Membership
CHHA MEMBER BENEFITS
Join Supervisors/Managers/Directors of HSK/EVS in Hospitals and LTC Facilities in Canada.
CHHA Member Benefits
There are several benefits of becoming a Member of the Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA), formerly the Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers Association Inc. (OHHA) circa 1957. The CHHA is the only Canadian Professional Association representing the HSK/EVS profession in healthcare.
Our members represent the Supervisors/Managers/Directors of HSK/EVS in Hospitals and LTC Facilities. We also have Members representing Medical Clinics, Contract Cleaners, and Missions to name a few.
Membership with CHHA provides you with current information from the Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee (PIDAC), Public Health Ontario (PHO), Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), Ontario Long-Term Care Association (OLTCA), International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Employment/Labour Lawyers, and Health Canada.
PHO extends invitations regularly to join the IPAC Environmental Group Forum.
Membership with CHHA provides discounted fees for most CHHA course offerings, and rate discounts for our Annual Conference and Educational sessions. Additional course savings are offered to members during Housekeeping/EVS Appreciation Week in September each year.
Our Resource Page offers generic printable templates for items such as Isolation Terminal Clean for a Washroom, High Touch Checklist and so much more. Past editions of our quarterly Newsletter can be found here too.
Our Member Assistance Program (MAP) is a conduit to get you the answers or resources required, from your peers, or our Education Committee to help you with your day-to-day tasks as a leader in the profession.
Our Affiliate Partners offer the latest trends in products, equipment, and services, and some offer CHHA Members discounted pricing.
OHHA, now CHHA, merged with the ISSA in October 2020. In addition to the many benefits identified above, membership with CHHA provides discounted pricing on any ISSA course offerings and trade shows.
Annual Rate = $105/Yr
Affiliate CHHA Membership
The Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA), A Division of ISSA, offers a variety of benefits for its Affiliate Members.
These include access to information from several Canadian healthcare and public health organizations, discounted fees for CHHA courses, reduced rates for annual conference accommodations, booth space, and advertising in the Housekeeping Professional Today Newsletter.
Affiliate Members also have access to our resource page with templates and past newsletters, and our Member Assistance Program for peer support.
Your logo will be displayed on our site, with a link to your site and Affiliates can share new product/service information with our members.
For more information contact executivedirector@healthcarehousekeeper.org
Annual Rate = $300/Yr
Professional Healthcare Housekeeper Certification
The Professional Healthcare Housekeepers’ Certificate Program (PHH) offered by the Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA) is a prestigious certification recognizing expertise and professionalism in healthcare housekeeping/environmental services.
Benefits of obtaining this certification include:
Enhanced Credibility: The PHH certification is a testament to your dedication and proficiency in healthcare housekeeping/environmental services, recognizing your professional standing in the industry.
Career Advancement: This certification can open doors to higher-level positions and opportunities within healthcare facilities, as it demonstrates a comprehensive understanding and experience in the field.
To find out if you meet the criteria for obtaining PHH Certification, go to: https://secure.healthcarehousekeeper.org/phh/
CHHA Member Assistance Program (MAP)
Member Assistance Program (MAP) is just that, a program to assist our Members. This is a Member Service for “Members Only” and you must be a paid Member in “Good Standing” and login to participate in MAP.
MAP was developed to assist our Members in their day to day tasks, find out what your peers are doing at other facilities within Canada. Do you need a policy for a new procedure, do you want to know who cleans up blood spills at other facilities, what products other facilities are using. MAP is here to help you.
Post your question on the MAP page, it will automatically get sent to all paid Members in “Good Standing” and they will have the opportunity to login and post their feedback, how cool is that!
MAP will save you time, generate some great discussions, solve many challenges you are faced with on a daily basis, help you and your fellow Members.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller
Working with CHHA has been a successful experience for City School by Mohawk and very beneficial for students participating in our Skills Advance Ontario programming. The certificate gained by students is highly sought after by employers. Due to completing the course and achieving the certificate, some students had successfully obtained employment in long term care before they even went on placement. The course reinforces the value of housekeeping in the healthcare sector.
