Multi-ethnic family members at home cooking dinner together in kitchen.
Our Standards
The journey to accreditation begins with reviewing our accreditation requirements. Developed with input from your peers and our nationally recognized experts, Joint Commission standards are considered the benchmark for quality and safety in behavioral health care.
Get the Standards
Joint Commission standards are recognized as the industry's most trusted framework to help providers deliver high quality, reliable care to those they serve. Our standards help you develop strategies to address the most complex issues and identify key vulnerabilities in the care experience. The standards cover various aspects of your care processes — such as human resource management and the Environment of Care® — ensuring a comprehensive review of your care process.
A stack of bound documents and files.
Try the Standards for Free
Access to the electronic version of the standards is free once an organization has applied for accreditation. We also offer a free 90-day trial for organizations who are considering accreditation but have not yet applied.
Assess Compliance with Our Standards
Is your organization ready to implement the standards? You can assess your compliance with the standards in a variety of ways, including:
- Conduct a gap analysis by reviewing the requirements to see where you are meeting the standards, and where there are gaps. Document areas where improvement is needed. This will help target your efforts and prioritize where resources need to be allocated.
- Conduct a mock survey with your staff. Walk through your facility and see how well you meet the requirements.
- Develop a timetable for compliance. Once you've identified areas for improvement, assign completion dates for each gap identified. This will help you formulate a readiness date for your on-site survey.
Standards Resources
The Joint Commission provides support to organizations throughout the accreditation process. Learn more about our resources for standards compliance.
Ready to Move On?
Learn About the Standards
You've obtained the accreditation standards and made a plan to align your processes with them.
Next Step
Now it's time to explore your accreditation options to see what's right for your organization.