Boston, MA – September 12, 2017
American Consumer Credit Counseling has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). American Consumer Credit Counseling provides the following services: credit counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education concerning debt solutions. Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of American Consumer Credit Counseling’s programs, services, management and administration.
“We are excited to announce that we have successfully met the criteria for national accreditation,” said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, MA. “ACCC demonstrates best practice standards nationwide to those in need of financial literacy education and money management techniques.”
COA accreditation is an objective, independent and reliable validation of an agency’s performance. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation help to ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented and provided by a skilled supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.
To achieve COA accreditation, American Consumer Credit Counseling first provided written evidence of compliance with the COA standards. Thereafter, a group of specially trained volunteer Peer Reviewers confirmed adherence to these standards during a series of on-site interviews with trustees, staff and clients. Based on their findings, COA’s volunteer-based Accreditation Commission voted that American Consumer Credit Counseling had successfully met the criteria for accreditation.
Founded in 1977, COA is an independent, not-for-profit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. Over 2,000 organizations – voluntary, public and proprietary; local and statewide; large and small – have either successfully achieved COA accreditation or are currently engaged in the process. Presently, COA has a total of 47 service standards that are applicable to over 125 difference types of programs. To learn more about COA, please visit www.COAnet.org.
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education concerning debt solutions. To help consumers reach their goal of debt relief, ACCC provides a range of free consumer personal finance resources on a variety of topics including budgeting, credit and debt management, student loan assistance, youth and money, homeownership, identity theft, senior living, and retirement. Consumers can use ACCC’s worksheets, videos, calculators, and blog articles to make the best possible decisions regarding their financial future. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®). For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit www.consumercredit.com/debt-resources-tools/.
