The Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) is a nationally recognized accreditation association that provides accreditation to a wide array of healthcare facilities. CHAP maintains that accreditation is a process, with regards for performance, quality and improvement. Healthcare facilities seeking accreditation through CHAP participate in a six-step process for accreditation, which includes application submission, self-study, site visit, plan of correction, board of review and accreditation.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) ensures that institutions and programs maintain a standard for providing quality education. CHEA oversees nongovernmental education accreditation programs and is comprised of 3,000 colleges and universities as well as 60 institutional organizations. Higher education accreditation is important, as it allows students to seek grants, fellowships or loans to participate in programs as well as providing students with viable employment opportunities upon completion of a degree program. CHEA promotes the self-regulation of academic excellence.
The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations (CAAA) is comprised of organizations that take part in the arts, including the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the National Association of Schools of Dance. The council oversees accreditation for organizations that fall into the aforementioned categories; over 1,000 institutions have maintained accreditation through CAAA. CAAA prides itself on offering management services, structure, self-study, assessment and correction plans for those bodies seeking accreditation in the arts.
The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is recognized by the United States Department of Education as a non-profit, private sector for accrediting education at public and private institutions. According to ACCSC, its mission is to "serve as a reliable authority on educational quality and to promote enhanced opportunities for students by establishing, sustaining, and enforcing valid standards and practices which contribute to the development of a highly trained and competitive workforce."