Staff Recruitment
Christian Horizons selects staff through multiple interviews, a Criminal Reference Check and satisfactory employment, education and character references. Successful work candidates are selected based on the following criteria:

• A commitment to personal conduct and lifestyle consistent with the values and principles of Christian Horizons. Skills and aptitudes to perform the duties required.
• Education and experience consistent with the job description and legislative requirements governing the posted position.
• Satisfactory interview scores.
• Satisfactory employment references.
• Medically able to perform the duties of the position.
• A satisfactory Criminal Reference Check.

Staff Training
Our staff training is an essential part of maintaining the highest quality of
services. Our staff receive extensive orientation on the job as well as training on:

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (CPI),
• Emergency First Aid/CPR,
• Driver Improvement,
• Fire Safety,
• Reducing the Risk of Abuse,
• Person Centered Support.

How Do We Ensure Quality?
Christian Horizons is committed to ensuring high quality services and supports. Some of the measures taken to ensure quality include:

• Ongoing Training
  Christian Horizons is committed to the ongoing training of all staff to ensure that support staff and managers are appropriately equipped to meet the challenges in their respective roles.
• Strong Leadership Program
  Managers are assigned to each program to oversee the coordination and delivery of services. This includes incident management and the implementation of interventions and communication with all parties.
• Documentation
  Each program is accountable for planning and monitoring supports and providing appropriate support documentation such as:
  • Personal Plans,
  • Medical documentation,
  • Financial journals,
  • Ongoing documentation of support issues and progress on personal goals,
  • Incident reports for exceptional circumstances,
  • Behavioral data collection, and
  • Communication with concerned partied, etc.
  
  Christian Horizons provides documentation training for all support staff to ensure quality documentation. We have also developed a standardized record management system to ensure that information is accessible:
• Annual Program Reviews
  These reviews are completed by residential and SIL programs and are sent to District Teams. The information from these reviews is used to monitor compliance with current Ministry standards, the Developmental Services Act and Christian Horizons policies and procedures.
• Annual Evaluations
  Each year the Operations Department oversees some form(s) of annual evaluation, which focuses on issues of compliance to standards, quality of services and/or consumer satisfaction. The subject of these reviews may differ from year to year. Findings from these reviews are summarized and presented to all levels of leadership in the organization.
• Program Assessments
  Each year 30% of programs are involved in our internal program assessment system. This involves having an evaluator come into the program to do a complete program assessment. The assessment covers items related to compliance and to contributing to high quality services and supports. This includes things related to supports, the physical property, and documentation. The information gathered from these assessments is summarized and is used by the Program, District Team and Corporate office to identify areas requiring additional attention.
• Local Ethical Review Teams
  Ethical Review Teams monitor the use of intrusive therapies including Psychotropic Medications and behavioural interventions. These teams have representation from outside Christian Horizons including community members and a consulting psychologist/psychiatrist. Their mandate is to review intrusive therapies and provide written feedback as to whether support strategies are appropriate and justifiable.
• Compliance with Government Standards
  Christian Horizons maintains compliance with municipal and provincial standards and regularly participates in licensing reviews conducted by the Ministry of Community and Social Services, the Children’s Aid Society and local city authorities.

How Do We Ensure the Rights of Individuals?
All people have rights. It is important for us to know them and protect them. With every right there also come responsibilities. You can’t have one without the other. For example¹:

• You have the right to make choices and decisions. You have the responsibility to understand what can happen when you make choices or decisions. This includes listening to others, trying to stay safe and asking for help when it’s needed.
• You have the right to be treated fairly and to be respected. You have the responsibility to respect others and to treat others fairly. This may include not being rude to others, not hurting or harming others, not laughing or making fun of others.
• You have the right to have/use your possessions. You have the responsibility to take care of them, use them responsibly and not infringe on the rights of others with them.
• You have the right to decide how to spend your money. You have the responsibility to budget your money appropriately to cover your expenses and to be a wise shopper.
• You have the right to privacy. This includes the right to be heard in private, or in the presence of others, regarding complaints or concerns surrounding any areas of life. This also includes having a private place for yourself. You have the responsibility to speak truthfully and to not harm yourself or others.

Christian Horizons acknowledges the rights of individuals and the importance of knowing and protecting them. Each person we support is informed of his/her rights upon admission and every six months following. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your rights and/or the rights of your family member, please contact the Program Manager.

¹Some of the examples included are taken from “3 Rs (Rights, Respect and Responsibility): Training for Individuals in Agencies Supporting Persons who have Intellectual Disabilities,” Community Living – Welland/Pelham.

How Are Finances Managed?
If your family member is supported in a residential program and is receiving 24 hr supports, staff will be required to maintain monthly financial journals to track your family member’s finances. When people require minimal supports around finances, tracking methods may vary and will be negotiated with the person supported and/or their network of support. Generally, each person supported works with their support network to develop a personal budget at the same time as their Personal Plan. This annual budget should be set up with goals and dreams in mind.

We encourage you to discuss with the program team how you can review your family member’s finances regularly (e.g., monthly, quarterly, annually).

If you have any concerns or questions regarding finances, please contact the Program Manager.

Who Should I Talk To When I Have Concerns?
If you have any concerns regarding service issues, your first point of contact is with the staff team and the Program Manager. We trust that most situations can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction at this level. The best person to resolve issues related to direct care issues is the Program Manager. It is their role to work with you to ensure that your family member/designate receives the best possible support. Be sure to indicate your preferred method of communication and the best time and ways to follow up with you.

We trust that most situations can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction at this local level: however, if you feel that the Program Manager is not adequately addressing concerns, you may contact the Area Manager by calling your district office. Additional people within Christian Horizons will become involved to resolve issues as required.

At any time during this process, you may seek additional support from a third party to support you in resolving the situation (e.g., friend, pastor, external facilitator). In a case of unresolved dispute, Christian Horizons’ Board of Directors, by law, has the final word governing the Christian Horizons programs.

How Can I Get More Involved?
Volunteer

Christian Horizons accepts and encourages the involvement of volunteers at all levels of the organization. For example, Christian Horizons puts on major events throughout the year that require a large number of volunteers to be successful and to generate additional funds for the agency. These types of events can be fun and enjoyable and are good ways to volunteer in social, community and/or church settings.

Volunteer opportunities are also available within our programs such as one-on-one activities with a person supported, group activities, helping with special events, completing maintenance tasks, and providing music and worship opportunities. In order to maintain safety in our programs, all candidates wanting to volunteer in our programs are required to go through screening, orientation, and training processes appropriate to their involvement.

If you are interested in learning more please contact your District Office.