CCA: where we came from and RECENT Developments

1. CCA: where we came from and RECENT Developments Family Service Ontario Conference May 8, 2014

2. A New Partnership for Accreditation • Responding to growing interest in Canadian accreditation program tailored to community-based health and social services • 5 associations serving community-based service providers combining over 100 years of accreditation experience: • Association of Ontario Health Centres (Community Organizational Health) • Children’s Mental Health Ontario • Ontario and Canadian Associations of Credit Counselling Services • Family Service Ontario • Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies • Created new Canadian non-profit accrediting body (third party) - April 2012 CCA formally established • 2014 - over 200 organizations participating, including 35 family service agencies

3. CCA Vision and Mission Vision: Effective organizations strengthen healthy and resilient communities. Mission: We provide excellence and leadership in accreditation by assuring quality and continuous improvement in community-based health and social services.

4. CCA Values • Continuous Learning and Improvement - We pursue continuous learning and improvement towards excellence and innovation; We recognize and celebrate key milestones achieved. • Meaningful Collaboration - We inclusively engage the diverse organizations we serve, as well as other CCA stakeholders, in dialogue to shape our mission, goals and services. • Diversity and Equity - We value the diverse contributions of our stakeholders and work towards the elimination of systemic barriers to equity. • Responsible Stewardship - We manage CCA resources ethically, transparently and responsibly, in order to ensure its sustainability. • Accountability - We hold ourselves accountable for the quality of our work and the achievement of established outcomes that are aligned with our values.

5. Principles of CCA Approach • Balance between fostering quality improvement and risk management • Standards challenging and achievable by diverse organization types and sizes • Clear and transparent expectations • Consistent practices applied with sufficient flexibility to recognize unique circumstances and challenges of organizations being reviewed • Supportive of organizations achieving and maintaining accreditation • Recognition of strengths/successes of organizations • Value-added experience for community organizations

6. Foundations of CCA Standards: Excellence in Service Provision • Focus on people and communities served; respect for their dignity and diversity • Strength-based approach to service delivery, recognizing social and physical environments that impact people’s well-being and health • Commitment to equity and to actively addressing barriers to service • Drive to improve outcomes for people and communities served • Integration of continuous learning, improvement and innovation • Decision making that is evidence-based • Safe services and work settings • Most efficient use of resources to achieve outcomes • Social and ethical responsibility • Accountability and transparency

7. Development of CCA Program 2009 - 2012 • Three year Trillium Grant awarded • To combine best of all accreditation programs and update; transform COHI into CCA • 3 working groups: Standards, Business Operations and Governance • Standards and Accreditation Process WG • Developing Organizational Standards • amalgamate governance, management and leadership standards • review literature and best practices • June 2010 Webcast on framework of program • Consultation – through 3 rounds of critical readers feedback on draft standards

8. Development of CCA Program May–September 2012 • Pilot reviews conducted at 8 organizations - all sectors October 2012 - August 2013 • External evaluation of Pilot reviews • Extensive revisions to standards and web tool April 2013 • CCA begins regular reviews offered to all organizations • Pilot version of standards and web tool used for 2013 reviews – 24 reviews conducted to March 2014

9. Evaluation Surveys and Other Feedback • very positive feedback (85%) on site visit, quality of preliminary report and review teams; • standards rated quite well but observations re some duplication in standards • re: preparation workload: 34% acceptable; 3% efficient; 45% onerous; 12% much too onerous • need for improvements in Web tool noted frequently • overall positive for their agency - 90% found participation was beneficial (yes very / yes) • 83% would recommend CCA (yes / probably) • concerns expressed by family service agencies about increased requirements in CCA standards; need to recognize limited administrative resources

10. Latest Developments • Major upgrades and enhancements to Go CCA Web Accreditation Tool to launch in late May 2014 • Further revisions to standards – clarifications based on feedback received • Self-Assessment Tool available – can be accessed at any time before review • Access to customized Webtool 1 yr before site visit • Educational Webinars offered for different sectors including family service agencies • Formal “accommodations procedure” developed • Additions to CCA Resource Library are ongoing

11. Lessons Learned – Participating Agencies • Important to start reviewing standards early – at least 2 years in advance • Important to communicate with Accreditation Manager – ask questions about interpretation • Meeting every Leading Practice standard is not necessary for accreditation - allows for some flexibility • Understand that having some standards to meet at Preliminary Report stage is part of the process • 86% respondents in evaluations agreed that accreditation pushes their organizations to continually improve, pursue quality

12. Thank You!