The following story originally appeared as a “Progress 2016” story in North Country This Week.

OGDENSBURG -- St. Lawrence NYSARC (www.slnysarc.org), a private, non-profit organization committed to maximizing the potential of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has been awarded the three-year Quality Assurances Accreditation from The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL).

This award confirms that St. Lawrence NYSARC shares CQL’s vision for person-centered solutions to improve the quality of life for people receiving supports.

“St. Lawrence NYSARC’s staff of over 590 worked incredibly well together during the past year to update options for people to meet CQL’s standards,” said Daphne A. Pickert CEO/Executive Director of St Lawrence NYSARC. “It is even more satisfying to have achieved Accreditation while fighting drastic funding cuts and new legislation that limits personal choice.”

St. Lawrence NYSARC exists as a non-profit membership association dedicated to full inclusion and integration for persons with intellectual and other developmental disabilities within our communities. The agency’s mission is to offer individuals and their families an opportunity to achieve self-determined goals and provide life-long learning opportunities.

When St. Lawrence NYSARC partnered with CQL to pursue accreditation, it undertook a rigorous process to review and enhance services. Efforts were focused on empowering the people who receive support from their organization to make choices in how they live their lives, including: work choices, options for home life, and creating a community.

St. Lawrence NYSARC has been awarded CQL accreditation as a result of demonstrating proficiency in the following areas:

• Basic Assurances (ensuring fundamental safeguards related to health, safety and human security)

• Personal Outcome Measures® (supporting and empowering people to achieve their goals and dreams)

• Person-centered Excellence (demonstrating organizational commitment to continued enhancement of systems directly related to person-centered services)

Cathy Ficker Terrill, President and CEO of CQL, stated, “CQL commends St. Lawrence NYSARC for its success in increasing the quality of life for the people it supports. We are pleased to partner with them on this journey.”

For more than 40 years CQL has been a leader in raising the bar for human service organizations and systems to continuously define, measure and improve the quality of life of all people. Organizations that are awarded accreditation by CQL meet a stringent set of criteria and demonstrate an on-going commitment to person-centered excellence.

To learn more about St. Lawrence NYSARC, its programs and volunteer opportunities, people may call 315-379-9531, go online to www.slnysarc.org or check the Facebook page. For more information on CQL's accreditation options go to http://www.c-q-l.org/accreditation.