After nine months of effort, Flagler Cares has achieved national accreditation through COA Accreditation, a service of Social Current, one of the most respected marks of excellence in the human services field. Remarkably, the agency received no findings or corrective comments, garnering only the highest and second highest ratings in all areas.
Flagler Cares, a nonprofit, seeks to transform individuals and families through safety net, behavioral health, and youth development and prevention services in Flagler and Volusia Counties. With a “neighbors helping neighbors” approach, the organization meets neighbors where they are while seeking alignment with health and human services providers. The organization served 872 clients in the first three months of the year.
Accreditation does not in itself lead directly to new funding, grant funders typically look for solid and reliable organization, but accreditation may further burnish Flagler Cares’ position in an increasingly challenging granting environment.
“The new COA Accreditation reinforces our organizational culture at Flagler Cares, from our unwavering commitment to excellence to treating everyone with dignity and respect,” Flagler Cares Chief Executive Officer Carrie Baird said. “I am proud of the team who completed this massive undertaking in only nine months with no findings or corrections. The positive comments from COA align with Flagler Cares’ commitment to being a front door for those seeking transformative support.” (COA is the acronym for Council on Accreditation.)
Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA Accreditation evaluated all aspects of Flagler Cares’ programs, services, management, and administration. “We proudly passed all areas with specific praise highlighting our compassionate and committed Board of Directors, dedicated staff, warm and welcoming office, and strong policies and procedures that help us support community transformation,” a Flagler Cares news release states.
The Board of Directors is led by DJ Lebo, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia, builder and former County Commissioner Barbara Revels, and Family Life Center CEO Trish Giaccone.
COA Accreditation involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management, and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA Accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.
To achieve accreditation, Flagler Cares first provided written evidence of compliance with the COA Accreditation standards. Thereafter, a group of specially trained volunteer peer reviewers confirmed adherence to these standards during a series of on-site interviews with trustees, staff, and clients.
Based on their findings, COA Accreditation’s volunteer-based Accreditation Commission voted that Flagler Cares had successfully met the criteria for accreditation.
COA is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. Over 2,000 organizations — voluntary, public, and proprietary, local and statewide, large and small — have either successfully achieved accreditation or are currently engaged in the process.
The last two years marked meaningful chapters in Flagler Cares’ story as it celebrated 10 years of Flagler Cares in 2025 and 25 years of One Voice for Volusia in 2026. (See: “Opening No Wrong Doors to Dignity, Flagler Cares Marks 10 Years of Closing Gaps For the Most Stressed and Depleted.”) “Earning COA Accreditation as we meet these milestones makes this moment even more meaningful,” the release states. “The commitment of the Flagler Cares staff, Board of Directors members, and supporting agencies allowed Flagler Cares to earn this recognition,” among them LSF Health Systems, or Lutheran Services Florida
JANET SULLIVAN says
Congratulations, and thank you, all.