Following the site visit, the Council on Accreditation makes a decision about accreditation based on the Step 2 application, Draft Site Visit Report, the Organization’s response, and the evaluation of the response. The Council on Accreditation may place the Organization in one of four categories.

Full Accreditation: An Organization placed in this category meets all the Accreditation Standards. AAHRPP awards Full Accreditation to new applicants for three years, which commences on the date AAHRPP makes the award.

Qualified Accreditation: An Organization placed in this category meets almost all the Accreditation Standards. Issues requiring corrective action are minor and administrative in nature. AAHRPP awards Qualified Accreditation for three years, which commences on the date AAHRPP makes the award. However, if the issues requiring corrective action are resolved before the next triennial site visit, the Council on Accreditation, upon acceptance of the corrective actions, may award Full Accreditation for the remainder of the period of accreditation. Qualified Accreditation is only available to new applicants; upon reaccreditation the only category of accreditation available to applicants is Full Accreditation, meaning the Organization meets all the Accreditation Standards.

Accreditation-Pending: The Council on Accreditation places an Organization in the Accreditation-Pending category until it decides whether to award Full or Qualified Accreditation or to Withhold Accreditation. The Council on Accreditation may place an Organization in the Accreditation-Pending category when the Organization does not meet the criteria for Full or Qualified Accreditation, and the Council believes the Organization is able and willing to commit to take corrective actions to meet the criteria for accreditation within a reasonable time period. An Organization that the Council places in the Accreditation-Pending category must submit an Improvement Plan within the time specified by the Council. Based on the Improvement Plan, the Council may extend the length of time until the accreditation determination will be made, usually seven months (two Council meeting cycles). Based on progress reports and the continued commitment of the Organization, the Council may further postpone a final accreditation determination. At its option, the Council decides whether a Limited Site Visit or other actions are required before making a final accreditation determination.

Accreditation Withheld: An Organization placed in this category does not meet a substantial number of Accreditation Standards and the Council on Accreditation believes that the Organization will not commit to undertake corrective action or is otherwise unable to meet the criteria for Qualified or Full Accreditation in a reasonable time. When accreditation is withheld, an Organization may reapply at its own discretion; the application will be accepted only if the Organization has made corrective actions and appears to be accreditable.