The Suffolk Department of Parks and Recreation was awarded accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies and the National Recreation and Park Association during the recent 2017 NRPA Annual Conference in New Orleans held last week.

CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for parks and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community.

To earn the designation, an agency must meet rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services.

As part of the accreditation process, Suffolk Parks and Recreation had to demonstrate compliance with 151 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures.

Often the process helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit the community.

The process for accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that results in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation.

Once accredited, the agency must uphold the standards by submitting an annual report and is reviewed again in five years.

The Commission is composed of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network and the Council of State Executive Directors.