Calling all members !!
The Board of Directors are in the process of developing a set of standards that will be used to create an accreditation process for code enforcement agencies in the state of Florida.
What is accreditation??
Accreditation is a systematic, internal review of policies, procedures, training, and operations – all of which are measured against an accrediting body’s standards manuals to prove compliance.
While accreditation is an ongoing, daily practice, the (re)accreditation process happens at regular intervals to verify an agency is maintain compliance.
While accreditation varies by program, many share the same key features:
- A compilation of standards based on and state law and / or industry best practices.
- A self-assessment period where the agency compares their practices against the standards.
- A comprehensive independent review of their policies and practices by the accrediting body (can be remote or part of the onsite visit).
- An onsite visit which includes interviews and tours of the agency
Accredited agencies are often described as being community focused, strategic minded, data driven, well organized, properly equipped and properly staffed and trained.
The standards are designed to guide agencies on what they should be doing, not how they should be doing it. This leaves room for uniqueness and creativity of each agency.
Our program will develop guidelines in the following categories:
1. Administration
• Responsibilities
• Facilities & Workspaces
• Tools & Equipment
• Business Processes and Operations
2. Staff & Personal Development
• Staff positions
• New staff training
• Performance evaluations
• Licensing & other accreditations
3. Enforcement & Case Management
• Case creation
• Photographic documentation
• Case quality control
• Case record security & document retention
4. Administrative & Legal Remedies
• Legal services
• Community support & other service programs
• Abatement recovery
• Boards & commission
5. Other Programs & Responsibilities
• Disaster Recovery
• Working with other departments
• Required documents
- Policy & procedures manual
- Monthly reports
- All form letters or NOV including stickers or door hangers.
What we need from our members are questions that you think should be included in this process.
For an example one standard could be to provide your departments SOPs; provide a list of all different organizations members belong to besides FACE; or provide a detail listing of any computer software, applications or programs utilized by the agency and describe their intended purpose.
Please send your questions or comments to David Hooker at [email protected]