Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ)
History and Mission
In 2019, The Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) began exploring the development of an accreditation program geared toward organizations serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As CASP continued working on its ABA Organizational Guidelines and Practice Guidelines, it became apparent that developing an accreditation program that incorporated these sources was a logical next step.
In 2022, CASP founded the Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ) to establish and promote organizational standards that improve the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of ABA services for individuals and families impacted by autism. ACQ’s vision is for all recipients of applied behavior analysis services to reach their full potential through access to organizations offering the highest level of care.
ACQ’s mission is to continuously improve the impact of applied behavior analysis services for the autism community through education and accreditation of provider organizations. ACQ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CASP. However, all essential accreditation decisions (e.g., policies, standards, recognition, appeals) are handled independently from CASP. No single organization, including CASP, is permitted to have majority control over the Standards, Accreditation, and Appeals Committees that form ACQ. Additionally, all CASP member organizations are subject to the same review and are required to go through the same accreditation process as non-CASP members. Any ABA organization serving individuals with autism is eligible to apply for ACQ accreditation, regardless of their CASP membership status, business structure, or size.
