ABOUT US:

Vision
The CTCHC communities of Queen West and Shout receive their health care within a seamless system that is accessible from a variety of locations. The communities receive a level of service excellence that makes CTCHC a model for urban health care.

Values
CTCHC will give priority to services and programs that:

• promote caring and solidarity within and across communities that Queen West and Shout each serve;
• effect social change with the view to promoting and enhancing the health of communities and people served by Queen West and by Shout
• include co-operation and collaboration with individuals, communities, organizations, and governments that are committed to promoting and enhancing the health of communities and people served by Queen West and by Shout;
• strive for excellence and innovation in the promotion and enhancement of health of core urban communities, and accordingly have built-in indicators by which to evaluate their effectiveness;
• are flexible and responsive to the needs of communities and people served by Queen West and by Shout;
• respect, honour and celebrate the diversity between the communities and among the people served by Queen West and by Shout; and
• build the capacity of the communities served by Queen West and by Shout

Mission
CTCHC works as a resource to improve the health and quality of life of the communities that Queen West and Shout each serve. CTCHC achieves its mission through health promotion, education, community development, and advocacy, and through the provision of medical, nursing, dental and counselling services.

Definition of Health (WHO) for Purposes of Vision and Mission: The extent to which an individual or group is able, on the one hand, to realize aspirations and satisfy needs, and, on the other hand, to change or cope with the environment. Health is therefore seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. It is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capacity.

Objectives
For communities and people served, CTCHC will:

• offer the full range of services and programs necessary to improve quality of life
• help secure a wider primary health care system that provides services and programs that are accessible, meet the changing health needs of communities and people, and are seamless;
• respect, honour and integrate traditional and alternative approaches to health care;
• offer services in a variety of locations throughout the catchment areas of Queen West and of Shout, and
• provide service with staff and volunteers who reflect, respect and honour the diversity of the community.

In a manner consistent with its status as a registered charity, CTCHC will advocate for social, economic, political and cultural changes that promote social justice and thereby enhance the health of communities and of people.The communities and people served by Queen West and Shout will participate in shaping the work of CTCHC and CTCHC will:

• become a centre of excellence in the promotion and enhancement of health for urban core communities and people living in such communities;
• provide individuals served with access to leading edge best practices in the delivery of primary health care, all of which is supported by a commitment to research; and
• welcome and respect all who enter, and encourage staff and volunteers to work together as teams and to trust each other.


Strategic Directions

• Offer services to new clients based on the following considerations:
  • the client's proximity to the health centre,
  • the need to ensure a balance among different vulnerable groups served by the centre, such as homeless, uninsured, other individuals whose multiple risk factors include single parent, disability, frail elderly, social assistance, substance use, abused spouses, refugee, etc., and
  • the need to balance services to vulnerable groups with the services provided to other clients.
• Improve access to care for existing clients, including timely service and increased availability of holistic and alternative health care
• Improve decision-making and involvement by soliciting ongoing community input inclusive of the diversity of the community
• Align vision and resources, and diversify the sources of revenue
• Develop and implement an advocacy policy that focuses CTCHC's advocacy efforts on community capacity for effective advocacy around issues of population health
• Develop multiple alliances to provide services and support advocacy
• Inspire excellence through productive teamwork, research, professional development and a supportive work environment

About CHC'S
We are one of 56 community health centers (CHC) across the Province, all of which have multidisciplinary teams of service providers including physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers/counsellors, health promoters and community workers.

Our approach to community health encompasses the broad factors that determine health such as education, employment, income, social support, environment and housing. Health centres provide accessible primary health care services in northern and rural communities, in communities where many people have a high risk of ill health or to individuals and families with significant access issues, such as their ethnic status, racial makeup or mother tongue. Health centres serve all people within their catchment area and have particular expertise in serving people who have difficulty accessing other health services.

Health centres are an integral part of the provincial health services system. Individual health centres have a significant role in providing essential services in many communities. They are often the main delivery mechanism for core community-based health services offering a continuum of services which promote individual and community ownership over health.

Funding
Shout Clinic is funded in part by the provincial Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the municipal City of Toronto and from generous donations from the community.

To donate, please contact the Shout Program Director at (416) 927-8253.

Accreditation
CTCHC is accredited through Commuity Health Organizational Health Inc. (COHI). It is a voluntary accreditation program for community health centres. It is a comprehensive, peer review process that examines the organization by the standards of Building Healthier Organizations (BHO).