Resources

Promoting Quality Through Leadership and Partnerships

James Gardner, Ph.D., President and CEO, The Council on Quality and Leadership

From the early 1970s to the early 1990s, The Council on Quality and Leadership published standards for organizations. Other accrediting organizations published, and continue to publish, standards for many different types of â€œprograms.â€ In 1993, however, The Council became the first national accreditation and quality improvement organization to measure quality as responsiveness to the individual rather than compliance with program standards and organizational process. In doing so, The Council recognized that the promotion of quality of life for people requires a vision beyond the boundaries of the organization.

In the past, the institution, the group home, or the day program served as the place and focus for service delivery. We worked hard to improve the quality of those services. But, today, the attention to quality of life requires that we look beyond our own services and supports and ask how we can leverage community resources for people. Quality of life requires the coordination of provider supports and services with those of families, friends, local governments, civic associations, and faith-based organizations. Quality of life requires an increase in the connections, networks, and circles of support for people. Measuring quality of life moves the focus from the organization to the individual and his or her level of interdependence with other formal and informal support and service providers. This results in two conclusions:

Organizations need to share knowledge, cooperate, and work in partnerships; and
Successful cooperation and partnerships require shared leadership.

These two conclusions apply to national leadership organizations in the field of disability and human services, including The Council on Quality and Leadership. The Council recognizes that it can best achieve its objectives by working with other organizations and individuals in coalitions. Moreover, The Council will provide benefits for its customers as it increases the connectedness and influence with other value-based organizations. The Council is striving to increase its partnership roles by playing a strong leadership role in some instances, while supporting others in leadership roles in other instances.

At the current time, The Council is engaged in five leadership and partnership initiatives:

Formation of the Developmental Disabilities Quality Coalition;
Convening of the National Wingspread Invitational Conference
Partnership with other national accrediting organizations and the American College of Mental Health Administrators in the development of quality indicators for behavioral health services;
Partnership with the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid, CMS (formally HCFA) to conduct the National Quality Review â€œlook- behindâ€ surveys of ICFs/MR; and
The National Center on Outcomes Resources.

While all these initiatives are different, the common theme is linked to a vision of improved quality of life for people with disabilities through shared leadership in coalition partnerships.