Quality Rooted In Compassion At The Arc Of Atlantic County

Posted on September 2, 2024

By Eric DesSoye, CQL Quality Enhancement Specialist

Communication, communication, communication! That word is echoed the most when looking back on The Arc of Atlantic County’s accreditation with CQL. Throughout their accreditation journey and especially focus groups, what was repeated consistently was how well their team and the people they support communicate transparently with each other. How can you improve and grow as an organization without effective communication? People supported feel comfortable reaching out to their direct support staff, as well as other employees throughout the company, when they need something. Supervisors and support staff are encouraged to communicate about growth opportunities, whether that be additional training, continuing education, and/or professional development.  

Everyone I was able to speak with shared how rewarding their job felt, because the organization was so people-driven. The Arc embodies a culture of supporting people and creating a non-judgmental space where people are encouraged to grow and be themselves. I had the pleasure of visiting five programs, and this culture was apparent at every single program. 

One of the places where I got to experience this was their Adult Training Program, which is a day program that grew during and after the height of COVID. It provides day support to around sixty adults, who meet in the morning and then people decide where to spend the day. The majority of the program is community-based, where people choose to go to places like the Boardwalk, a local museum, the beach, and community art classes. Some people can stay back play games, learn about various topics, watch movies, play music, and more. The music room included professional instruments, a mixing board, and a karaoke set up! People were joking and laughing as they worked on painting projects, gardening, and exercising. The staff were very respectful and encouraged individual choice, so everyone was doing something they wanted to do! The overall energy of this program was incredibly jovial and welcoming. 

I was also able to visit several homes of people receiving services. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming and excited to give me a tour of their spaces, as well as telling me all about what they loved to do in the community, their general interests, and their goals. I very much enjoyed my time talking with everyone who had such a wide range of interests.  

All-in-all, my time with The Arc of Atlantic County was very enlightening. Being able to experience the compassion and how driven their staff are to provide quality services for the people they support was truly a joy and very easy to celebrate. 

About The Arc of Atlantic County

The Arc of Atlantic County was founded in 1961. Today, The Arc serves more than 900 people each year, providing residential, community-based day services, and employment services. For many years, The Arc of Atlantic County has maintained a strong case management and referral component to help people and families living in our community as well.  

More recently, The Arc of Atlantic County introduced support coordination services for people living in surrounding counties, as well as family support/self-directed respite services, Special Olympics training, recreational services, and adult education classes.  

The Arc of Atlantic County recently achieved CQL’s Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation. We asked Pat Jones, Chief Operations Officer, a series of questions about who they are as an organization, along with their experience with the CQL Accreditation process.  

What organizational values or practices are you most proud of?

For the more than 20 years that The Arc has partnered with CQL, we have learned and initiated so many practices that have helped grow our organization. During those early years of our work with CQL, the area that moved our organization the most was the work we did with CQL that helped us focus on our vision and values. From this work, with the support and encouragement of CQL, we were able to articulate our vison in a clear and succinct manner: “People have the opportunities and supports they need to live the lives they choose.” 

Today, this vision continues to guide much of what we do. For Direct Support Professionals new to our organization, this vision is taught as the focal point of their day-to-day work with people. This vision also reminds us that our responsibility is not ‘to do for,’ but instead to encourage those who use our services to learn, grow, and experience all that life has to offer. 

What is the impact of your CQL Accreditation?

The Arc of Atlantic County looks forward to the collaboration and partnership that the accreditation review with CQL brings to our organization. Through this process, we identify areas where we are doing well, and areas where opportunities for improvement exist. For us, accreditation from CQL ensures that person-centered support services and best practices are at the forefront of all we do. This process ensures our bullseye for success is focused on the people and families who benefit from our work.

How did you prepare for your CQL Accreditation?

Our Steering Committee served as the lead committee as the organization prepared for the accreditation process. Individual members of this committee were identified to help us organize and complete the Shared Values and Basic Assurances® Self-Assessment. Staff “experts” were also identified in each of the Basic Assurances® factor areas. Factor-specific review meetings were held to discuss what work had been done that was relevant in each factor area. Throughout the process, information was gathered and tracked in a chart, identifying what committee work and data collection was being done related to each of the factors. Folders of information were set up where data, charts, policies, committee minutes, etc. were compiled for each factor area to have available and share with CQL during the accreditation review. Another committee worked on the opening presentation. 

The stakeholder strategic planning day was especially rewarding. Hearing each stakeholder share a word about The Arc of Atlantic County and talk about their experience and connection with the organization was moving. Selecting our Person-Centered Excellence goals and working together in small groups generated a great deal of enthusiasm for our upcoming work. The areas the organization chose to focus on are workforce stability, increasing community connections, and helping people participate more in their own finances. 

How do you envision the future of your partnership with CQL?

The process of accreditation from CQL is robust and engaging. At The Arc of Atlantic County, we value and take great pride in being able to say our organization is accredited by CQL. As we start the next chapter of our accreditation journey, we look forward to making progress in the new opportunities that lie ahead.

Have questions about CQL Accreditation?

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Since 1969, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership has been a leader in working with human service organizations and systems to continuously define, measure, and improve quality of life and quality of services for youth, adults, and older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. CQL offers accreditation, training, certification, research, and consultation services to agencies that share our vision of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people.