The value of program certification for performance contracting

A survey of clubhouses listed in the 1996 ICCD Clubhouse Directory provided a research sample of 80 ICCD-certified clubhouses and 88 non-certified clubhouses with which to test the discriminant validity of ICCD certification. A statistically significant logistic regression model revealed that ICCD certification status could be clearly predicted for 78% of the clubhouses in the survey sample on the basis of director-reported compliance with representative measures of the Standards for Clubhouse Programs. The predictive power of compliance with the Standards was obtained even while controlling for other organizational variables, including clubhouse age, total staff salaries, and receipt of Medicaid funding. These findings provide support for the practical utility of adopting program certification as a performance indicator in an era of managed care, as well as the specific value of relying on ICCD certification as a quality assurance indicator.