Looking Glass President & CEO, Chad Westphal, holds the COA award alongside Kierstin Dunavant, VP of Administrative Services
One important aspect of operations at Looking Glass that many supporters may not know about is accreditation - a voluntary, peer-reviewed, and independent evaluation process that ensures educational institutions or programs meet established quality standards.
In early 2026, Looking Glass received another 4-year award from The Council on Accreditation (COA), which is based in New York and accredits organizations & programs in the social and human services sectors. This includes child welfare, behavioral health, community-based services, juvenile justice, military family support, and early childhood development. COA conducts a comprehensive peer-review process in which the agency’s administration, management, and service delivery are evaluated against rigorous, evidence-based standards.
As part of the accreditation process, Looking Glass staff completed a detailed self-study and submitted supporting documentation. Looking Glass is one of the largest agencies that COA reviews with over 850 standards included in the process. This is followed by a site review that includes additional evidence collection and interviews with members of the Board of Directors, staff, and clients.
“Accountability is a priority for our agency and there’s no better way to obtain confidence in our services than investing in national accreditation,” said Chad Westphal, President and CEO. “Our recertification is indicative of an incredible workforce that’s dedicated to improving the lives of every child, youth, and family member we encounter. The hard work our teams and those we serve is worthy of this honor.”
The COA accreditation provides public recognition of Looking Glass’s commitment to high standards of excellence and supports ongoing performance and quality improvement efforts.
Looking Glass received the highest possible scores on a rigorous 4-point scale and were awarded a full four-year accreditation (the highest term granted by COA) underscoring the nonprofit’s sustained commitment to excellence, accountability, and continuous quality improvement.
In addition to the COA review, Looking Glass receives oversight from the following agencies:
· Oregon Youth Authority
· DHS Licensing
· DHS Treatment Services
· Oregon Health Authority
· Annual Fiscal Audit – Baker Tilly
· Council on Accreditation
· Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
· Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs)
· Lane County
· Oregon Department of Education
· ODE – School Nutrition Program
· Office of Training, Investigation, and Safety
· Disability Rights of Oregon
Looking Glass has received accreditation awards from the COA since 2006 and has always been awarded the highest possible award status.