This page sets out side by side what CARF, COA Accreditation (a service of Social Current) and The Joint Commission each state on their own pages about accreditation for behavioral health and human services organizations. Each cell states what the accreditor’s page says and links to it. Every cell is in IHS’s words. The page makes no recommendation and does not rank the three.
IHS is a consulting firm, not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship. CARF, COA, Social Current and The Joint Commission are names of their respective owners; IHS is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-03. Accreditors change their requirements, editions and fees. Confirm every detail on each accreditor’s own site before you rely on it.
What each accreditor’s pages state
| Topic | CARF | COA | The Joint Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the program covers and the unit accredited (whole organization or program) | CARF’s Behavioral Health page says its Behavioral Health manual covers mental health and substance use programs, among other services, and lists the full set of program types on that page (CARF: Behavioral Health, page opened October 3, 2026). Unit accredited, from CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation: after the decision, the accredited organization receives a certificate naming the specific programs or services that are accredited (CARF: steps to accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). | COA’s page describes its accreditation as open to organizations that offer social and human services of many kinds, and says COA also supports accreditation work for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (COA Accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). Private organization track (the page also describes a track for organizations that offer only early childhood education, out of school time or youth development services, with program specific and full-organization accreditation): the page says private organizations are the largest group COA accredits, and that COA reviews both the services it has standards for and how the organization is administered and managed (COA Accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). | The program page treats eligibility broadly: community-based providers working in a range of settings and at several levels of care, with examples such as mental health services, addiction treatment, eating disorders treatment, ID/DD services and child and family human services agencies. Page opened October 3, 2026 (Joint Commission: Behavioral Health Care and Human Services) The page adds that the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Behavioral Health Care (CAMBHC) includes a step that sorts out which standards apply to a given setting and population. Whether accreditation attaches to the whole organization or to individual programs is not stated on the pages we reviewed. |
| Survey or review type, and who conducts it | From CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation: CARF’s steps page describes a consultative survey approach; IHS reads that as a consultative survey style (page opened October 3, 2026). The same page describes how the survey team determines conformance to the applicable standards; the survey step on that page names the methods the team uses (page opened October 3, 2026). On timing, the page says the application asks for a two-month window for the survey. The page does not state how much notice of the survey date is given. (CARF: steps to accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026) | The page lists a self-study step, where the organization compares its own practices with COA’s standards and sends COA its documentation, followed by a site visit from volunteer peer reviewers. After the ratings report, COA’s Accreditation Commission makes the decision, and the page says it can approve accreditation or ask the organization for more information. The COA pages we reviewed do not state how much notice of the onsite review an organization receives. (COA Accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026) | The page says accreditation follows a successful on-site survey carried out by a surveyor or a team of surveyors, and that surveyors have clinical and leadership backgrounds so the survey fits the organization's specialty. Page opened October 3, 2026 (Joint Commission: Behavioral Health Care and Human Services) From the general accreditation process page, which is not specific to behavioral health: the page says most of its surveys come without advance notice, and names non-deemed initial surveys as the exception (page opened October 3, 2026). The page does not say whether this applies to behavioral health initial surveys. (Joint Commission: accreditation process) |
| Cycle length or decision terms | From CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation, the page lists five possible outcomes: a three-year decision, a one-year decision, a provisional decision and nonaccreditation, plus a five-year decision that applies to CCRCs only. The page does not state a term for the one-year or provisional decisions. (CARF: steps to accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026) | COA’s page gives four years as the period accreditation is valid, with three years for opioid treatment programs, which the page attributes to a SAMHSA mandate (COA Accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). | From the general accreditation process page: the decision lasts about three years, and organizations can expect an unannounced survey 30 to 36 months after the previous full survey. Page opened October 3, 2026 (Joint Commission: accreditation process). |
| Interim monitoring or reporting | From CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation: the page ends its steps with the Annual Conformance to Quality Report (ACQR), due after accreditation. (CARF: steps to accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026) | COA’s page says accredited organizations file an annual report, and that COA feeds the data from those reports into its Benchmarking Program (COA Accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). | From the general accreditation process page: Intracycle Monitoring (ICM) is the check-in activity the page describes for accredited organizations during their three-year term, aimed at keeping them on track with the standards after the survey. Its tools include a self-assessment scoring tool, the Focused Standards Assessment; the page does not state whether a report is submitted. Page opened October 3, 2026 (Joint Commission: accreditation process) |
