Creating Excellence Together (CET)

Four ethical principles guided the development of Creating Excellence Together: respect for dignity of persons; responsible caring; integrity in relationships; and social responsibility. Each has implications for standards of practice with respect to the individuals and organizations. These principles, which were adopted by members of The Alberta Association of Rehabilitation Centre (AARC) at their annual general meeting in 1995, are summarized below. The complete version is found in Appendix I.

Respect for the Dignity of Persons

In all their activities, service providers demonstrate their respect for the dignity of individuals receiving service, professionals, and other individuals and organizations with which they interact.

Service providers behave in a fair and non-discriminatory manner in selecting, assessing and providing services to individuals with disabilities.

Service providers treat their employees justly and in a non-discriminatory manner.

Service providers conduct business with other service providers and professionals in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.

Responsible Caring

Service providers demonstrate their commitment to quality supports and services to individuals with disabilities in all their activities.

Service providers care about the well-being of the individuals, and work with them and their legal representatives to secure and provide services that maintain and improve the individuals’ well-being.

Service providers are committed to the well-being of their employees.

Service providers make business decisions that reflect that the primary business of community rehabilitation organizations is the provision of quality supports and services to individuals with disabilities.

Integrity in Relationships

Service providers represent themselves in an honest and accurate fashion in all their dealings with individuals receiving service, professionals, and other individuals and organizations.

Service providers represent the type, limitations, and appropriateness of their services to recipients and their legal representatives honestly and accurately.

Service providers behave with integrity in their dealings with employees.

Service providers represent themselves and their services honestly to individuals receiving service and other organizations in the community.

Social Responsibility

Service providers advocate for changes that will benefit individuals, in the belief that society’s welfare is affected by its treatment of those who are in the margins of society.

Service providers are committed to developing and providing the best services possible.

Service providers encourage employees to question policies and practices that may harm individuals with disabilities.

Service providers educate individuals and organizations with which they do business regarding how best to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Quality of Life

In 1996, 28 focus groups (with approximately 300 participants) were conducted across Alberta. Some groups consisted of individuals with disabilities, others of families and guardians, while some groups were mixed. Trained facilitators used a consistent process to help each group indentify those factors that most contribute to the quality of life for individuals receiving service. Feedback from the groups was summarized and returned to participants to ensure it captured what they said. The validated information was then used to develop the outcome-based Quality of life standards. In 2003, focus groups of individuals with disabilities and/or family members confirmed that the updated Quality of Life standards represent the outcomes valued by individuals and their families.

Quality of Service

The Quality of Service standards are intrinsically linked to the Quality of Life standards. They look at the role of staff that are the closest to the individual, and how those staff support the individual to achieve each of the Quality of Life standards.

Organizational Framework

The structure of an organization and its processes should facilitate and support outcomes for the individuals receiving service. Therefore, organizational standards were developed in the areas of service delivery, human resources and strategic management that reflect current best practice in the field of community rehabilitation. The ultimate test of any organizational process is how well it supports outcomes for consumers. Therefore, each standard under Organizational Framework directly supports one or more of the Quality of Life standards.

In 1998, as the Creating Excellence Together standards were being developed, responsibility for service delivery to adults with developmental disabilities in Alberta was transferred from government (Alberta Family and Social Services) to community governance boards. Therefore, the standards development process was expanded to include the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) Boards as key stakeholders in monitoring program effectiveness. Embedded within the Creating Excellence Together certification standards are the current expectations for service providers funded by PDD. These expectations were identified with the assistance of government and PDD staff on the teams that developed the standards, as well as through broad consultation with all stakeholders.

Service providers are encouraged to use the Creating Excellence Together standards to evaluate themselves both for their own information and to prepare for an external peer survey. On a more personal level, individuals receiving service and the people who support them may choose to use the Quality of Life standards as part of their individual planning process.

Evaluation of the Standards

The Creating Excellence Together standards are measured through an on-site visit conducted by paid team leaders and volunteer surveyors, all with the work experience in the field of community rehabilitation. To determine a rating for the Quality of Life standards, surveyors have in-depth conversations with a sample of individuals receiving service and with people who know them well (e.g., guardian, family, friends). For the Quality of Service standards, information is gathered through conversations with staff that directly support those individuals. Finally, the Organizational Framework standards are measured by examining evidence presented by the service provider that indicates how its organizational processes align with these standards.

WIN is required to complete the CET certification every 3 years. WIN is required to meet the standards in order to be certified.

Our results

July 1st, 2007 87%
April 7th, 2005 100%
April 10th, 2008 100%

The CET process assists WIN in improving services and meeting all 46 standards throughout the year. CET sets the direction and focus of the services WIN provides on a daily basis.