ELGIN, IL, Nov. 9, 1999 -– The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services announced today that its Elgin Field Office has been fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children.

"Achieving accreditation is not a simple task," said DCFS Director Jess McDonald. "It requires a commitment to long hours refining policies and procedures to meet rigorous, national requirements in every area of operation."

DCFS is the first state child welfare agency to seek COA accreditation for all of its offices, as well as for all the private child welfare agencies with which it contracts. 
To date, 23 DCFS field offices and six satellite offices have received accreditation. "I salute the staff of the Elgin office for their dedication and team efforts to achieve accreditation," said Director McDonald.

"Their hard work is evidence of their goal to deliver the best quality in child welfare services," said McDonald.
Benefits of accreditation include increased client participation, improved case management and documentation, and improved internal operations and accountability. Additionally, accreditation builds confidence by clients, foster and adoptive parents, community members, the courts and other child welfare advocates in DCFS services.

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COA is an international, not-for-profit, standard-setting accrediting body that measures an organization’s compliance with national standards of best practice that have achieved professional and consumer consensus. Organizations which meet these standards are among the best and should be recognized and appreciated for their achievement.