Council / Accrediation

Northern Hills Training Center is an accredited agency by The Council on Quality & Leadership (CQL).

Who is The Council?

According to CQL’s website (www.thecouncil.org), “For more than three decades, The Council on Quality and Leadership has been at the forefront of the movement to improve the quality of services and supports for people with intellectual disabilities and people with mental illness. We began with the fundamental belief that everyone has a right to a life of dignity, opportunity and community inclusion. Our journey continues today with the daily work of establishing real connections between disabilities theory and practice. “Our commitment is this – to be mentors and partners to our customers, showing them how they can become even better at ensuring that people with disabilities lead lives of dignity and quality.”

What is Accreditation?
(Taken from “Accreditation with the Council; Grounded in Person Centered Outcomes Brochure”)

“Accreditation with The Council offers organizations and networks:

• an objective, external measurement of the quality of services
• support and direction for ongoing quality enhancement
• recognition of excellence

“Accreditation with The Council measures the organization’s direct impact on the lives of people receiving services. Accreditation provides increased accountability to funders, the public, and all other stakeholders by showing evidence that operations:

• protect the health, safety, and welfare of people receiving services
• are based on the desires and needs of people and provide supports that increase outcomes in people’s lives
• provide individualized services and supports
• maximize fiscal and human resources

Together with CQL we work in a partnership to ensure that each person’s rights, personal outcomes, and basic assurances are in place. Though being accredited by CQL is a state requirement in South Dakota, NHTC benefits greatly from the accreditation process with CQL. These benefits include, but are not limited to:

• The development of quality measures, performance indicators, and evaluation methods that are person-centered
• Continuing consultation, education, and other learning tools that build individual and organizational capacity
• Access to the latest information, developments, trends, and best practices

Personal Outcome Measures:

IDENTITY
People choose personal goals.
People choose where and with whom they live.
People choose where they work.
People have intimate relationships.
People are satisfied with services.
People are satisfied with their personal life situations.

AUTONOMY
People choose their daily routine.
People have time, space and opportunity for privacy.
People decide when to share personal information.
People use their environments.

AFFILIATION
People live in integrated environments.
People participate in the life of the community.
People interact with other members of the community.
People perform different social roles.
People have friends.
People are respected.

ATTAINMENT
People choose services.
People realize personal goals.

SAFEGUARDS
People are connected to natural support networks.
People are safe.

RIGHTS
People exercise rights.
People are treated fairly.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
People have the best possible health.
People are free from abuse and neglect.
People experience continuity and security.