Changes to Standards (Change Notice)
What is a Change Notice?
It’s an announcement that particular accreditation standards have been added, modified, or deleted from the standards manual.
Change Notices are typically published on your accrediting body’s internal or public website—not sent directly to agencies—so it’s up to you to stay informed and proactive about any updates.
Unless otherwise directed by the Commission, new or amended standards are effective upon publication. Always verify effective dates with your accrediting entity.
Agencies must bring themselves into compliance with new or amended standards within one year of enactment, unless:
The change is tied to a legislative mandate with its own effective date, or
The agency’s next assessment occurs within that one-year period.
While it’s true that the first time you’ll have to demonstrate compliance is usually at your next assessment after the change, that does not mean you can wait until then to adopt it. The intent is for agencies to begin making updates promptly and to be fully compliant within one year of the standard’s publication.
If the change stems from a new law that includes its own compliance deadline, the one-year rule doesn’t apply — you must comply by the date required by that law.
Best practice is to update as changes are released and to operate within no more than two manuals behind.
However, if your next formal assessment is within a year of publication, it may be practical to wait until after your assessment to upgrade to the new manual — unless a change is insignificant or even tied to legislation with a mandated deadline.
Sometimes, if the updates are minor or involve deleted standards, you can safely upgrade early. When in doubt, check with your Program Manager for guidance.
Inside your current assessment, at the root of the manual, if a newer manual is available, you’ll see a button near “Manage Assessment” titled something like “New Version Available.”
Click it, and PowerDMS will display all available versions along with their publication dates. You’ll also see an option to compare versions, which shows exactly what changed — an invaluable tool for knowing whether to accept now or you need time.
Take notes as you review:
Does the update require a policy change?
Do you need new proofs of compliance?
Are any standards deleted or consolidated?
Once you’re ready, follow the prompts to upgrade. You'll have the option to have PowerDMS create tasks in each of the new or revised standards, as a reminder that something was changed. The tasks won't tell you exactly what changed, so take notes before you upgrade. Also important to note, PowerDMS gives the option during the upgrade process to delete proofs in affected standards. I do not recommend this, unless you truly want to start from scratch.
Don’t wait to be surprised. Visit your accrediting body’s website regularly to check for proposed or finalized updates. Look for pages labeled Standards Review and Interpretation Committee (SRIC) or Change Notices.
It’s best to review these before and after every Commission meeting where standards are discussed. You can also submit your own suggested changes — the forms and deadlines are usually posted in the same section.
Once you’ve adopted the new or revised standards, communicate them up your chain of command and identify any needed policy, training, or operational adjustments.
If a change comes from a new law with specific requirements or deadlines, follow the same review and update steps even if you’re not yet ready to upgrade to a new assessment manual. You’ll still be expected to show compliance, and you can build a file for that standard either within PowerDMS or externally as a paper file until your next assessment cycle.
And as always, if you’re not sure where to start, reach out — I’m happy to help you navigate the process.
Who do you know that could benefit from these accreditation-friendly tips and resources? Consider sharing this link with a colleague so they can sign up:https://www.accreditationacademy.net/signup
Areaka P. Jewell
Accreditation Academy
areaka@accreditationacademy.net
(305) 360-1075