Survey of improved services at Osage Counseling Center earns more accreditations
Quality accredited mental and behavioral health services for the Osage Reservation community now includes help for children, women, and non-Natives
The Osage Nation Counseling Center is located in historic downtown Pawhuska, Okla., and can now provide accredited counseling services for people in need as young as four years old. (Photo by ON Communications)
By ON Communications
PAWHUSKA, Okla. (September 12, 2016) – Recent improvements aimed at bridging gaps between mental health and substance abuse services, have earned the Osage Nation Counseling Center accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), or CARF International. According to the counseling center Director, Brook Ashlock, CARF accreditation is the primary accreditation that counseling and rehabilitation centers strive for because to qualify means a standard of quality care is being provided.
The counseling center started the CARF application at the beginning of the year and was surveyed by CARF during the third week of July 2016. Finally, a letter of congratulations was received Aug. 15 and it included words of praise and impressive scores.
“We have been CARF accredited for years, but only for certain services,” said Ashlock. Because the other mental health services offered at the counseling center lacked the same attention, it became a department goal to have all the services accredited.
“We wanted to bridge a lot of gaps with services in Osage County because, for Native Americans there are not a lot of places where you can go and be treated by a Native American therapist. And, you can’t go to just one place and get substance abuse treatment, mental health and co-occurring services.”
Ashlock added, “co-occuring,” is the kind of help a lot clients need because it is substance abuse and mental health treatment.
“You feel like you are treating the whole person,” she said. With the accreditation they can now help clients as young as four years old.
The counseling center’s Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime services is where Ashlock and her team have seen the most changes. She said that a number of clients, some non-Native, need the co-occuring treatment to fully address their individual needs.
To be CARF accredited the Counseling Center had to develop additional policies and procedures and upgrade the building for Primary Residential Treatment, or the substance abuse rehabilitation center.
For more information about the Osage Nation Counseling Center contact the Osage Nation at 918-287-5555 or online at www.osagenation-nsn.gov.
For Media Inquiries:
Osage Nation Communications | 918-287-9746