Quality standards homepage Live-in treatment quality standard
The levels of care quality standard supports agencies in developing, implementing and sustaining levels of care models that meet their unique needs and will lead to the best possible care outcomes for children, young people and caregivers.
Everyone has unique strengths and challenges, which means their care needs are unique too. Different types of care require different resources. A levels of care approach organizes care from least to most intensive and matches each person with the right level of care based on their current needs and goals. As those needs change and evolve, the level of care can adjust accordingly. This approach ensures children, young people and caregivers receive the right care at the right time all while supporting the efficient use of available resources.
Read and download our Levels of care quality standard
Supporting implementation helps ensure that the levels of care quality standard is more than just words on a page. Implementation allows us to bring the quality standard to life. Our implementation supports and resources are designed to help you action the standard in your unique context and community. Explore our available resources below and reach out to our standards team if you have questions or need additional support!
A guide to implementing the Levels of care quality standard |
This guide is designed to help Ontario’s child and youth mental health and addictions agencies implement of the Levels of care quality standard. Based on the Knowledge Institute’s common and flexible “Plan, Do, Sustain” approach, this guide is meant to help agencies spot what’s working, find what needs work, and action improvements in line with the quality standard to enhance care for children, young people, families and caregivers. |
Measurement guide for quality standards |
When implementing a quality standard, measurement can help you track progress, assess the effectiveness of changes, and make data-driven adjustments. This measurement guide can be applied to all quality standards produced by the Knowledge Institute. It provides information for measuring quality standards, including choosing, using, and effectively applying indicators. Whether you are just starting or refining your approach, this guide is your go-to resource for building a meaningful measurement plan that meets your needs. |
Informational one-pager |
This one-pager introduces the Levels of care quality standard by explaining what it is, why it matters, and how it can support better care for children, young people and their caregivers. It covers key definitions, the purpose and scope of the standard, includes a quick reference on the 10 levels of care core principles and points you towards helpful implementation tools to get you started. |
Service mapping: Implementing the Levels of care quality standard |
This tool helps agencies understand the continuum of care within their organization or community. It guides agencies to map available services, including how they connect and overlap, and where gaps exist. The tool supports more coordinated and effective care and informs the implementation of the Levels of Care quality standard by offering a clear picture of the current state. This helps guide planning, align services, and ensure young people receive the highest quality of care, when and where they need it. |
While developing our levels of care quality standard, we also took a close look at the process we follow to create standards at the Knowledge Institute. We learn and get better each time we create a new one. By regularly reviewing our standard development process, we ensure our standards are clear, meaningful, and practical for everyone who uses them.
Once a quality standard is released and begins to be used in practice, we look at how it’s being implemented and what kind of impact it’s having. If your organization is using our levels of care standard and you're interested in learning more about how to evaluate its use and outcomes, please send us an email and a member of our standards team will connect with you!