Thornwell Achieves National Accreditation

Thornwell honored for its Care, Family, and Academic Service Programs

Thornwell, a non-profit organization committed to serving children and families in need across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of Thornwell’s programs, services, management, and administration during the process.

“It is a tremendous honor to, once again, achieve national accreditation. Thornwell has been committed to serving children and families since 1875 and this achievement reflects the tremendous and a quality work produced by our Thornwell staff every day,” said Rev. Myron Wilkins, President and CEO of Thornwell. “Accreditation reinforces that the important work we do – and the support of all those who help us do it – must continue and we must always strive to hold ourselves accountable to meet the needs of children and families with excellence.”

COA accreditation is an objective, independent, and reliable validation of an agency’s performance. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management, and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.

To achieve COA accreditation, Thornwell first provided written evidence of compliance with the COA standards.  Thereafter, a group of specially trained volunteer Peer Reviewers confirmed adherence to these standards during a series of on-site interviews with trustees, staff and clients. Based on their findings, COA’s volunteer-based Accreditation Commission voted that Thornwell had successfully met the criteria for accreditation.

“We celebrate the achievement of accreditation as a milestone within our culture of continuous improvement. We are energized to continue our mission and strive to empower communities in which all people can experience both life and love in abundance,” said Lindy Scott, Executive Vice President.

About Thornwell 

Founded in 1875, Thornwell is a diverse non-profit ministry across South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida that serves to prevent child abuse and neglect, to build up and reunite families, and to support healthy communities in the name of Jesus Christ. Thornwell believes family changes everything in a child’s life, and addresses the welfare of children not as a singular event, but rather as a comprehensive, ongoing cycle of services and support designed to help children and families, no matter what stage of life they’re in. Learn more about Thornwell and the services they provide for children and families in need at http://www.thornwell.org.

About Council on Accreditation (COA)

Founded in 1977, COA is an independent, not-for-profit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. Over 2,000 organizations — voluntary, public, and proprietary; local and statewide; large and small — have either successfully achieved COA accreditation or are currently engaged in the process. Presently, COA has a total of 47 service standards that are applicable to over 125 different types of programs. To learn more about COA, please visit www.coanet.org.