What does it mean to be ANSI accredited?

One of the many questions QABA receives is “What is ANSI and why is it important to be ANSI accredited?” Who is ANSI and why are they such an important part of QABA? What’s the big deal?

As you know, there are many different types of certifications for behavior analysts. The most important difference among them is whether they are accredited or not.   Accreditation is the equivalent of certification for agencies that certify others, and it is the main requirement for making a certification legal and legitimate.  All three of QABA’s certifications are fully accredited with ANSI: the ABAT, the QASP-S, and the QBA. These programs have demonstrated compliance with the most stringent requirements of ANSI accreditation.

Certification programs that are ANSI accredited meet the highest standards for certification boards. This gives certificants and those they provide services to an increased level of confidence. ANSI accreditation protects the integrity and validity of QABA certifications.

A few of the advantages of being ANSI accredited include:

1. Increased government reliance. Many state licensing laws include ANSI as an approved accreditor in legislation and statutes. The U.S. Department of Defense, for example, requires ANSI accreditation in Directive 8570 for information security professionals.  International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17024 accreditation is the only program recognized by the U. S. Department of Defense under DoD 8570 for Information Assurance. It is also recognized by the White House National Science and Technology Committee on Forensic Science as meeting the highest standard in accreditation.

2. A basis in international standards. ANSI accreditation confirms the integrity of certification bodies by meeting requirements as defined in the international standards (ISO 17024). This demonstrates rigor and quality! ANSI is a member of the International Accreditation Foundation (IAF).

3. Continual quality improvement. The rigorous ANSI accreditation process provides structure that strengthens the organization and helps maintain effective policies and procedures. This thoroughness is key to ensuring the quality of the accredited programs and sustaining continual improvement.

QABA goes through a surveillance performed by ANSI every year. This means that QABA must continue to meet the highest standards and prove they follow the policies and procedures that meet these standards. It is a laborious and in-depth process!

Here’s more exciting information about ANSI accreditation:

• ISO oversees ANSI
• ANSI accredits The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE)
• ICE accredits the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA), who is the accrediting body for other certifying entities

ANSI is the gold standard for accreditation. QABA is the only internationally accredited certifying body for applied behavior analysis!