Accreditation Canada, a national organization that supports and assesses good practices in health and social services establishments, conducted an on-site survey of Portage’s centres and administrative offices in late October 2021 to assess the quality of our services. We are proud to announce that subsequent to the survey, Portage was accredited with exemplary standing!

Ongoing Quality Improvement

The accreditation process is based on the ongoing improvement of services in terms of both quality and safety. Portage was first accredited in the early 2000s and has since renewed its accreditation every four years... The assessment is based on an examination of facilities, a documentary review, an evaluation of the organization’s policies and procedures, testimonials by clients and families, the well-being of staff and cooperation with the organization’s partners.

Outstanding Results

At this year’s on-site survey, Portage distinguished itself by meeting 99.6 % of 555 assessment criteria and demonstrating compliance with all required organizational practices: ʺThe organization attained the highest possible level of results and has demonstrated excellence in its compliance with the accreditation program requirements. ʺ Several specific features drew the attention of the Accreditation Canada survey team, including the importance Portage affords to its partnership with clients and their families, a feature our organization is very proud of: ʺPortage developed its services on the therapeutic community model involving a partnership between the patient (client) and their family for each of the steps in their flow and the development of their skills. This model is specific to Portage and is constantly evolving with the development of new evidence-based practices while consolidating the clinical expertise of health care professionals. ʺ

The Accreditation Canada team representatives participated in the 5-day evaluation of 9 sites. They also unanimously highlighted the quality of the organization’s management and the involvement of its numerous partners: ʺ(…) support from senior management, the Board of Director’s standing committees, as well as their leadership committed to patient and client safety, are components that contribute to methodical and rigorous activities based on Portage’s intervention philosophy. ʺ

The team also highlighted Portage’s ability to adapt in spite of the challenges caused by the pandemic and to maintain its service offering while continuing to improve many of its practices. As stated in Accreditation Canada’s report, ʺthe organization was able to maintain its service offering, while meeting the safety standards required by the public health departments of the provinces served. In this regard, we should point out the work by the employees and management who quickly reorganized the service offering, while ensuring client safety.ʺ

Portage is extremely proud to have been accredited with exemplary standing. This achievement was made possible by the dedication and professionalism of its staff, the commitment of its partners and the courage and perseverance of its clients and their families. It is thanks to them that Portage has maintained and improved the quality of its services for nearly 50 years.