Marie is a well-respected professional who combines knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide superior service to her clients. She holds an MSW from Adelphi University and MS from Chapman University and is a Certified Risk Manager with 35+ years’ experience as a clinician and administrator.
From 2005 to the present, she completed over 250 CARF surveys across the US and Canada as a Survey Team Leader. Her reviews improved effectiveness of service delivery and promoted efficient business practices for clients ranging from large organizations to community-based facilities.
For the past ten years, she provided results-oriented consultancy to organizations seeking CARF accreditation. Her collaborative hands-on approach focuses on areas of improvement, enhancing existing strengths, and ensuring positive changes at all organizational levels.
Carol has 32 years of experience doing CARF surveys. Her work experience includes working with persons with developmental disabilities, persons who experienced Traumatic brain injury, and severe orthopedic injuries. Carol also has knowledge and experience with special populations to include Autism and Dementia. Carol had worked within the foster care system, designed behavioral health program for those with co-occurring diagnosis, early intervention, employment services, and aging service.
In addition, to the areas Carol has a vast knowledge of emergency response for general and catastrophic emergencies. She is FEMA trained and has done FEMA training for first responders in the area of Special Need Populations. Carol has background and expertise in Home and Community based programs for those with disabilities and those who are aged. Carol also has experience in the area of case management. In total Carol has worked more than fifty years in the industry. Her Masters Degree is in the areas of Therapeutic Recreation and Community (non-profit) development.
George has been a surveyor for over 25 years. Over the course of his career he has held leadership positions in both large and small organizations. He has conducted CARF seminars on Performance Measurement and Management. George was responsible for strategic planning for one of the largest organizations in the country. In addition, he served as District Director for a wide array of services throughout the largest county in California.
In 1983, while teaching special education in Paso Robles, CA, Mike Mamot saw the need for additional residential services for children. With the help of a student loan, he created the second group home in San Luis Obispo County in 1984. From that humble start grew a nonprofit organization that became to be known as OPTIONS Family of Services.
Mike’s vision was for a continuum of services to meet the needs of the persons served by OPTIONS. Through the years, services were greatly expanded as new innovative methods to help persons with disabilities were designed and developed. The organization gained a reputation for providing services to behaviorally challenged adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and persons who had a traumatic brain injury. Services were provided in a professional manner. This is most exemplified by the fact that OPTIONS became CARF accredited for the first time in 1990. Between 1997 to 2011, OPTIONS only had two recommendations from their accreditation reviews.
The way services were delivered was important to Mike. He stressed taking an ethical approach when caring for persons served. All staff received on-going training on what it means to provide unselfish ethical services respecting the rights of all persons and treating them with dignity. It was his belief that all staff members, including himself, should be held accountable for being trustworthy and compassionate for persons served.
OPTIONS was able to grow due to creative financing and by being awarded various grants. Founded on a small student loan, Mike facilitated the sale of tax exempt bonds in order to reduce interest expense. During his tenure, OPTIONS was granted over a million dollars.
In 1990, the same year OPTIONS became accredited, Mike became a CARF surveyor. He has stated on more than one occasion that the worse CARF survey he had conducted was better than the best conference he ever attended because of the information he was able to bring back to the organization he founded. Many of the concepts and procedures that became the foundation of the services provided by OPTIONS is a direct result of what Mike saw in the field while conducting accreditation surveys.
In 2013, Mike retired as the Founder/CEO of OPTIONS. He remains active in the field by consulting and acting as an expert witness for legal cases. He has conduct over 200 CARF surveys and has trained more than 50 new CARF surveyors.
John T. Collins, II, MPH, has been a consultant since 1984, providing management and quality assurance consulting services to health and human services providers. John’s consultant practice focuses on assisting organizations prepare for CARF Accreditation. To date, every organization that has used John’s services for CARF accreditation preparation has received the coveted three-year accreditation outcome.
As part of his consulting practice, he has provided interim executive services to organization’s serving homeless veterans and people with disabilities. As an active CARF Surveyor for almost 25 years, he has conducted more than 140 CARF Surveys. Mr. Collins has held positions in both the private and non-profit sectors.
John was employed as Senior Vice President of Workforce Development and Rehabilitation Services for Goodwill Industries of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties from 1987 to 2015. The programs he led served more than 17,000 people a year. He was also responsible for the company’s strategic planning efforts and Community Relations efforts. Prior to his career at Goodwill, Mr. Collins was a Program Director for Dominican Hospital and helped start the Employee Assistance Program and a 28-day Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program. While serving in the US Army, Mr. Collins was in charge of the Army Navy Transplant Service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
As Senior Vice President, Mr. Collins was very active in the support and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Workforce Investment Act and many educational strategies. He was part of a national team selected by Goodwill Industries International to provide business and program assistance to the United Arab Emirates. He provided technical assistance to the UAE Ministry of Rehabilitation on CARF Accreditation and quality standards.
Mr. Collins is very active in community and national affairs. He served on the Workforce Investment Boards of Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo Counties as well as having served on The Monterey County Tourist and Travel Alliance, the Board of the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce and Monterey County Hospitality Boards of Directors. He was elected and completed ten years as a Trustee and past president of the board of Santa Cruz City Schools.
