Behavioral Health Care
February 03, 2009

Frequently Asked Questions about Behavioral Health Care Accreditation

General FAQs


Standards FAQs


Survey Process FAQs


General FAQs

How do I register a complaint about a health care organization?

You can complete our online Quality Incident Report Form.   For more information, please call 800-994-6610.

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How do I find out how other behavioral health care organizations rate with the Joint Commission?

With our online Quality Check, you can "check up" on the performance of health care facilities, by reviewing their latest Quality Report.

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Standards FAQs

Who can answer a question about standards interpretation?

Please check our the Standards FAQs section of our website. If you don't find your answer there, you can complete our Online Standards Form or call 630-792-5900.

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Survey Process FAQs

How soon after I apply can I be surveyed?

Your organization will be surveyed within six months after we receive your application and accreditation deposit fee . However, the key issue is whether you are ready to be surveyed. We will evaluate the past four months of service for compliance with the standards. If your organization is beginning to prepare for survey at the time of application, it should request to be surveyed at least four to six months later. Your application for survey is valid for six months from the date it is submitted. You may request a specific month for your survey and we will try to accommodate you.

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How long must we be in compliance with the standards before survey?

You must be in compliance for four months on an initial survey, one year on a resurvey. We don't expect a track record of compliance for a preliminary accreditation survey (early survey option).

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What happens to my accreditation when I sell my organization or am acquired by another organization? If I add a new service, is it automatically accredited until the time of my next survey?

We do not automatically transfer accreditation to new owners who acquire an accredited health care organization. Accreditation will not continue if significant changes occur to the circumstances existing at the time of the previous survey. An accredited organization must notify us no more than 30 days after it merges, is acquired, or undergoes any major change in services, location, capacity, or corporate structure. We will extend accreditation until we can determine if a special survey is necessary. Failure to notify us of ownership and service changes can result in a loss of accreditation.

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Where can I buy a survey manual?

Contact the Customer Service Center toll free at 877-223-6866. Visit the Joint Commission Resources website.

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