CSD Employment Services Receives National Accreditation

From: CSD - Apr 25, 2003

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PRESS  ANNOUNCEMENT            For Immediate Release:April 25, 2003

                                                        Contact: Rick Norris

CSD Communications Office

CSD Employment Services Receives National Accreditation

     SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - CSD announced today that it has been awarded a one-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for meeting and exceeding national industry standards of excellence. Accreditation was specifically given for CSD's employment services in South Dakota and Iowa, and this is the first accreditation that this commission has awarded to CSD.

    This accreditation includes employment services in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen and other communities in South Dakota as well as Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    The accreditation process includes a comprehensive application and on-site review by national experts in employment services to determine if a program or service provider meets or exceeds national standards set by CARF. Lori Breslow, CSD's senior vice president and chief programs officer, oversaw the accreditation process.

    Obtaining CARF accreditation has been determined by the industry to be essential in a modern or reputable employment service provider. The standards set by CARF exceed most of those established by state or local regulation, and CSD is one of several employment providers in the nation accredited this year. Aside from CSD, there are only a handful of other deaf and hard of hearing providers in the nation which have qualified for this prestigious rating.

    "We are very proud of the services we provide, and we are pleased to receive CARF accreditation," said Benjamin Soukup, CSD's chief executive officer. "Our consumers can be rest assured that first-rate, quality services are part and parcel of our ongoing operations. Being a vital part of the deaf and hard of hearing community and maintaining a standard of excellence is very important to us. On behalf of the organization, I also congratulate our employees for their superior dedication to the consumers that we serve."

About CARF

CARF is an independent, non-profit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the crediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

About CSD

CSD (also known as Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.) was established in 1975, primarily to provide sign language interpreting services to deaf and hard of hearing citizens in South Dakota. Today, CSD employs over 2,000 individuals nationwide to provide social and human services, as well as telecommunications relay services. CSD is a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to providing quality services; ensuring public accessibility; and increasing public awareness of issues affecting deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired individuals. For more information, see the company web site at www.c-s-d.org.

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