Protect Your Agency with Third-Party, Objective Assessment From The Organization That Writes The Standards For Correctional Health Care
New! Harvard Study Identifies Tangible Benefits of Accreditation
A groundbreaking randomized trial conducted across 44 U.S. jails by researchers from the Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Law School has demonstrated that NCCHC accreditation significantly improves compliance with health care standards, reduces mortality, and lowers recidivism rates.
- Improved Compliance: Accreditation increased adherence to:
- Personnel training standards by 15%.
- Patient care and treatment standards by 11%.
- Reduced Mortality: Accredited facilities saw an 86% reduction in mortality rates, saving nearly 20 lives during the study period. This equates to 0.25 fewer deaths per month.
- Lower Recidivism: Individuals released from accredited facilities were 52% less likely to return to the same jail within six months, showcasing the lasting benefits of better health care during incarceration.
Massive Return on Investment
The study estimated that NCCHC accreditation generated $59 million in benefits, far outweighing the costs of the program. These benefits included:
- Reduced Legal Liabilities: Accreditation helps jails meet legal requirements and minimize the risk of lawsuits.
- Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Improved processes streamline health care delivery and reduce errors.
- Public Health Improvements: Lower recidivism rates and healthier individuals upon release lead to better outcomes for communities.
Other Benefits
- Minimizes the occurrence of adverse events, thus avoiding health care-related lawsuits and grievances and often reducing liability premiums
- Promotes and documents an efficient, well-managed system of health care delivery with feedback from knowledgeable correctional health professionals
- Validates with objective criteria the areas in which the health care facility is doing well and areas for improvement
- Educates and trains staff on NCCHC standards, with the benefit of introducing new efficiencies and uniform practices
- Recognizes staff contributions and excellence, improves morale, and aids recruitment and retention
- Helps obtain community support and provides justification for budget requests
