The Essence of Life is a philosophy that the Integra family has adopted. It helps us think about life for Individuals with developmental disabilities in the same way we think about life for ourselves, our families, and our communities. It is about finding creative ways to break down barriers and help the people we support meet their own goals and realize their dreams.
Our vision is to embrace life, achieve dreams and celebrate our community together.
Your Story. Your Choice. Our Commitment.
We support a wide range of individuals through one or more services including Home Sharing (also called Shared Living), Host Agency arrangements, Respite, small residential group living, individualized day programs, Community Inclusion Programs, Self-Advocacy groups, Life Skills and employment opportunities. Our workforce includes independent contractors as well as salaried and hourly positions. Referrals to Integra are made by a CLBC facilitator and an assigned Quality Service Analyst, or an MCFD Resource Worker for youth. Referrals to Integra are checked against our acceptance criteria, and when we are unable to provide services, we liaise with similar agencies to discuss possible service delivery alternatives.
We are dedicated to preserving and enhancing informed choice for children and adults by providing services that maximize opportunities for living, working, learning, and recreating in the community. We invite you to get to know our dedicated assistants, leadership team, families, and community partners. They all play a vital role in ensuring that we continue to provide quality services in nurturing, positive, and productive settings.
Going forward, Integra hopes to provide after program services for families and others to bridge services between home and day program times. We are developing diversified community services to other citizens, and expanding employment opportunities as well much needed individualized services. We are committed to monitoring our scope of services annually and as needed to ensure we provide quality person centred practices, and to ensure balance between company goals and the needs of Persons Served.
We work together to help ensure the integrity of our services and the satisfaction and progress of those we serve. We focus on abilities, accessing the community, and social activities that develop interests and friendships. These are important for you and important to us. We use person-centred principles in all our work, as well as in our relationships with co-workers and community partners. We live by our mission and vision, The Essence of Life, adhere to our Code of Ethics, exceed requirements of our Accreditation with CARF and implement our own strategic and performance plans.
Our Standards
Our standards offer a clear vision and set of expectations, and they provide a blueprint for translating vision into action for the benefit of the people we serve. Our quality assurance processes track performance and help ensure alignment across all programs and services. These processes include:
- Internal Audits monitor program compliance with internal standards, external requirements, regulations and contract obligations.
- Risk Management and Incident Reporting identifies, evaluates and reduces the risks to which the individuals in our care could be exposed.
- Licensing and Accreditation Reviews support implementation of best practices; action plans for improvement; and compliance with standards.
- Quality of Care Reviews assesses services provided and individual outcomes.
- Orientation and Training provides resources, clinical experts, technical assistance and support for program operations.
- Systems Analysis, Design and Improvement assesses need, evaluates effectiveness, identifies areas for improvement, and provides technical assistance and resources for improvement.
Celebrating Diversity
Canada and British Columbia are diverse places, where people come from many different cultures, races, religions, ethnic backgrounds and places of origin, reflecting the full range of physical and intellectual abilities, sexual orientation, gender spectrum, and economic, social and psychological realities.
Integra welcomes and values this diversity. Some of the ways we do this are by including the perspectives of many people in our decision-making; hiring staff who reflect the diversity of the community; training staff, caregivers and volunteers in culturally competent service delivery; creating an organization that is free of discrimination and harassment; and ensuring equitable access to our services for all.
Integra is located and provides services on unceded Indigenous land belonging to the Coast Salish People of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and Cowichan Tribes. Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished or given up in any way. It is essential to the process of reconciliation that this truth be acknowledged and recognized.
Here at Integra, we are working towards better understanding how we can support Indigenous sovereignty as settlers on this land. Integra arises from and is a part of the settler colonial state and thus exists at the expense of the Indigenous people who have both moral and legal right to this land and to self governance. As an organization we therefore have an obligation to better understand how we can promote the work of decolonization.
Integra is located and provides services on unceded Indigenous land belonging to the Coast Salish People of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and Cowichan Tribes. Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished or given up in any way. It is essential to the process of reconciliation that this truth be acknowledged and recognized. Here at Integra, we are working towards better understanding how we can support Indigenous sovereignty as settlers on this land. As an organization we therefore have an obligation to better understand how we can promote the work of decolonization.
