Quality Improvement (QI) Coach

About this position

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a provincial association, committed to improving services and support for individuals living with mental illnesses and addictions issues, and to the promotion of mental health in Ontario.

The Quality Improvement and System Performance team provides quality improvement and measurement support to CMHA branches and to the community MHA sector. The main initiative that this role will support is the Excellence through Quality Improvement Project (E-QIP), which supports quality improvement culture and measurement capacity within the community mental health and addiction sector. It is a partnership between CMHA Ontario, Addictions and Mental Health Ontario (AMHO), and the Provincial System Support Program (PSSP) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The program is funded and delivered in collaboration with the Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence at Ontario Health.

Job Summary:

­­­­­­CMHA Ontario is seeking a Quality Improvement (QI) Coach for a full-time, temporary position, starting immediately and ending on March 31, 2024, with possibility for extension.

Reporting to the Director of Quality Improvement and System Performance, QI Coaches provide project and organizational support related to QI models/frameworks (for example, the Model for Improvement), practices, methods, tools, change ideas, and policies to the community mental health and addiction (MHA) sector, CMHA branches, and CMHA Ontario. QI Coaches also work with community MHA agencies to build their measurement and data analytic capacity, specifically for the purposes of quality improvement. Activities include assessment of data, using data to identify gaps in quality, development of measurement plans and process and outcome indicators, analysis of results, and linking local and system measurement.

QI Coaches play an important role in creating connections and alignments across projects and organizations, managing multiple projects simultaneously, and leading knowledge transfer activities.

Core Responsibilities:

CMHA Ontario and Branches:

• Communicate the vision for QI and data quality
• Support CMHA Ontario and CMHA branches in building QI capacity
• Chair (or co-chair) the Accreditation Community of Practice
• Attend monthly (approximately) Clinical Leads and Quality Leads meetings
• Deliver QI content to CMHA branches and CMHA Ontario through learning events (virtually and in person)
• Provide QI coaching and subject matter expertise to CMHA branches and CMHA Ontario as needed
• Provide customized supports for QI and measurement based on the QI skills and needs of teams

E-QIP:

• Provide QI and measurement coaching to MHA providers through a range of E-QIP offerings
• Serve as knowledge broker by connecting MHA providers and organizations to best practices, resources, and tools
• Facilitate problem-solving and assist in developing QI knowledge and skills
• Guide and advise organizations on measurement for QI including assessing data, developing indicators, and analysing results
• Support and participate in curriculum development and program planning
• Facilitate adoption and implementation of best practices
• Support organizational leaders in change management
• Support QI projects/initiatives via online QI collaborative platform
• Ongoing assessment of organizational QI implementation status

Note: This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required by the incumbent. The incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required.

Skills & Experience:

• Graduate degree in health quality improvement, health system performance, public health, epidemiology, statistics, information management, or a related field OR a minimum of 3 years’ experience in quality improvement, decision support, or accreditation
• Work experience in the mental health and addiction sector, or broader community and social services sector OR advanced knowledge of the mental health and addiction sector, specifically issues relating to people living with mental health and addiction conditions
• Experience leading accreditation in a community agency OR experience as an accreditation surveyor
• Familiarity with common data collection tools in the mental health and addiction sector
• Familiarity with provincial directions in health care policy and reform, QI, and applicable legislation in Ontario
• Familiarity with current QI literature, methodology, and practices (e.g., Quadruple Aim)
• Familiarity with key concepts and measurement of health equity and social determinants of health
• Experience managing projects and managing multiple tasks within established timelines in a team environment
• Ability to work effectively in a wide range of settings with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Strong teaching and group facilitation skills
• Superior communications skills
• Bilingualism (French/English) is an asset

Behavioural Competencies:

• Interpersonal Communication
• Flexibility
• Teaching and Group Facilitation
• Time Management
• Organizational Commitment

Working Conditions:

This is a full-time, temporary (contract) position working standard office hours (35 hours/week). Our office is based in Toronto, Ontario but this position may be performed virtually from Eastern or Central Ontario. Travel within Ontario will be required. (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleagues are working primarily virtually and work travel is limited.)

This position is also a desk job with extended periods of sitting, reading, telephone/virtual interaction, and working at the computer. This position involves some moderate lifting, shipping, and handling. Attendance at various meetings throughout the workday/workweek will be required; meetings may occur on short notice, depending on the circumstances.

As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to maintain and submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination.

This position is within the OPSEU Bargaining Unit.

To Apply:

We welcome and encourage applications from all individuals with relevant experience, people with disabilities, including people with lived experience of mental health and addictions issues and their family members. Accommodations at all stages of the selection process are available on request.

Please submit a cover letter and resume online only by 11:59pm on June 23, 2022. We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest. Due to the high number of applications we typically receive, we will only contact candidates selected for an interview.