| Standards edition published | Not stated on the pages we reviewed. Pages reviewed: CARF: Behavioral Health and CARF: our standards. The Behavioral Health page labels two items in its program and specialty-designation lists, Sobering Center and Integrated Primary Care, “New in 2026” without naming a manual edition. | COA’s May 5, 2026 update page says the 2026 edition of its standards updates is available and that assignments using the new standards started on April 20, which makes the date April 20, 2026 (Social Current: 2026 COA Accreditation Standards Updates, page opened October 3, 2026). Social Current’s standards library page carries a 2026 PDF library of the standards (Social Current standards library, page opened October 3, 2026). | The standards manuals page lists CAMBHC update services for 2026 and 2027 (product titles on that page). Page opened October 3, 2026 (Joint Commission: standards manuals). Which edition applies to a given survey date is not stated on the pages we reviewed. |
| Published fees | CARF does not publish a fee schedule on the pages we reviewed. CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation, says the survey fee varies with the staffing and duration of the survey (CARF: steps to accreditation, page opened October 3, 2026). Verify current fees with CARF. | COA does not publish a fee figure on the pages we reviewed (its accreditation page, its 2026 updates page and its standards library page, opened October 3, 2026). The accreditation page says the cost for private organizations depends on organization size and services, and mentions a fee discount for members of its Network Champions group (COA Accreditation). Verify current fees with COA. | The Joint Commission does not publish a fee figure on the pricing page we reviewed. The page describes two fee components, yearly fees across the three-year cycle and on-site fees in the survey year, and says the amounts depend on the services provided and average daily census (Joint Commission: accreditation pricing, page opened October 3, 2026). Verify current fees with The Joint Commission. |
How to read this
Accreditors are columns, in alphabetical order. Every cell is in IHS’s words. A cell that says a point is not stated on the pages we reviewed means the pages we opened on 2026-10-03 did not say it, not that the accreditor has no answer. Some Joint Commission cells come from its general process page, which covers all its accreditation programs; those cells say so. COA’s page also describes public agency, Canadian and child and youth tracks; the COA cells here follow its private organization description. Opioid treatment program terms are not compared here, apart from the exception COA names in its cycle sentence; check each accreditor.
What this page is not
- It is not legal advice.
- It is not a ranking, and it does not guarantee any accreditor’s decision.
- IHS does not submit anything to an accreditor. The applicant submits its own application and documents.
Where IHS fits
IHS drafts policies and maps evidence to whichever standards the organization’s own applicable requirement names. A free introductory call scopes the work. Use Schedule a Free Discovery Session to book it.
Frequently asked questions
What does this page compare?
It sets out what the pages of CARF, COA (a service of Social Current) and The Joint Commission state about accreditation for behavioral health and human services organizations. The topics are scope, survey type, cycle length or decision terms, interim monitoring or reporting, standards edition and published fees. Every cell links to the page it came from.
Does each accreditor accredit a whole organization or individual programs?
CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation, says the accredited organization receives a certificate naming the specific programs or services that are accredited. COA’s page says most COA-accredited organizations are private organizations and receive full-organization accreditation, and it also describes a track for organizations that offer only early childhood education, out of school time or youth development services, with program specific and full-organization accreditation. The Joint Commission’s behavioral health page describes accreditation for organizations and a standards applicability process by setting and population; whether it attaches to the whole organization or to programs is not stated on the pages we reviewed.
How long does accreditation last under each?
CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation, lists Three-Year, One-Year and Provisional decisions, with Five-Year for CCRCs only, and does not state a term for One-Year or Provisional decisions. COA’s page says accreditation is valid for four years, or three years for opioid treatment programs. The Joint Commission’s general process page says approximately three years. Read each accreditor’s own page for the terms that apply to your program.
What reporting is due between surveys?
CARF’s general steps page, which covers all areas of accreditation, lists an Annual Conformance to Quality Report. COA’s page says organizations send an annual report after accreditation. The Joint Commission’s general process page describes Intracycle Monitoring across the three-year cycle as tools including a self-assessment; it does not state whether a report is submitted.
Which edition of the standards applies?
COA’s May 2026 update page says standards assignments using the new 2026 edition began April 20 (the page is dated May 5, 2026). The Joint Commission’s manuals page lists both 2026 and 2027 behavioral health update services and does not say which applies to a given survey date. The CARF pages we reviewed do not state an edition for the Behavioral Health manual, and label two items “New in 2026” without naming a manual edition. Confirm the edition with the accreditor before you rely on it.
What do the accreditors charge?
None of the three published an accreditation fee schedule on the pages we reviewed. CARF says the survey fee varies with the staffing and duration of the survey. COA says, for private organizations, that cost varies with organization size and services. The Joint Commission says fees are calculated from the services provided and average daily census. Verify current fees with each accreditor.
Does IHS submit anything to an accreditor for me?
No. IHS drafts policies and maps evidence to standards. The applicant submits its own application and documents to the accreditor.
Can this page tell me which accreditor my organization needs?
No. It does not rank the three or make a recommendation, and it is not legal advice. If a particular accreditor is required of you, that requirement appears in the text that imposes it, for example your contract, a state rule or a funder condition. Read that text, and ask your counsel what it requires.
Sources
Pages opened on 2026-10-03:
- CARF International: Behavioral Health
- CARF International: Steps to accreditation
- CARF International: Our standards
- Social Current: COA Accreditation
- Social Current: 2026 COA Accreditation Standards Updates
- Social Current: 2026 Standards PDF Library
- Joint Commission: Behavioral Health Care and Human Services Accreditation Program
- Joint Commission: Accreditation Process
- Joint Commission: Accreditation Pricing
- Joint Commission: Standards Manuals