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ICDL's CEO, Dr. Guenzel, speaks at the ANISA World Autism Acceptance Day event.
Becoming a DIR® ACCREDITED program, practice, school, or organization
How can the world know a program, organization, or school is actually providing DIR® services? How can parents, funders, and others know that Floortime is actually being provided in a manner that is consistent with the principles and values of DIR® and provided at a high level of fidelity to the evidence-based practice of Floortime? Through DIR® ACCREDITATION! The DIR® Institute oversees the process to become an accredited DIR service provider.
DIR® ACCREDITATION is a process by which programs, practices, organizations, or schools can show that they are implementing DIR® practices and policies in a way that ensures to their community that they are providing actual DIR® services and high fidelity Floortime (Floortime that is consistent with the evidence-based therapeutic model).
There are three options for programs, practices, organizations, or schools to be accredited as a DIR® service provider. The core criteria for all three options is the same. Here are the core criteria:
All professionals providing DIR® services must be appropriately trained in DIR at a level that matches the type of services they are providing.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must have an ongoing training plan to continually develop their DIR® professionals.
The professionals must stay up-to-date with new developments in the field.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must demonstrate a focus on providing high fidelity Floortime by using the DIR® Fidelity Scale.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider's services and practice must be rooted in a developmental model.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must be assessing functional emotional development (using the FEAS or other clinical observation process) and providing services in a manner that addresses developmental goals.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must incorporate parents and caregivers into the service delivery model to help parents successfully implement Floortime at home.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must provide supervision by appropriately trained professionals that promotes reflective practice.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must embrace neurodiversity and demonstrate practices that are consistent with neurodiversity values.
The DIR® ACCREDITED provider must demonstrate practices that are culturally competent.
DIR® ACCREDITED providers must provide a plan and program design that will meet the criteria above and the additional criteria below for each type of accreditation. In addition, the DIR® ACCREDITED provider will need to submit an initial audit after six months of initial accreditation award and then annually thereafter. The auditing process will help parents and communities know that DIR® ACCREDITED providers are actively keeping their programs DIR® based.
DIR® Program (wITHIN A lARGER Entity)
DIR® Program (wITHIN A lARGER Entity)
This option is for DIR® programs that are a part of a larger multi-service organization or school. The DIR® ACCREDITED program must meet all of the criteria set forth above and:
The program must have at least one professional on staff that has a DIR-Advanced certificate or a DIR-FCD CL2 certificate.
For programs with more than 10 staff, they must have at least one professional that has a DIR-Expert certificate.
Have staff attend DIR trainings or conferences on a regular basis.
The organization or school that has the DIR accredited program may provide a wide range of services to their community including ABA, but the DIR accredited program cannot provide services within the DIR program , such as ABA, that are not DIR-based.
Application Fee: $150
Annual Audit Fee: $150
Small DIR® organization, practice, OR School
Small DIR® organization, practice, OR School
This option is for smaller organizations or schools that have less than 20 employees. A small DIR ACCREDITED organization, practice, or school must meet all of the criteria set forth above and:
Have at least one professional on staff that has a DIR-Advanced certificate or a DIR-FCD CL2 certificate.
Have a professional on staff or hired as an ongoing consultant that has a DIR-Expert certificate.
The organization or school's leadership must demonstrate how DIR is infused throughout the organization.
Have staff attend DIR trainings or conferences on a regular basis.
Must have all services provided be DIR-based or fully align with DIR and developmentally focused. A DIR® ACCREDITED organization or school cannot be providing services like ABA that are inconsistent with the fundamentals of DIR.
Application Fee: $150
Annual Audit Fee: $200
Large DIR® organization OR school
Large DIR® organization OR school
This option is for larger organizations or schools that have 20 or more employees. A large DIR ACCREDITED organization or school must meet all of the criteria set forth above and:
Have at least one professional on staff that has a DIR-Expert certificate for every 50 employees or per program site, (whichever is a lower ratio).
The organization or school's leadership must demonstrate how DIR is infused throughout the organization.*
Have staff attend DIR trainings or conferences on a regular basis.*
Must provide DIR education and leadership for their community and actively work within their community to increase awareness of DIR and help make DIR services more accessible and available to families.*
Must have all services provided be DIR-based or fully align with DIR and developmentally focused. A DIR® ACCREDITED organization or school cannot be providing services like ABA that are inconsistent with the fundamentals of DIR.
Application Fee: $150
Annual Audit Fee: $300
*Providers with multiple locations must meet criteria at every location.
If you are interested in becoming a DIR® ACCREDITED provider, please click here to sign up for an initial consultation.
If you need assistance in developing your program, practice, school, or organization into a DIR® ACCREDITED provider, the DIR-Experts in the DIR Institute can help by providing organizational mentoring. Please inquire if you are interested in this mentoring.
Existing DIR-based programs, practices, organizations, or schools that have been providing DIR services for at least the past two years, but do not yet meet the above outlined criteria, may be eligible to be "grandfathered" in waiving certain criteria if they are able to produce and act upon a strategic plan to meet the criteria in the next 36 months. Furthermore, new DIR-based programs, practices, organizations, and schools may apply for accreditation before they fully meet all the criteria. New programs will need to submit a strategic plan and act upon that plan to fully meet criteria within 36 months and must engage in organizational DIR mentoring during this time. These options can be reviewed in the initial consultation.
The above outlined criteria are intended to be a summary. Detailed information will be provided in the consultation and once an application has been submitted. Criteria are subject to change. The accreditation board will be reviewing the criteria on an ongoing basis.
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