Featured Post from CARF International

Turning disability into accessibility

Feb 28, 2019

2 min

Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA

As communities grow and modernize – are we making the proper accommodations for those with disabilities to live a fulfilling, productive, and independent life?


It’s a popular topic and one that we are now seeing being advocated more in many areas of everyday life. Accessibility laws and expectations are now ensuring that all aspects of education, business, transit, and health care are made available to everyone.


The concept is sound – but how are we as a community developing reasonable accommodations and community resources that allow all people to participate in the community and successfully live their life? Often, it’s not a matter of intentional exclusion, rather the issue simply hasn’t been considered and no plan exists.


And there are costs to not having a plan in place. Not addressing these “social determinants of health” (housing, transportation, etc.) affect healthcare outcomes and raise costs of hospitals, social services, and health care. Addressing these issues and improving accessibility may actually increase societal health, decrease long-term societal healthcare costs, and bolster the tax base.


But as we move forward there are a lot of questions in the community about how to approach accessibility:


  • What mechanisms are in place to gather input on needs, identify barriers, and consider requests for accommodation?
  • What types of accessibility needs exist of the people who will use different community settings? (Physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional, developmental, etc.)?
  • What types of accessibility barriers exist (architectural, environmental, attitudinal, financial, transportation, etc.)?
  • How much do different accommodations cost?
  • How can community settings partner with people with disabilities and/or health and human service providers?
  • What specific ways can accessibility improve societal health?


And that’s where the experts from CARF can help. Christine M. MacDonell is the Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and International Aging Services/Medical Rehabilitation at CARF International. She can address the issue of accessibility as it relates to people who have experienced brain injury, stroke, cancer, amputation, and spinal cord injury. Christine is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.



Connect with:
Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA

Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA

Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services

Terrence Carolan has more than 20 years of experience as a provider, educator, and administrator in the medical rehabilitation field.

Assisted LivingContinuing Care Retirement CommunitiesRespite CareAdult Day ServicesPerformance Management

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from CARF International

1 min

Expert Spotlight: Advancing Child & Youth Behavioral Health with MBC

Children and youth today face increasingly complex mental health challenges, requiring care that is personalized, evidence-based, and responsive to evolving needs. Measurement-Based Care (MBC), also referred to as Measurement-Informed Care (MIC), is a proven framework that leverages client-reported data to guide treatment decisions, enhance engagement, and improve clinical outcomes. With CARF’s updated accreditation standards now requiring MBC in youth services, organizations globally are prioritizing its adoption. On September 30, Greenspace Health brought together a panel of experts including Theresa Lindberg, MSC, LPC, Managing Director for Child and Youth Services, CARF International, who shared real-world examples, lessons learned from successful implementations, and actionable strategies for embedding MBC in youth-serving organizations. The webinar was recorded and is available below for viewing. This is an important topic, and if you are interested in learning more - then let us help. Theresa Lindberg is Managing Director of Child and Youth Services at CARF International. If you are looking to connect with Theresa , view her profile below to arrange an interview today.

1 min

Expert Spotlight: Measurement-Based Care

Measurement-Based Care (MBC) is rapidly becoming a core standard of excellence for evidence-based, behavioral health services. Organizations across North America are adopting MBC to improve outcomes, demonstrate accountability in their services, and drive care quality. This shift is being reinforced by leading accrediting bodies, with CARF now embedding MBC into its requirements. As one of the most influential accreditors, CARF’s emphasis signals the growing importance of MBC in delivering evidence-based care and measurable clinical impact. On May 15, Greenspace brought together a panel of experts including Michael Johnson, Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health at CARF, to explore the evolving role of Measurement-Based Care in accreditation and clinical practice. View the webinar below: Michael Johnson is the CARF International Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health. If you are looking to know more or connect with Michael, view his profile below to arrange an interview today.

1 min

Expert Spotlight: AI and Accreditation in Behavioral Health

Recently, Mike Johnson, MA, CAP, Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health at CARF International sat down with the host of the podcast No Notes to discuss how the major accrediting agencies are thinking about AI—and whether an organization’s use of AI ultimately impacts their accreditation.  Tune into this captivating discussion using the link below. Michael makes a point in the podcast that CARF has no issue with AI tools being used for documentation as long as the notes meet established standards for quality and accuracy. There are positive effects and benefits of responsible AI use in behavioral health—from reduced provider burnout and turnover to better client engagement and outcomes. But, how do these technologies stack up against behavioral health accreditation standards? And how do the industry’s top accreditation bodies feel about the use of AI in behavioral health practice? Michael Johnson is the CARF International Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health. If you are looking to know more or connect with Michael, view his profile below to arrange an interview today.

View all posts
Powered by