UPDATE ON ACCREDITATION – November 24, 2011
Focus Accreditation has been invited to Review and Evaluation Community Living York South Services in June, 2012.
On a regular basis, we will be sharing updates, activities and more detailed information on the process and offering opportunities for involvement and input. Please contact Pamela Singleton, Manager of Quality Assurance, Day & Residential Services at 905-884-9110 ext. 650 or pamela@communitylivingyorksouth.ca OR you may contact Lisa Kelba, Team Supervisor (on assignment) at 905-884-9110 ext. 690 or lkelba@communitylivingyorksouth.ca.
Excellence In Service Provision
Community Living York South is on a transformational journey to provide services that are recognized as exemplary in the developmental services field. Through sharing innovative ideas, engaging in conversations, and re-defining leadership, we are continuously moving towards achieving excellence in providing supports to people who have intellectual disabilities, their families and the community.
How? Here are some examples:
• Developing a tagline for our logo that inspires and communicates excellence;
• Re-developing our Website to engage a more diversified target audience;
• Gathering information about satisfaction with services from family members and people who are receiving services;
• Exploring and redefining our values;
• Continuously expanding supports we provide to the community of Southern York Region;
• Supporting employees to engage in ongoing learning activities, including a new Orientation to Quality Supports and Services;
• Providing accessible forums for people we support and advocates regarding complaints and grievances;
• Implementing practices to safeguard and to protect people’s rights and personal freedoms;
• Supporting people with planning so that they can work towards short term and long term goals.
How will we know when we get there? Community Living York South:
• Has a Task Force that monitors progress around quality improvement;
• Has a team of employees who are working to inspire and motivate people to continuously question the status quo, seek out best practices, and feel energized about doing great work;
• Has partnered with FOCUS Accreditation.
FOCUS will intensively review the services and supports we provide, as well as our policies, procedures, Mission, Vision and Values. From this, FOCUS will assess our level of excellence and make a decision whether or not to recognize Community Living York South as meeting and exceeding FOCUS’ standards of quality service.
FOCUS believes in 5 cornerstones of high quality services:
• Person Centered Services – includes rights and personal freedoms, planning
• Effective Governance and Leadership – includes finances and risk management
• A Learning Culture – includes community partnerships and continuous learning
• Inclusive and Flexible Services – includes services during the day
• Comprehensive Structures and Processes – includes health, safety and wellness
FOCUS inspires others to “Climb Mount Possible”! It does this by fostering a learning culture within organizations. A learning organization:
• works with its members to build structural and cultural support for continuous learning
• values positive change and adaptation and encourages ongoing improvement
• continuously improves supports provided to people receiving services and to those who are providing those services
Why think about Quality Improvement and Accreditation?
Accreditation:
• Is the best measure of quality of services;
• Puts organizational values and principles into practice;
• Is proactive rather than reactive;
• Highlights successes and challenges us to explore areas for improvement;
• Provides recognition for quality services to all stakeholders;
• Helps us find and respond to trends in services;
• Supports a foundation around how to provide quality services with people.