Stephen Center Becomes First and Only CARF Accredited Shelter in Nebraska

Stephen Center (stephencenter.org), a South Omaha-based homeless shelter and co-occurring treatment center, has earned a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for its emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing (PSH), and HERO Co-Occurring Treatment programs.

CARF establishes national consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. Stephen Center’s emergency shelter, PSH, and HERO programs have all been accredited. Stephen Center is the only organization in Nebraska that has earned accreditation for its shelter.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be given to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to CARF standards. These standards signify that Stephen Center’s programming meets or exceeds best practices in each area and their model represents an example for others to follow. A three-year accreditation is a rigorous peer review process.

Stephen Center’s HERO program has been accredited since 2010, but the accreditation is a first for the emergency shelter and PSH. Stephen Center has demonstrated to a team of surveyors, during an on-site visit, its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable and of the highest quality.

Stephen Center is a sober campus of resources for mental health and addiction services. For more information, visit stephencenter.org.