Keesler Youth Center receives accreditation

Published May 30, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Heather Heiney
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Keesler Youth Center's School Age Programs received accreditation from the Council on Acreditation May 15.

COA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits community-based behavioral health care and human service organizations.

According to the accreditation letter, "COA accreditation is an objective and reliable verification that provides confidence and support to an after school program's children and youth, parents, staff and community partners."

Ann Smith, 81st Force Support Squadron youth programs director, said, "Achieving accreditation through the Council on Accreditation means that Keesler's School Age Program has received professional recognition as providing the highest quality services for our children and families. We also think it means that families can feel good about having their children entrusted to our care and that we are an integral part of the 'village' that it takes to raise children."

Smith also said that achieving accreditation was a project of continuous quality improvement and included three phases.

First, the youth services team gathered the information that would measure the program's quality by conducting customer interest and satisfaction surveys, classroom observations, records reviews.

Then, they developed a quality improvement plan and implement changes throughout the program and prepared documentation for the COA to review.

Finally, COA endorsers studied the program description, conducted interviews with parents and staff and visited the youth center to determine that the program met the standards for accreditation.

"Through this year-long process of self-study and program improvements, our school age program has steadily made improvements in all areas of the program; from developing or refining required policies and procedures to enriching classroom environments and activities for children," Smith said. "For example, last year SAP received end-of-year funding from the base in order to purchase new activity room furnishings and learning materials. These enhancements were evident to children, staff, parents, visitors and Air Force inspectors."

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