Conformity
AMerican board of first responder behavioral healthcare (frbh)
Basis of Determination
Conformity with the FRBH National Standard is determined by the adopting organization itself, by self-assessment, using the evidence and determination provisions contained in the Standard.
That determination is sufficient on its own. An organization may implement the Standard, determine its own conformity, and represent that conformity without third-party involvement. Conformity is contingent on no assessment, no fee, and no purchase of any service.
Measurement and Evidence
The Standard is constructed so that conformity is objectively determinable rather than a matter of judgment.
Defined intervals. Where the Standard requires periodic review, the interval is fixed rather than left open — leadership oversight at intervals not exceeding six months, criteria review and organizational evaluation annually, governance review and activation exercise every twenty-four months. An organization that has not conducted a required review within the applicable interval is nonconforming as of the date it lapses.
Defined evidence. Evidence offered in support of conformity is sufficient only where it is dated or otherwise attributable to an ascertainable point in time, attributable to an identifiable role or individual with documented authority, consistent with the organization's other conformity records for the same period, and retained for the required period.
Defined nonconformity. The Standard distinguishes major nonconformity — a required element absent, or evidence that cannot be produced — from minor nonconformity, where an element exists but is incomplete, inconsistently applied, or outside its review interval. Overall conformity requires no unresolved major nonconformity and a documented corrective action plan for each minor nonconformity identified.
An organization assesses itself against these provisions rather than against an impression of readiness.
Institutional Separation
FRBH does not perform conformity assessment, certification, or accreditation of any organization. It does not operate such a program.
The institution that establishes the requirements does not determine which organizations have met them. A standards developer that also renders determinations against its own standard, or provides paid assistance in meeting it, holds a financial interest in the content of its own requirements. That separation is what permits the Standard to be published without charge and implemented without purchase.
No conformity assessment or accreditation program operates against the National Standard, by FRBH or by any other party.
Representation of Conformity
An organization that has implemented the Standard and determined its own conformity may state that determination publicly. The Standard provides the following wording so that representations remain accurate and consistent across adopting organizations:
"[Organization] has implemented, and has determined by self-assessment under Chapter 3 that it conforms with, the FRBH National Standard for Occupational Psychological Hazard Protection, Version 3.0, Provisional Field-Test Edition (2026). No conformity assessment or accreditation program operates against this edition; the determination is the organization's own."
Claims of accreditation, certification, or third-party recognition against this Standard are not accurate, because no such program exists.
Future Independent Assessment
The Standard reserves the possibility that independent providers may assess conformance at a future stage, under conditions it publishes in advance — including that no entity in which a director, officer, chief executive, or founder of FRBH holds an interest, and no entity under common ownership or control with any of them, may be licensed to perform such assessment or hold any financial interest in assessment outcomes.
No provider has been licensed and no assessment activity has commenced.
Basis of Determination
Conformity with the FRBH National Standard is determined by the adopting organization itself, by self-assessment, using the evidence and determination provisions contained in the Standard.
That determination is sufficient on its own. An organization may implement the Standard, determine its own conformity, and represent that conformity without third-party involvement. Conformity is contingent on no assessment, no fee, and no purchase of any service.
Measurement and Evidence
The Standard is constructed so that conformity is objectively determinable rather than a matter of judgment.
Defined intervals. Where the Standard requires periodic review, the interval is fixed rather than left open — leadership oversight at intervals not exceeding six months, criteria review and organizational evaluation annually, governance review and activation exercise every twenty-four months. An organization that has not conducted a required review within the applicable interval is nonconforming as of the date it lapses.
Defined evidence. Evidence offered in support of conformity is sufficient only where it is dated or otherwise attributable to an ascertainable point in time, attributable to an identifiable role or individual with documented authority, consistent with the organization's other conformity records for the same period, and retained for the required period.
Defined nonconformity. The Standard distinguishes major nonconformity — a required element absent, or evidence that cannot be produced — from minor nonconformity, where an element exists but is incomplete, inconsistently applied, or outside its review interval. Overall conformity requires no unresolved major nonconformity and a documented corrective action plan for each minor nonconformity identified.
An organization assesses itself against these provisions rather than against an impression of readiness.
Institutional Separation
FRBH does not perform conformity assessment, certification, or accreditation of any organization. It does not operate such a program.
The institution that establishes the requirements does not determine which organizations have met them. A standards developer that also renders determinations against its own standard, or provides paid assistance in meeting it, holds a financial interest in the content of its own requirements. That separation is what permits the Standard to be published without charge and implemented without purchase.
No conformity assessment or accreditation program operates against the National Standard, by FRBH or by any other party.
Representation of Conformity
An organization that has implemented the Standard and determined its own conformity may state that determination publicly. The Standard provides the following wording so that representations remain accurate and consistent across adopting organizations:
"[Organization] has implemented, and has determined by self-assessment under Chapter 3 that it conforms with, the FRBH National Standard for Occupational Psychological Hazard Protection, Version 3.0, Provisional Field-Test Edition (2026). No conformity assessment or accreditation program operates against this edition; the determination is the organization's own."
Claims of accreditation, certification, or third-party recognition against this Standard are not accurate, because no such program exists.
Future Independent Assessment
The Standard reserves the possibility that independent providers may assess conformance at a future stage, under conditions it publishes in advance — including that no entity in which a director, officer, chief executive, or founder of FRBH holds an interest, and no entity under common ownership or control with any of them, may be licensed to perform such assessment or hold any financial interest in assessment outcomes.
No provider has been licensed and no assessment activity has commenced.