, she said.
“I think the recognition helps us in attracting quality employees for disciplines that are hard to recruit for,” she said. “We’ve met some very rigorous standards and expectations, and it validates the level of service we provide. It gives us an edge in competing, and and allows us to network with other CARF-accredited facilities. Our people have worked very, very hard to make this happen and its very meaningful for us.”
The accreditation does one more thing for the people who work there — it’s a reminder of the standard everyone can reach for and meet every time they report to work, James said.