Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement (SRCRA)

In response to the proliferation of collegiate recovery programs (CRPs), ARHE developed an accrediting program for CRPs: the ARHE Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement (SRCRA).

For several years, ARHE worked with stakeholders, committee members and others to research, define, and debate issues related to this process. It has been determined that while accreditation is a helpful process for many organizations and institutions, in order to both respond to the needs of CRPs and respect the individualistic and diverse nature of programs, the process for any type of accreditation needed to reflect these unique qualities.

SRCRA is our process that will assist CRPs to define their current programs and outline plans for moving forward and act as a tool to help navigate the often-challenging advocacy paths of the field within institutions of higher education.

SRCRA is a voluntary, evaluative process that includes both an internal and external review to highlight program strengths and attributes, identify areas of growth and improvement, and serve as quality assurance in order to assist programs and stakeholders in identifying and advocating for areas of continued growth and development. This review process effectively communicates the types of resources and supports provided by a CRP and offers recommendations for the continued growth and development of the CRP.

Purpose Statement

The intention of the Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement (SRCRA) is to support CRP growth and development through the use of best practices, ensure the quality and integrity of programs and services, and increase public awareness and understanding of CRPs.

The Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement will:

• • Assist CRP professionals in reviewing their current organizational structures, policies, procedures, and resources to support program growth and development
  • Facilitate ongoing development of infrastructure and enhanced recovery promotion within institutions of higher education
  • Encourage ongoing quality improvement and advancement of services and CRP programming delivered
  • Increase implementation of promising practices in the field of collegiate recovery, dissemination of promising practices, and ultimately lead to the creation of evidence-based practices
  • Enhance legitimacy and increase accountability of CRPs, both internally and externally (with institutional staff, administration, and key community stakeholders)
  • Increase long-term access to CRP services and support for students in or seeking recovery
  • Enhance focus and prioritization of equity, social justice, and belonging within CRPs and larger systems of higher education
  • Increase advancement and adoption of ARHE’s Standards and Recommendations
  • Provide on-going technical support and assistance to support each CRP in achieving their developmental goals

SRCRA  Process

CRP Review Designations

While each program is at a different stage of development, the review process includes CRP Review Designations including the ARHE Reviewed Collegiate Recovery Program and the ARHE Developing Collegiate Recovery Program. There are some situations that may require a conditional designation that allows the institution time to meet certain criteria to receive the Review Program designation.

There is not a hierarchy of CRPs that signifies any measure of ascribed value. What the review process does is create standards and benchmarks to assist all institutions of higher education in assessing the needs of students, the offerings of the CRP, and where, if at all, the CRP and institution will benefit from further advocacy and development efforts and signifies the year in which the review takes place.

ARHE Reviewed Collegiate Recovery Program: This designation is granted to programs that meet an overall 80% threshold of the criterion included in the Tool. The scoring mechanism included in the Tool calculates this score based on formula that weights each domain based on the number of ARHE Standards & Recommendations included in that domain. The tool also calculates the score based on the Yes, No, Developing, or Not Applicable responses. Yes is 1 point, No is 0 points, Developing is 0.5 points, and Not Applicable removes the criterion from the equation to not count against the institution in the overall score. A designation will be given to each program on the ARHE website and an ARHE Reviewed Program logo can be shared on all CRP promotional materials.

ARHE Developing Collegiate Recovery Program: This designation is granted to programs that score below the 80% threshold as described above and reflects the developing nature of the program. In place of the designation of a Reviewed Program, a Developing Program will be provided Technical Assistance as requested and ARHE Staff will work directly with the CRP to engage in future strategic planning and growth efforts. Again, there is not a hierarchy of CRPs that signifies any measure of ascribed value. Designation as a Developing Collegiate Recovery Program will assist the CRP and institution in assessing the needs of students, offerings of the CRP, and where, if at all, the CRP and institution will benefit from further advocacy and development efforts and signifies the year in which the review takes place.

Conditional Designation: There may be times when a conditional designation is given, with specific criteria to be met within a timeframe to maintain the designation. If a program is unable to meet the conditions within the specified timeframe, the program’s designation may be changed. This is typically utilized when a program meets the 80% threshold, but needs specific attention given to vital aspects of CRP sustainability. One example could be: A program meets the 80% threshold, but the program is 100% grant-funded without a plan for institutionalization of the programmatic budget despite a looming end date for funding. A situation such as this would raise a flag of concern with the ARHE Review Board regarding program sustainability. The Review Board may ask for evidence of a plan for sustained funding prior to issuing a full designation.

Re-review/Update Accreditation Status: A completed review is good for five years at which point the program should consider re-applying. If a program receives the ARHE Developing Program designation and chooses to re-review within two years, they will only be responsible for 50% of the costs for the re-review and the new designation will be good for an additional five years.

If a program receives a Conditional designation, they will work with the ARHE Staff to prepare for a re-review of the conditions stated in the final report within the designated time frame and will not be charged.

ARHE Standardized Review Summary & Recommendations Report

After each External Review, the ARHE Review Board completes its process as described in the previous section and develops the Standardized Review Summary & Recommendations Report. This includes the findings of the External Review, including feedback and recommendations on each of the four domains and related criterion. Additionally, the report may include recommendations for further program development and sustainability along with suggestions for Technical Assistance to work on these recommendations. The Standardized Review Summary and Recommendations Report acts as a guide that signifies areas where a CRP is meeting criteria in each domain and areas where a CRP may decide to prioritize development efforts. The report provides CRP staff and stakeholders with valuable information for use in further developing programs, advocating for specific areas of development and support, as well as discussing the strengths of the program.

Once this report is compiled, the ARHE Review Board will reach out to the CRP Staff to share this report, a copy of the Master Tool with the combined scores that led to the designation, a certificate of completion, and marketing materials to utilize in communicating the accreditation designation status.