Model of Care

Whereas Ontario’s Community Health Centres (CHCs) share a common language and a common history of more than 40 years of holistic, interdisciplinary community-based care; and

Whereas the province’s CHCs play a unique role as a vehicle for completing Tommy Douglas’ vision of the Second Stage of Medicare – not just patching people up when they get sick, but keeping them well in the first place; and

Whereas our work recognizes the intersection of health disparities and social inequities and is thus undergirded by a commitment to the principles and values of social justice and the need to work for political and economic change; and

Whereas CHCs constitute a dynamic movement of empowered and empowering people dedicated to building healthy individuals, families, communities, partnerships, environments and civic institutions.

The following Charter

Sets forth a set of attributes and principles that form the nucleus of who we are and what we do as Community Health Centres in Ontario; these principles with their underlying beliefs and values not only form our internal identity, but also reflect who we are to the external environment;

Describes and prescribes a way of working together, clients and providers, Centres and communities, that asserts: Every One Matters;

Recalls and reminds us that CHCs’ understanding of primary health care places us squarely at the community heart of a larger struggle for equity and social justice, for the right to holistic care, regardless of status, endowment or condition, that takes into account all aspects of human dignity;

Acclaims the distinguishing features of our collective identity as organizations and communities and provides an opportunity to affirm our commitment to the values, principles and beliefs embedded in the CHC Model of Care.

The Community Health Centre Model of Care: A Statement of Principles

• Primary care;
• Illness prevention;
• Health promotion;
• Community capacity building;
• Service integration.

The CHC Model of Care is:

Comprehensive
CHCs provide comprehensive, coordinated, primary health care for their communities, encompassing primary care, illness prevention, and health promotion, in one to one service, personal development groups, and community level interventions.

Accessible
CHCs are designed to improve access, participation, equity, inclusiveness and social justice by eliminating systemic barriers to full participation. CHCs have expertise in ensuring access for people who encounter a diverse range of social, cultural, economic, legal or geographic barriers which contribute to the risk of developing health problems. This would include the provision of culturally appropriate programs and services, programs for the non-insured, optimal location and design of facilities, oppression-free environments and 24 hour on-call services.

Client and community focused
Clients, patients, program participants and community residents are at the heart of a CHC’s activities. Planning follows a population health approach and develops best practices for serving a given population’s needs. In view of the special relationship that CHCs have with their communities, whether based on geography and/or specific populations, the needs of those groups and individuals are of primary importance.

Interdisciplinary
CHCs build interdisciplinary teams working in collaborative practice. In these teams, salaried professionals work together in a coordinated approach to address the health needs of their clients. Depending on the actual programs and services offered, CHC interdisciplinary teams may include physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, Aboriginal traditional healers, chiropodists, counsellors, health promoters, community development workers, and administrative staff.

Integrated
CHCs develop strong connections with health system partners and community partners to ensure the integration of CHC services with the delivery of other health and social services.