REAFFIRMATION & MAINTENANCE

This page serves as a comprehensive hub for program directors, students, and the public to navigate our accreditation landscape.

Accreditation is not a one-time event but a continuous process of quality monitoring and improvement. To ensure that Health Services Management programs consistently meet national Standards, CAHSM requires both annual reporting and periodic comprehensive reviews.

Annual Maintenance:
The Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR)

The primary tool for maintaining accreditation status is the Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR). This mandatory reporting process allows CAHSM to routinely monitor program performance, student outcomes, and significant changes.

Reporting Schedule: The APAR system opens annually. It collects data from the previous reporting cycle to allow programs sufficient time for data collection.

Compliance Requirements: All accredited programs in good standing must submit an APAR by the established deadline to maintain their status. Failure to submit required reports by the determined date may result in Administrative Probationary Accreditation.

Collaborative Oversight and Program Support: As part of our commitment to educational excellence and the public interest, CAHSM utilizes data from the Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR) to monitor the health and effectiveness of accredited programs. This data-driven oversight allows us to proactively identify potential risks to a program’s stability or student outcomes. When a program is identified as needing additional support, CAHSM initiates a collaborative outreach process, providing targeted resources and expert assistance to help the program maintain alignment with our accreditation standards.

Public Accountability

As part of maintenance, programs must post at least three (3) program outcomes on their website landing page and update them annually according to the institution’s reporting period (e.g., August 1 – July 31).

To promote informed decision-making by prospective students and the public, these published measures must include at least three of the following:

Number of applicants and admissions.
Proportion of actual enrollees (number of applicants enrolled over those accepted).
Average time to degree completion.
Program graduation rate.
Retention rate.
Percent employed in the field post-program completion.
Percentage of graduates continuing additional education post-completion.
Student satisfaction rate.
Employer satisfaction rate (specifically for Master’s degree programs).

The Reaffirmation Cycle: Continuing Accreditation

While APAR provides annual monitoring, programs must undergo a Comprehensive Program Review every seven (7) years to achieve reaffirmation of accreditation.

Timeline: Programs must initiate this process no later than the sixth year of their current seven-year accreditation term. CAHSM staff provides official notification and resources at least one year in advance of the Self-Assessment due date.

The Five-Stage Review: Reaffirmation follows a rigorous five-stage process:

1. Self-Assessment: An internal qualitative and quantitative evaluation by the program.

2. Site Visit: A validation of the Self-Assessment by a team of trained Peer Reviewers.

3. Program Response: The program’s formal response to the Site Visit Report.

4. Council Recommendation: A review by the Accreditation Council to determine compliance levels.

5. Board Decision: The final award of Continuing Accreditation by the CAHSM Board of Directors

Reporting Substantive Changes

To maintain accreditation between review cycles, programs are obligated to inform CAHSM of substantive changes at the time of their occurrence. These include any adverse substantive changes affecting the institutional accreditation status of the applicant campus and program. Substantive reporting changes such changes in program leadership, in the curriculum, or in the financial stability of the program must also be reported to CAHSM. Promptly reporting these changes ensures the program remains in compliance with the administrative requirements for maintaining its accredited status.

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