Guiding Principles
The Highest Quality, People- and Community-Centred Health Care.
We commit to continuous improvement in the quality of services and programs with all efforts oriented to meet the specific needs of the people and communities we served.
Health Equity and Social Justice
We design services and programs to reduce health disparities and inequities. We also advocate for healthier public policy and against unfair practices and prejudices that harm people’s health.
Community Vitality and Belonging
We partner with community members to build safe and caring communities where everyone is valued and feel like they belong.
Population Needs-Based Planning
We strive to improve the health and wellbeing of the entire population of the communities we serve. We assess the needs of different demographic groups and develop action plans to address them.
A Community Development Approach
We work with community members to develop solutions that support healthy living. For example: community gardens, affordable housing projects, and civic engagement campaigns enable community members to actively participate in public policy decision making.
A Strong Focus on the Determinants of Health
We mitigate the impact of the many non-medical determinants of health. For example, to serve people facing socio-economic challenges, we provide additional supports: counselling on how to secure employment or access to additional social services and peer support groups. We also advocate for healthier public policies that enable people to access a healthy environment and afford other basic necessities of life.
Interprofessional, Integrated and Coordinated
Membership in interprofessional teams extends well beyond clinical providers to include system navigators, social workers, outreach and community development workers. Teams collaborate with a wide range of primary care providers, as well as other parts of the health and social service system.
Anti-oppression and Culturally Safe Practices
We recognize many populations face discrimination that harms their health and wellbeing. We ensure our staff receives ongoing training in anti-oppression and culturally safe practices.
Accessibility
The priority is providing appropriate access to everyone, no matter who they are or where they live. Accessibility requires breaking down all racial, cultural, linguistic, physical, social, economic, legal and geographic barriers that prevent people from accessing health services.
Community Centredness and Community Governance
Based on what we and other CHCs learn through a wide range of engagement processes, we continually reorient our services to meet our communities’ changing needs. Community-centredness is strengthened by another defining feature of the model: community governance. It’s community members who set the strategic direction of our Centre.
Accountability and Efficiency
Community governance also ensures we are accountable to our communities and our funders. In addition, we develop and apply reporting indicators so funders can track our performance with respect to effectiveness and efficiency.
