UARCO Standards

The United Alliance for Recovery Community Organizations Standards (UARCO) standards were first published in 2021.

The UARCO Standards Checklist is to be used as an overview guide for the United Alliance for Recovery Community Organizations (UARCO) Standards. This will help your Recovery Community Organization (RCO) identify what is needed for accreditation. This document organizes the NARCO Standards into a checklist reference guide to help RCOs review their readiness for accreditation.

RCOs should utilize this checklist to identify and understand the requirements for accreditation. Those organizations that achieve accreditation not only complete the checklist, but display the application of the NARCO standards and ethics in their day to day operations.

This checklist consists of 6 major categories which are listed below:

  1. Organization information
  2. Recovery culture, ethical framework, and principles
  3. Staff development
  4. Peer leadership development
  5. Operations, systems, and financial management
  6. Governance

I. Organization Information

  1. Business or 501c3 certificate letter
  2. Staff directory with titles and descriptions
  3. Organizational charts/structure of staff
  4. Audited/tax information
  5. Insurance verification certificate
  6. Articles of incorporation

II. Recovery Culture, Ethical Framework, and Principles

  1. Mission and vision statement
  2. Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct
  3. Ethics policy and procedures & an Ethics pledge for staff/volunteers
  4. Ethics training and related materials
  5. Confidentiality training and related materials
  6. Outreach flyers, brochures, related materials and outreach strategy
  7. Rules and responsibilities for participants
  8. Provide evidence of multiple pathways of recovery being offered
  9. Evidence of recovery planning and/or recovery coaching
  10. Daily schedule and/or curriculum for participants
  11. Advocacy training, outreach material and events
  12. Evidence of diversity and inclusion

III. Staff Development

  1. Job roles and descriptions
  2. Staff orientation procedure
  3. Staff manuals (policy handbook)
  4. Evidence of background checks for staff and volunteers
  5. Self-care training and material
  6. Staff check-in procedure and related material
  7. Evidence of training and ongoing staff development
  8. Employment application
  9. Staff surveys

IV. Peer Leader Development

  1. Peer Leader roles and descriptions
  2. Orientation procedure
  3. Training certificates, agendas, and material
  4. Evidence of background checks for peer leaders
  5. Evidence of training and ongoing peer development
  6. Peer leader check-in procedure and related material
  7. Evidence of peer supervision and peer supervision logs
  8. Peer leader surveys

V. Operations, Systems, and Financial Management

  1. Human resource and personnel policies
  2. Volunteer policies and related materials
  3. Staff meeting minutes and agendas
  4. Record keeping policy & procedure
  5. Confidentiality policy & procedure
  6. Grievance policy & procedure
  7. Non-discrimination policy
  8. Confidentiality and record keeping training and related materials
  9. Risk management plan/succession plans
  10. Required posted policy and procedure visible in plain sight at the RCO
  11. Financial policies and procedures
  12. Evidence of financial accounting system
  13. Evidence of annual financial audit
  14. Annual budget and monthly management

VI. Governance

  1. List of Board of Directors and/or advisory committee
  2. Board of directors agenda and meeting minutes
  3. Copy of most recent strategic plan and/or long-term plan
  4. Committee lists and descriptions
  5. Bylaws
  6. Organizational chart with descriptions, to include board members and staff
  7. Conflict of interest policies for board members
  8. Board selection procedure