The Federation, in association with CMHA-Ontario, is pleased to announce the launch of the CDS/ MIS Agency Partner Support Project. This project is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.   The CDS/MIS Agency Partner Support Project for the Addiction and Mental Health sector will attempt to equip community agencies with supports to collect, collate, and communicate client and agency information at levels required to meet CDS/MIS requirements and ensuring confidentiality.   The expectations of the project are the following:

• To provide 1:1 implementation user support for CDS/MIS using pre-selected community mental health and addiction transfer payment agencies across the province.
• Agency partners will be identified and selected through the Ministry’s CDS and MIS implementation projects and the Federation and CMHA-Ontario. Partners will have successfully completed implementation of both CDS and MIS reporting requirements (MIS only for Addictions agencies), and have demonstrated the ability to support other agencies within the identified geographic area.

 Any agency wishing to be considered for the role of an agency partner, acting as a mentor for other agencies in their region, should review the criteria for selection following this message and posted on the Federations web site before indicating their interest to the Federation.   Please e-mail a notice of your interest in becoming an Agency Partner for mentoring and outline how you meet the criteria to sue.carr@ofcmhap.on.ca no later than February 20, 2006.   There are limited support funds available to compensate for staff time provided to the project and limited travel funds available to attend training sessions for mentors, or when support by phone / e-mail is insufficient necessitating a site visit by the mentoring agency. Agencies partners will receive training through the Ministry’s CDS/MIS Education coordinator and through regular teleconferences.   Questions related to this project can be directed to Sue Carr at sue.carr@ofcmhap.on.ca or 416-490-8900 x23.   Yours truly,     David Kelly, Executive Director      Criteria for Agency Partners Selection for MIS mentoring:

•  Agency will have attended MIS training session(s).
• Agency will have successfully completed Budget submission, Q2 submission (budget/actuals), Trial Balance submission.
• Financial/statistical data reflects the FC’s agency receives funding for.
• Agency submissions complete – all applicable elements of worksheets and forms.
• Agency rep interested in MIS implementation and supporting others with implementation. Positive attitude about MIS.
• Agency rep has communication skills/ technical expertise required to support others.
• Agency rep available to commit time required.

 Give Priority to Agencies:

•  Who have submitted semi-annual reporting for SE/ACCORD funding.
• Who are reporting most of the statistical elements.
• Who can commit to membership on the Advisory Committee/Training Work Group.
• Who will provide coverage for the range of functional centres. 

 Criteria for Agency Partners Selected for CDS Mentoring: 

•  Agency will have attended CDS training session(s).
• Agency will have successfully completed data submission, more than once, but at least once.
• Agency submission will be accurate, submission file named properly, steps completed successfully.
• Agency data submitted reflects the FC’s agency receives funding for.
• Agency reports on all mandatory elements for relevant FC’s.
• Agency rep interested in CDS implementation and supporting others with implementation. Positive attitude about CDS/data collection.
• Agency rep has communication skills/ technical expertise required to support others.
• Agency rep available to commit time required. 

Give Priority to Agencies:

• Who have submitted semi-annual reporting for SE/ACCORD funding.
• Who are reporting optional elements, submitting cohort and baseline vs current data.
• Who can commit to membership on the Advisory Committee/Training Work Group.
• Who will provide coverage for the range of functional centres.