A Brief History and Current Status of Accreditation of Psychiatric Facilities

The author traces the origins of accreditation of psychiatric facilities, which includes the establishment 26 years ago of the Central inspection Board of the American Psychiatric Association. He describes the increasing role of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, formed three years later, up through its recent developments. They include the formation of three accreditation councils on facilities for long-term care, mental retardation, and psychiatric care. The author reviews the current accreditation status of facilities surveyed by the council on psychiatric facilities and discusses plans for developing standards for specialized programs.