In January 2020 the E-QIP team, in partnership with the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health (CICMH), was pleased to offer its introductory-level quality improvement (QI) training to student leaders and staff of post-secondary institutions at the University of Guelph. This one-day training oriented participants to QI methodology and terminology in accordance with the Model for Improvement. Participants also had the opportunity to practice using QI tools in a group setting, including the “5W2H”, “5 whys”, “fishbone”, “random word association” and “TRIZ”, using a case study based on similar challenges these participants face in their service delivery to their student service recipients. Through the use of these QI tools participants were able to identify a quality issue, potential root causes of their problem and measures; develop innovative change ideas; utilize the principles of high leverage ideas; test change ideas using PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) cycles; and apply the principles of sustainability and spread.

This session was well attended with 24 participants from the University of Guelph and surrounding post-secondary institutions including Conestoga College, York University, Mohawk College and Ryerson University. When asked, participants were enthusiastic about what they learned during the training and the future application of QI methodologies and tools at their home campuses. One participant remarked, “I really enjoyed this program. It helped me to better understand the nuances between Quality review and Quality improvement. I found the practical tools and strategies to be very helpful and applicable to my practice.” The content of the training was thought to have been delivered in a practical, engaging way which allowed participants to come away from this training with the skills and confidence to lead QI work at their home campuses. One Program Manager who attended the session commented, “I was thinking that the application of the tools was not as complicated as I thought it would be. I was feeling confident that I could apply my learning to my work context.” Following this success, the E-QIP team headed to Ottawa where they delivered this training to a second group of enthusiastic providers who are already using QI tools with their teams!

E-QIP’s Foundations to Quality Improvement (QI) IDEAS program is a comprehensive, evidence-based quality improvement training program adapted for Ontario’s mental health and addiction service providers. This program introduces participants to key quality improvement concepts, knowledge of foundational methods of quality improvement and practical tools necessary to improve services, processes and outcomes. Participants complete this program ready to participate in and contribute to QI projects at their home agencies and institutions. E-QIP is pleased to offer this training to clinical, support and administrative staff/volunteers working in Ontario’s community mental health and addiction sector who are or would like to participate in QI projects and consider themselves at novice level or in need of a refresh. To find out more about this E-QIP offering, please contact Ash Koster, E-QIP Program Manager at akoster@ontario.cmha.ca

About E-QIP

The Excellence through Quality Improvement Project (E-QIP) is led by Addictions and Mental Health Ontario (AMHO) and Canadian Mental Health Association, (CMHA) Ontario Division, in close partnership with Health Quality Ontario (HQO), soon to be Ontario Health and the Provincial System Support Program (PSSP) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

The project aims to support organizations in strengthening their ability to realize this vision by:

  • Increasing the understanding and use of quality improvement methodologies in mental health and addiction care
  • Increasing data literacy (collecting, analyzing, using data)
  • Working towards improvement in key domains of quality and spreading promising practices
  • Supporting a culture of quality improvement learning and mentorship across the province

About CICMH:

The Centre for Innovation on Campus Mental health (CICMH) is a partnership project involving Colleges Ontario, the Council of Ontario Universities, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, the College Student Alliance and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division

CICMH is working with its partners and stakeholders to:

  1. Build the knowledge and skills of front-line staff and student leaders in post-secondary institutions to increase their capacity to address the mental health needs of students.
  2. Foster innovation in collaboration that promotes systemic responses in the post-secondary system to address the mental health needs of students.
  3. Develop strategic partnerships to leverage external knowledge, resources and relationships that address the needs the mental health needs of students.

CICMH’s stakeholders include Ontario’s post-secondary mental health service providers and partners, specifically, student services, counselling, accessibility, health, faculty, administration, student leaders and community partners.

To learn more about the Centre for Innovation on Campus Mental Health, click here!