National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services, Inc.

Accreditation has been aptly described as “an internationally recognized evaluation process used to assess and improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care organizations. Simply put, accreditation is based on the premise that adherence to evidence-based standards will produce higher quality health care services in an increasingly safe environment. It is also a way to publically recognize that a health care organization has met national quality standards" (Nicklin, 2011). The accreditation process, as implemented by the National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services, Inc. (NAC) and for most other accrediting bodies “consists of periodic or cyclical assessments of organizational and clinical practices and the measurement of their performance against pre-established, evidence-based standards" (Nicklin, 2011).
• Stimulate sustainable quality improvement efforts and continuously raise the bar with regard to quality improvement initiatives, policies, and processes.

Applicant organizations complete and submit a formal application for accreditation or re-accreditation to the NAC office. The nature and content of this application is reviewed by the NAC office. This review is followed up by a telephone discussion with the organization seeking accreditation. A set of current NAC standards and the Self-Assessment Manual is forwarded to the organization, which then launches the self-assessment process. Upon completion, The Self-Assessment is submitted to the NAC office for preliminary review to see that all areas are completed as required. A team of peer professionals in the field of blindness and low vision is assigned by NAC (with approval of the applicant agency) to review the Self-Assessment and to conduct an on-site peer review. This on-site review seeks to examine the organization's self-rated activities as they relate to relevant NAC standards.

The National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services, Inc. (NAC) utilizes volunteer peer reviewers to conduct the on-site peer review. The NAC office coordinates the scheduling and monitors the progress of the organizational self-assessment; the selection of volunteer peer reviewers; and the on-site peer review.

Process improvements in the accreditation process.
Procedural improvements in on-site peer reviews.
Updates of standards.

Would like to upgrade the current web site.
Would like to recruit more volunteers.
Would like to raise additional support.