Free CARF Accreditation Resources | Tools from a Consultant
Access free CARF accreditation resources, including tools, checklists, and templates developed by a CARF Accreditation Consultant with over 15 years of experience. These resources are designed to help organizations prepare for CARF accreditation, close documentation gaps, and strengthen compliance efforts. Whether you are seeking practical tools for survey readiness, performance improvement, or ongoing accreditation maintenance, this page brings together proven supports to simplify your path to success. Explore our Free CARF Accreditation Resources to make survey preparation, compliance, and documentation easier at every step.
These Free CARF Accreditation Resources are trusted tools for both new applicants and organizations maintaining accreditation.
Free CARF Accreditation Resources for Survey Preparation and Compliance
These Free CARF accreditation resources were created to address common documentation challenges and compliance gaps organizations face during the accreditation process. Each tool—whether it’s a checklist, template, or planning guide—aligns with specific CARF standards and provides practical, ready-to-use formats to simplify survey preparation, strengthen internal processes, and support continuous quality improvement.
Start exploring our Free CARF Accreditation Resources below — each one is crafted with practical use and CARF standards in mind. Download you Free CARF Accreditation Resources below
This free CARF accreditation resource helps guide your organization through the entire strategic planning process. It includes clear prompts for defining your vision and mission, conducting a SWOT analysis, strengthening stakeholder relationships, planning finances, and developing a full action plan with measurable KPIs and review timelines—all aligned with CARF standards for survey readiness and organizational growth.
This free CARF accreditation resource supports quarterly reviews of documentation and service delivery. It is designed to help your organization verify compliance with CARF standards, identify documentation gaps, and track progress toward performance improvement goals. With a ready-to-use format, it simplifies internal audits and prepares you for a successful survey.
This free CARF accreditation resource ensures every client receives a complete orientation covering rights, responsibilities, organizational policies, safety procedures, and service expectations. The checklist helps your organization document compliance with CARF standards while streamlining the onboarding process and preparing for survey readiness.
This free CARF accreditation resource helps ensure every client record is complete, compliant, and ready for audit. Covering intake, assessment, service planning, and discharge documentation, this checklist was developed by an experienced CARF Accreditation Consultant to support survey readiness and streamline internal reviews.
This free CARF accreditation resource helps evaluate employee performance using measurable criteria that support professional growth and organizational excellence. Aligned with CARF standards for workforce development, it includes documentation for goal setting, feedback, and staff involvement—making performance appraisals meaningful and accreditation-ready.
This free CARF accreditation resource ensures goals and objectives are written in the voice of the person served, are measurable, age-appropriate, and culturally relevant. It also provides guidance for documenting interventions, service frequency, and transitions—all while aligning with CARF standards for person-centered care and compliance readiness.
Download these Free CARF Accreditation Resources today and take the next step toward successful survey preparation and ongoing compliance. Bookmark this page as your go-to source for Free CARF Accreditation Resources to support every stage of your survey preparation.
Recommended Tools to Complement Our Free CARF Accreditation Resources
In addition to the free CARF accreditation tools provided above, I recommend several trusted platforms and websites that offer valuable support for training, compliance, and survey readiness. These resources align with CARF standards for staff competency, quality improvement, and documentation requirements, complementing the free tools and consulting services to help organizations stay accreditation-ready year-round.
About CARF International Accreditation
CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services committed to advancing quality and improving outcomes worldwide. Through a consultative, peer-reviewed process, CARF accreditation helps organizations meet internationally recognized standards for service delivery, operational efficiency, and accountability. Accreditation areas include behavioral health, aging services, child and youth services, medical rehabilitation, and more—making these free CARF accreditation resources an essential starting point for organizations preparing for survey readiness and ongoing compliance.
Learn more at: https://www.carf.org
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Relias: Training and Compliance Support for CARF Accreditation
Relias is a trusted platform I recommend as part of your CARF accreditation resources to strengthen training, compliance, and staff development efforts. Their courses align with CARF standards and support organizations in meeting survey requirements efficiently.
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Customizable training for behavioral health professionals
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Compliance tracking and performance dashboards
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Streamlined survey preparation and documentation management
Explore Relias at: https://www.relias.com
SAMHSA: Federal Guidance and Best Practices for CARF Accreditation
SAMHSA—the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration—offers valuable publications, toolkits, and research that complement your CARF accreditation resources. These materials provide essential guidance for organizations delivering behavioral health and substance use services, helping ensure compliance with CARF standards while staying current with best practices.
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Evidence-based practice resources for service quality
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Training, grants, and data reports to support program development
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Regulatory updates to maintain ongoing compliance
Browse SAMHSA tools at: https://www.samhsa.gov
CE-Classes: Continuing Education for CARF Accreditation Readiness
CE-Classes provides flexible, online continuing education courses that support CARF accreditation readiness by meeting staff training and competency requirements. Their courses align with CARF standards and help organizations efficiently prepare for surveys and maintain compliance.
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Extensive course selection in behavioral health and related fields
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Accepted by multiple licensing boards across various states
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Instant certificates for documentation and audit readiness
Visit: https://www.ce-classes.com
Evidence-Based Practices & Outcomes
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Measurement-Informed Care is the practice of using standardized tools to track symptoms, outcomes, and functional status—then sharing and acting on that data with the person served. This collaborative approach improves decision-making, enhances person-centered care, and supports continuous performance improvement.
Why it matters
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Aligns with CARF’s focus on performance management and quality improvement.
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Encourages “collect, share, act” cycles that lead to stronger outcomes and engagement.
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Provides organizations with meaningful data for strategic planning and reporting.
Featured Reading:
Measurement-Informed Care is a Collaborative Process (CARF Blog)
We help organizations integrate MIC into daily practice by selecting the right measures, embedding them into workflows, and aligning reporting with CARF standards.
Measurement-Informed Care (MIC)
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
A meta-analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses found robust evidence supporting SFBT’s effectiveness across diverse populations and settings—notably, it's shown significant psychosocial outcome improvements.
Source: Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (Persuasively highlighted by Żak et al., 2025) SAMHSA+1Wikipedia+9PubMed+9ResearchGate+9
Bottom Line: SFBT is empirically supported, brief, and widely applicable.
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
WRAP—a peer-led, self‑management tool—is recognized as an evidence-based practice by SAMHSA and has demonstrated significant improvements in psychiatric symptoms, hopefulness, and quality of life in randomized trials.
Source: SAMHSA designation and RCT outcomes showing reduced symptoms, increased hope, and quality of life over 8 months Illinois Department of Human Services+2Wellness Recovery Action Plan+2
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
TIC promotes safety, empowerment, collaboration, and trust. SAMHSA offers a practical guide, and its 2014 foundational framework remains a gold standard for behavioral health providers.
Sources:
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SAMHSA’s Practical Guide for Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach (2024 update) Illinois Department of Human Services+11SAMHSA+11SAMHSA Library+11
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SAMHSA’s original Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma‑Informed Approach (2014) SAMHSA Library+1
Explore these platforms alongside our Free CARF Accreditation Resources to build a strong foundation for accreditation readiness and ongoing compliance. Take advantage of our Free CARF Accreditation Resources to strengthen your documentation, training, and compliance efforts today.