Mohawk College
As a medium sized supplier to the healthcare industry, I find tremendous value in being a member of the CHHA.
The unique offering of the CHHA is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of what a professional organization can offer to its membership. The benefits and opportunities available through being a member are the greatest ways to ensure the continuation of best practices and the highest standards in our industry.
Intersteam Technologies
The CHHA Environmental Services Leadership Program was exactly the course I needed as a new EVS manager. The course allowed me to work at my own pace, and provided me with fundamental information, resources, and a strong knowledge base to be able to confidently lead my team.
I would highly recommend this program for anyone in an EVS leadership role.
Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre
What are PIDAC best practices?
PIDAC best practices are based on the assumption that healthcare settings already have basic infection prevention and control systems and programs in place and work with organizations that have infection prevention and control expertise, such as academic health science centres, IPAC Regional Support Teams with Public Health Ontario, public health units that have professional staff certified in infection prevention and control and local infection prevention and control associations.
The cleaning practices set out in the PIDAC document must be followed in all settings where patient care is provided, with the exception of cleaning of the client’s home during scheduled homecare visits. This includes settings where emergency (including pre-hospital) care is provided (e.g., ambulances, patient transfer vehicles), hospitals, complex continuing care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care homes, mental health facilities, outpatient clinics, community health centers, public health clinics, physician offices, dental offices, and offices of other health professionals.
In addition to the general assumption (above) about basic infection prevention and control, these best practices are based on the following additional assumptions and principles:
- Best practices to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases are routinely implemented in all healthcare settings, including PIDAC’s Routine Practices and Additional Precautions in All Healthcare Settings.
- Adequate resources are devoted to infection prevention and control in all healthcare settings.
- Programs are in place in all healthcare settings that promote good hand hygiene practices and ensure adherence to standards for hand hygiene.
- Programs are in place in all healthcare settings that ensure effective disinfection and sterilization of used medical equipment according to PIDAC’s Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization in All Health Care Settings.
- Regular education (including orientation and continuing education) and support is provided in all healthcare settings to help staff consistently implement appropriate infection prevention and control practices.
- Effective education programs emphasize:
- The risks associated with infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infection and gastroenteritis.
- Hand hygiene, including the use of alcohol-based hand rubs and hand washing.
- Principles and components of Routine Practices as well as additional transmission-based precautions (Additional Precautions).
- Assessment of the risk of infection transmission and the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, including safe application, removal, and disposal.
- Appropriate cleaning and/or disinfection of healthcare equipment, supplies and surfaces or items in the healthcare environment.
- Individual staff members have a responsibility for keeping patients, themselves, and co-workers safe.
Collaboration between professionals involved in infection prevention and control and occupational health and safety.
Education programs should be flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of the range of healthcare providers and other staff who work in the healthcare setting.
- Collaboration between professionals involved in occupational health and safety and infection prevention and control is promoted in all healthcare settings, to implement and maintain appropriate infection prevention and control standards that protect workers.
- There are effective working relationships between the healthcare setting and local public health. Clear lines of communication are maintained and public health is contacted for information and advice as required and the obligations to report reportable and communicable diseases is fulfilled. Public health provides regular aggregate reports of outbreaks of reportable diseases in facilities and/ or in the community to all healthcare settings. Access to ongoing infection prevention and control advice and guidance to support staff and resolve differences are available to the healthcare setting.
- There are established procedures for receiving and responding appropriately to all international, national, regional, and local health advisories in all healthcare settings. Health advisories are communicated promptly to all affected staff (e.g., those responsible for reprocessing medical equipment/devices) and regular updates are provided. Current advisories are available from local public health units, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Canada, and Public Health Agency of Canada websites and local regional IPAC networks.
- Where applicable, there is a process for evaluating personal protective equipment in the health care setting, to ensure it meets quality standards.
- There is regular assessment of the effectiveness of the infection prevention and control program and its impact on practices in the healthcare setting. The information is used to further refine the program.
Have a question you would like to ask?
We are available to answer any questions you may have and encourage you to contact us through email or phone at your convenience.
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