Adding National Accreditation Expertise for Behavioral Health, Human Service Organizations and More
(NASHVILLE, TN) Nov. 10, 2026 — 3LS Professional Services, part of the 3LS Inc. family of 100% employee-owned Changemaker companies, announced today that it has acquired Accreditation Guru, a leading consultancy helping behavioral health, human service, education and nonprofit providers achieve and sustain national accreditation. The acquisition adds accreditation, quality and compliance expertise to the growing suite of services 3LS Professional Services provides to changemaker organizations.
“The organizations we serve do some of the hardest and most important work in the country and accreditation is how they demonstrate quality and excellence to the families, funders and states that depend on them,” said Shannon Litton, CEO of 3LS Professional Services. “Accreditation Guru and its Founder, Jennifer Flowers, is one of the most respected leaders in the field and now, our changemaker clients and family of Changemaker companies get to benefit from that expertise. With this acquisition, they can get marketing, technology, back-office and accreditation support from a single, employee-owned partner. That’s a massive win.”
3LS Professional Services CEO, Shannon Litton (left) and Accreditation Guru Founder and CEO, Jennifer Flowers (right)
Founded in 2009 by Flowers, Accreditation Guru supports organizations through every stage of the accreditation process—from choosing the right accrediting body to preparing for survey and sustaining quality afterward. Its work spans COA, CARF, The Joint Commission and IACET standards, along with ASAM Criteria alignment, risk management, strategic planning, board development and continuous quality improvement. The firm reaches more than 16,000 industry leaders each month through its newsletter and regularly hosts educational webinars with industry partners.
With the acquisition, Flowers will spearhead the growth of accreditation services for 3LS Professional Services. She also brings with her a network of experienced accreditation consultants and practitioners, along with long-standing relationships across state and national associations serving behavioral health, child welfare and human services organizations.
“Accreditation isn’t a box to check,” says Flowers. “At its best, it helps organizations become stronger, improve the quality of the services they provide and demonstrate that commitment to the people they serve. In a time of rapid change, particularly with the growth of AI, that kind of independent validation and accountability is more important than ever.”
Flowers continued: “For 17 years, we’ve worked alongside organizations to make accreditation less overwhelming, more meaningful and, ultimately, successful. I’m incredibly proud that we’ve maintained a 100% success rate, but I’m even more proud of the relationships we’ve built and the organizations we’ve helped become stronger along the way. Joining the 3LS Professional Services team and larger 3LS Inc. family of employee-owned Changemaker companies gives us the opportunity to bring that same approach to even more organizations, with a team that shares our commitment to the people and communities we serve. I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”
Before founding Accreditation Guru, Flowers served as Director of the Accreditation Commission at COA Accreditation, a Service of Social Current. She is a frequent speaker at national and state conferences, including those hosted by the Family Focused Treatment Association, the National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health, the California Alliance of Child and Family Services and the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers, where she has also moderated panels bringing together CARF, COA and The Joint Commission. She holds an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and is Certified in Nonprofit Board Education by BoardSource.
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About Accreditation Guru
Accreditation Guru partners with behavioral health, human service, education and nonprofit providers to achieve and sustain national accreditation. Since 2009, Accreditation Guru has delivered an efficient, customized accreditation process for CARF, COA Accreditation, The Joint Commission and other leading accrediting bodies—all backed by a proven 100% success rate. To learn more, visit accreditationguru.com.
About 3LS Professional Services
3LS Professional Services is an employee-owned company driving growth for changemakers—people and organizations making a positive difference in the world. Part of the 3LS Inc. family of Changemaker companies, 3LS Professional Services delivers exceptional, integrated services like HR, accounting, IT, technology, marketing and ESOP acquisition advisory services. Its companies include: 5by5 Agency, 40 Million Owners, Intrust IT, 3LS Innovations, 3LS Solutions and most recently, Accreditation Guru. Visit 3lsps.com to learn more.