CMHA Peterborough Branch Strategic Plan 2007 - 2010

CMHA Peterborough Branch
Strategic Plan 2007 - 2010

In 2006 the Peterborough Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA Peterborough) completed a strategic planning project to review its priorities and establish future goals for the agency. The plan was developed with input from the organization's key stakeholder groups including Board members, consumers, staff and external agencies.

Planning steps carried out at the time were the following:

Members of the Board of Directors established project terms of reference and selected an external planning consultant to help facilitate the process. A work plan was approved in December 2005.
An "environmental scanning" phase involving a document review and interviews with partner agencies, funders and other key stakeholders was carried out in February and March of 2006.
In early April members of the Board and Senior Management Team participated in a strategic planning retreat. They reviewed the data from the environmental scan and developed preliminary drafts of a revised vision, mission and strategic goals.
A discussion paper describing the emerging strategic plan and containing specific focus questions was distributed to the agency's internal and external stakeholder groups. Eight different groups and individuals completed response forms offering further input to the plan. In addition, three focus group sessions were conducted in May to directly solicit feedback, attended by a total of 53 staff members and more than 30 consumers.
Members of the CMHA Peterborough Management Team met on June 7, 2006 to refine the strategic goals and prepare detailed implementation plans. The strategic plan was approved by the Board on June 21, 2006 and presented at the Annual General Meeting on June 28, 2006.

On October 8, 2008 the Board and Management Team met to review the substantial progress made on achieving strategic goals, update the environmental scan and make revisions to the goals to reflect environmental changes, progress achieved and new requirements stemming from the introduction of the LHIN and the Accreditation process. This updated document reflects the changes made and will continue to guide the agency as it addresses the opportunities and challenges of the coming years.

Attached:

Environmental Context

Mission, Vision and Values

Strategic Goals

Revised October 2008

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT

The updated SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) appears below:

Strengths:	Dedicated staff Strong leadership role with progressive partnerships Continuum of mental health services across four counties Responsive to community needs Proactive, innovative, adaptable to change in response to needs Reputation in the community Focus on consumer and staff wellness Consumer orientation Positive internal culture Standardizing programs, policies and practices Positive relationships with funders
Weaknesses:	Space and facilities Staff recruitment and retention challenges Wage and benefits disparities with other organizations Low public awareness of mental health issues Staff and resources spread too thin Internal lateral communication between programs Ongoing funding and resource challenges Aging clients with unmet medical needs
Opportunities:	Well positioned for growth and new funding Meeting new needs Increased partnering Increased role for consumers Use of technology Community awareness/education MCSS transformation of developmental services New funding sources Working with Central East LHIN
Threats:	Impact of economic downturn Rising costs Impact of aging population Competition for fundraising Loss of experienced staff Safety issues Pressure on limited capacity, demand exceeding resources "Turf protection" among agencies

The SWOT analysis sets the context and provides the rationale for the strategic plan. Any strategic initiatives undertaken by CMHA Peterborough should build on strengths, rectify weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities and address threats.

MISSION, VISION AND VALUES

Mission

A mission statement should be a clear description of the purpose, mandate and "business" of an organization. The mission statement for CMHA Peterborough appears below:

The mission of CMHA Peterborough is to work with individuals, families and community partners in providing services to promote and enhance the mental health and wellness of those living within the communities we serve.

Vision

A vision statement describes the "preferred future state" of an organization and its stakeholders. CMHA Peterborough's vision statement is the following:

Our vision is of a community which values human dignity and is dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness for all.

In pursuing this vision, CMHA Peterborough will be a collaborative partner and leader in the delivery of effective and high quality innovative services that support mental wellness.

The mission and vision statements were revised in 2006 and affirmed by the Board and Management Team in 2008.

Values

Organizational values are formal statements of beliefs that guide an organization in its relationships with its stakeholders as it discharges its mission in pursuit of its vision. CMHA-Peterborough Branch will incorporate the following CMHA-Ontario values into its operating principles:

We value social justice. We believe that social justice includes a commitment to a basic sense of fairness, a respect for differences among people, and that every human being deserves an equal opportunity in life.

We value individual and collective responsibilities. We believe that both individuals and society as a whole share in the tasks of informing the public, eliminating causes of mental illness, and caring for those individuals who want or need care.

We value access to appropriate and adequate resources/supports. We believe that people require friendships and other natural supports. When formal supports are needed people should be able to choose the least intrusive option from a comprehensive range of appropriate mental health programs and services, without undue delay, and as close to their home community as possible.

We value self-determination. We respect differences among people and the right of every individual and community to make choices and decisions based on unique individual beliefs and community norms. Basic to this right of self-determination is the need of people to be involved in decisions that affect their lives.

We value community integration. Community integration of all people is an essential prerequisite to the development of healthy communities. We are committed to removing the barriers that prevent people, especially those with mental disorders, from fully participating in the life of the community.

We value integrity. We believe that our day-to-day work must be true to our shared values and beliefs, and dedicated to promoting public trust and a sense of confidence within the organization.

We value partnership. Partnership is dependent upon shared values and the cooperative efforts of all those working towards a responsible and accessible mental health system. One important partnership includes consumer/survivors, families, service providers and the community. We are committed to sharing, and view participation and partnership as essential to realizing our goals and objectives.

We value excellence. We are committed to developing and maintaining the highest possible standards of management and operation to ensure that programs and services meet the needs and expectations of the community.

We value accountability. We are guided by our shared mission, values, goals and objectives. As a publicly funded charitable organization we are committed to using our funds as efficiently and effectively as possible, and to being open to the highest standards of public scrutiny.

We value creativity. As an organization we must encourage innovative ideas and new ways of doing things that are responsive to changing attitudes and needs in the community as well as to ongoing organizational changes.

STRATEGIC GOALS

Clients

1.1  Develop strategies to identify and address gaps in services available for individuals over the age
       of 16.
1.2  Promote and build on effective strategies for ongoing communication with clients and potential
       clients.
1.3  Recognize and celebrate client achievements and successes.
1.4  Continue to consult clients and family members and incorporate their input into ongoing program
       development and delivery.
1.5  Establish and promote client safety, health and wellness.

Achievement of the client goals will facilitate earlier recovery and allow clients increased opportunities to be productive, contributing individuals in society.

Community

2.1  Increase awareness of mental health issues by the public, media, schools, employers and
       government.
2.2  Foster the community integration of those living with mental illness.
2.3  Support the development of roles for volunteers, members and corporate partners in organizational
       activities.

Achievement of the community goals will lead to reduced stigma, improved opportunities for people with mental illness and allow people to be better integrated into their community.

Leadership

3.1  To advance the Local Health System Integration Act by expanding new opportunities and enhancing
       existing collaborations and partnerships with community health service
       providers.
3.2  To engage in systemic advocacy at the local, provincial and federal levels to promote a
       client-centred integrated approach including mental health, addiction,
       primary health care, housing and employment.

Achievement of the leadership goals will result in more accessible and seamless delivery of services for clients and their families

Organizational Development

4.1  Operate as an effective and efficiently managed organization.
4.2  Focus on staff recruitment, retention and succession.
4.3  Secure capital funding to address our building occupancy needs in collaboration with community
       partners.
4.4  Support staff, consumers and other stakeholders during times of transition.
4.5  Manage risks in the organization.
4.6  Establish a framework to support Board, staff and volunteers in dealing with ethical dilemmas.

Achievement of the organizational development goals will ensure the organization is efficient, effective and positioned for ongoing growth and development.