The E-QIP Community of Practice (CoP) is a network for mental health and addiction (MHA) professionals in Ontario to connect, share knowledge, and explore quality improvement (QI) best practices. Running from October to June each year, the CoP brings members together through monthly meetings to learn from experts and peers in a collaborative environment.
As a community, CoP members work to enhance care in Ontario’s MHA sector by sharing practical insights, improving service delivery, driving better outcomes, and strengthening data-informed decision-making.
Interested in becoming a CoP Member? CLICK HERE to register today!
CoP Member Benefits
- Connect, share, and learn about QI, key priorities, and emerging issues in Ontario’s MHA sector
- Network with like-minded leaders dedicated to delivering high-quality care
- Stay informed about upcoming E-QIP events and resources
Check out our FY 25/26 schedule of topics below!
October 10, 2025 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Aaron Carubba, Wayside House of Hamilton
Aaron Carubba is the Quality Assurance & Data Management Lead at Wayside House of Hamilton. He applies a background in social service work and experimental design to rigorous, data-driven QI projects that improve the bed-based service experience.
Description:
Measurement-Based Care centers service delivery around client-reported outcomes and experiences. In this session, we’ll discuss how Wayside House of Hamilton has integrated MBC into its bed-based addictions treatment program, with a focus on systems design and staff onboarding.
November 14, 2025 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Margaret Penca, CMHA Niagara
Description:
In this session, we’ll be exploring the Collective Impact framework—a powerful approach for driving change. Together, we’ll look at how to measure collective impact in action and dive into a real-world case example from CMHA Niagara.
Come ready to learn, share, and spark new ideas for how collaboration can strengthen MHA care across Ontario.
December 12, 2025 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Katherine Roos, A-Way Express
Description:
In this session we’ll hear from A-Way as they share their experience of building a culture of QI on a shoestring!
Specific topics of discussion will include identifying and selecting meaningful metrics, relationship building and how they remained agile throughout their process.
Come ready to take away practical insights you can apply in your own work!
January 9, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speakers:
Leah Willemse & Andy Menelaws, CMHA Lambton Kent
Leah Willemse has worked in community-based healthcare for 18 years and has held an integrated role with a Community Health Centre and CMHA Lambton Kent since 2023. In this position, she contributes to quality improvement initiatives and has played a key role in supporting the rollout of the Recovery College. Leah brings a systems-focused, collaborative approach to her work, with a strong commitment to enhancing care, learning, and continuous improvement across services.
Andy Menelaws is a Housing Manager at CMHA Lambton Kent with 19 years of dedicated service supporting mental health and housing stability in the community. He also manages the Lambton Mental Wellness Centre and played a key role in launching the Recovery College in 2023, expanding opportunities for education, empowerment, and recovery-focused care. Originally from Scotland, Andy brings a collaborative, people-centered approach to leadership, with a strong commitment to innovation, inclusion, and community wellbeing.
Ben Swietek & Miranda Weingartner, CMHA North Bay and District
Ben Swietek was born and raised in Northern Ontario and hold a Bachelor’s Degree from Nipissing University.
Ben has nearly 10 years experience in the mental health field I has held a few different positions. Ben started his career with People for Equal Partnership in Mental Health as a Peer Support Worker before moving onto CMHA and holding roles as a Housing Support Worker and Crisis Call Diversion Worker. Currently at CMHA Ben is a Brief Intervention Case Manager.
Outside of work Ben enjoys spending time with his wife and cat, playing Dungeons and Dragons and faithfully watching his perpetually disappointing sports teams.
Miranda Weingartner is a passionate advocate for quality improvement and data-driven decision-making. Her QI journey began in 2011 in Primary Care, where she completed IDEAS training and QI coaching. Since then, Miranda has led impactful initiatives, including implementing Best Practice Guidelines for Early Intervention in Intimate Partner Violence and helping reduce client wait times from five weeks to just seven days. Today, as Manager of IT & Decision Support at CMHA North Bay and District, she combines her expertise in technology, analytics, and QI to drive system performance and innovation in mental health care.
Her mission is simple: use evidence, innovation, and teamwork to make mental health care more accessible, effective, and equitable.
Description:
In this session, we’ll hear how past E-QIP alumni CMHA Lambton Kent and CMHA North Bay and District applied lessons learned from their participation in E-QIP’s project coaching to successfully launch new initiatives built on participant co-design.
Specifically, we’ll explore how these organizations used measures to guide their work, the challenges they faced along the way, and the strategies that helped them move forward.
Come ready to gain practical insights you can bring back to your own organization!
February 13, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speakers:
Naushaba Degani, CMHA Ontario
Francesco Sijinardo, Reconnect
Marvin Weeks, Reconnect
Description:
Target setting is a key step in quality improvement—it helps teams stay focused, measure progress, and celebrate success. In this session, E-QIP co-lead Naushaba Degani with Francesco Sijinardo and Marvin Weeks of Reconnect will discuss practical strategies for setting meaningful, realistic targets that motivate teams and drive lasting change in mental health and addictions care.
March 13, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Alessandro Motta, Renascent Fellowship
Description:
This CoP session is all about practical approaches to strengthening data literacy.
Specifically, we’ll hear from one organization as they share their journey of leveraging data visualization tools to support better decision-making. Together, we’ll also unpack common barriers—like workflows and documentation practices—and explore strategies to overcome them.
April 10, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Benjamin Bongolan, CMHA Ontario
Ben is the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism Lead at CMHA Ontario. Prior to this role he was the Lead Researcher, Inclusive Cities at Monumental Projects. He is a PhD student in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto and holds a Master in Environmental Studies from York University. He was named a 2018 DiverseCity Fellow with the CivicAction Leadership Foundation and a 2021 Leading Social Justice Fellow with the School of Cities.
Description:
“Developing an Equitable Engagement Strategy” will provide an overview of how organizations and businesses can develop engagement strategies that are reflective and responsive to diverse community needs.
Participants will explore why meaningful engagement is critical to building trust, improving service outcomes, and fostering inclusive environments that reflect the lived realities of the communities they serve.
The session will highlight best practices and case studies rooted in social justice education, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, and equity-based placemaking, demonstrating how inclusive engagement can lead to more innovative, strategic, and sustainable organizational impact.
May 8, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speakers:
Mallika Chauhan, CMHA Simcoe County
Miae Kim, CMHA Simcoe County
Description:
In this session, we’ll explore practical ways to build and sustain a strong culture of quality improvement (QI) across your organization. You’ll be introduced to Quality Talk with Mallika—a monthly drop-in session that creates space for open dialogue with staff as well as the launch of Foundations in QI, a homegrown curriculum designed to support staff learning.
We’ll also reflect on real-world change management experiences and lessons learned, and discuss what it takes to embed QI as a lasting organizational priority.
Come ready to gather ideas, share your own experiences, and spark inspiration for strengthening QI culture in your workplace.
June 12, 2026 | 10:00-11:00 AM EST
Speaker:
Frank Sirotich, CMHA Toronto
Description:
In this session, we’ll explore how the Ontario Common Assessment of Need (OCAN) can be used as a powerful tool for performance measurement and service planning.
Together, we’ll walk through how the Ontario-modified Met Need Index is calculated and discuss how OCAN data can be applied to track outcomes, inform service improvements, and support decision-making.
Need more information? Email us at quality@e-qip.ca