You Are Accountable Earns Joint Commission Accreditation for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services

The peer-led recovery organization also passed 10,000 members served and published its first outcomes summary

RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- You Are Accountable has earned Behavioral Health Care and Human Services Accreditation from Joint Commission. The accreditation covers the company's peer support services and care coordination, and follows a survey against the standards in Joint Commission's Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services.

Accountable is a peer-led organization. Its care is delivered by certified peer specialists who have lived experience of recovery and work one-on-one with members every week. Members test daily on a remote breathalyzer, submit toxicology screens assigned at random through the week, join virtual recovery groups and stay in a direct text thread with their coach. The service is virtual and available nationwide.

"Peer work has spent a long time being treated as the soft edge of behavioral health, valuable but unmeasurable," said Matt Serel, CEO of You Are Accountable. "An outside body looked at how a peer-led organization actually operates and held it to the standards the rest of health care is held to. The people we serve deserve that, and so do the peer specialists who do the work."

"Joint Commission congratulates You Are Accountable for achieving accreditation by demonstrating its focus on delivering safe and effective care of the highest quality and value," said Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, chief nursing executive and executive vice president of accreditation and certification operations at Joint Commission. "Through the accreditation process, we worked closely with You Are Accountable to enable and affirm the highest standards of health care quality and patient safety." 

Where the model sits

Accountable is aligned with what the ASAM Criteria, 4th Edition, calls Level 1.0, Long-Term Remission Monitoring: recovery management check-ins after treatment, watching for early signs of trouble and rapid reengagement in care when a member needs it. Level 1.0 runs alongside outpatient care, therapy and medication, covering the period after discharge when a member is back at home and a health plan has the least visibility into how they are doing.

10,000 members, and the first outcomes summary

Accountable enrolled its first member in December 2020 and, as of September 2026, has served more than 10,000 members. The outcome summary, published in conjunction with Accountable's Joint Commission accreditation, includes data from all 10,110 members. Accountable serves a clinically complex population. Among members with a diagnosis code on file, 91% have a substance use disorder diagnosis, and 84% have a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Members range in age from 13 to 77 and remain enrolled in the program for an average of nine months.

Among members who began with moderate to severe symptoms of depression and completed a follow-up assessment at least 28 days later, the average PHQ-9 score decreased from 15.7 to 9.4, a 40% reduction. Additionally, 59% of members improved by at least five points, meeting the threshold for a clinically meaningful change. Anxiety scores decreased by 38% over the same period. These results reflect a before-and-after comparison without a control group.

Adherence to the program is strong, members complete a breathalyzer reading 90% of their scheduled monitoring days, and 97% of submitted readings are negative. Scheduled coaching sessions have an 80% attendance rate, while the Accountable team responds to member messages in a median time of 32 minutes.

"The hardest part of recovery isn't the time someone spends in treatment. It's Tuesday afternoon, three months later, when no one is watching and nothing is scheduled," said Aj Diaz, LMSW, CASAC, chief clinical officer of You Are Accountable. "Our members tell us that having a reading to submit and a coach who responds gives structure to that afternoon. The improvement in scores is what we can measure. What members talk about is knowing they don't have to face it alone."

One member described the experience in a survey response included in the summary: "My coach is fantastic! The testing really helps keep me accountable, not only to others or my family, but finally to myself." 

Matt Serel said "ASAM established Level 1.0 as a distinct level of care, yet there is very little published evidence demonstrating its outcomes. This is our effort to begin putting that evidence on the table."

The full outcomes summary is available at youareaccountable.com/outcomes-report.

About You Are Accountable

You Are Accountable combines technology and certified peer support to deliver ongoing recovery engagement for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health challenges. Our online platform brings together 1-3 times weekly one-on-one coaching, at home toxicology screening, daily accountability tools, and care coordination with families and treatment providers. Certified peer specialists with lived experience work directly with individuals to set meaningful goals, navigate challenges, and rebuild trust. Accountable partners with more than 500 treatment providers and payer networks to extend the continuum of care beyond treatment. By connecting practical tools with consistent human support, Accountable turns discharge plans into sustained action toward a self-determined life.

About Joint Commission

Joint Commission enables and affirms the highest standards of healthcare quality and patient safety for all. Founded in 1951, it is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare, evaluating more than 23,000 healthcare organizations and programs across the United States. As an independent, nonprofit organization, Joint Commission inspires healthcare organizations across all settings to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. Learn more at www.jointcommission.org

Media contact
Joy Bell, marketing manager
[email protected]
646-450-7641
youareaccountable.com
331 Newman Springs Road, Suite 320, Red Bank, NJ 07701

SOURCE You Are Accountable