Five Star Quality – In A Nutshell
BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES: Community Partners and People with Disabilities Creating 5 Star Quality Service
You can further explore Five Star Quality, its importance in community and what we can all do together to make it happen by reading the various essays and attachments under this “Inclusive Communities” Sidebar Heading. This page is intended to sum it all up in a nutshell.
What is Five Star Quality Service?
Derreck Dufresne and Mike Mayer of Community Resource Associates developed the concept of Five Star Quality Service (relative to delivery of disability services) and describe it as follows:
“Disability systems can only bring people to Three Star Quality. No matter what we do, no matter what kind of staff we have, if it is disability system-based, it cannot achieve more than Three Star Quality. Three Star Quality is good, Four Star Quality is better and Five Star Quality is great.
There is a line that delineates and differentiates level Four and level Five Star Quality. Four and Five Star Quality can only be defined by the community – not by the disability system. It is that line that distinguishes the journey that makes and helps people be better clients (Three Star) or allows people to practice citizenship (Five Star), their birthright. Citizenship is not anything that we bestow upon people with disabilities. They have it as a result of their birthright”.
Five Star Quality Chart
The Ability Center assists individuals with disabilities to achieve their goals and move from client to citizen status; from merely being in the community (Inclusion: Three Star, good) to being of the community (citizenship: Five Star, great). The Ability Center also provides technical assistance, disability awareness training and support to community organizations working to provide inclusive programs and services.
How Can I learn more about Five Star Quality Service?
Link to Derrick Dufresne’s Webpage and articles
Link to Al Condeluci’s Webpage, Articles and Books
How Do People with Disabilities Get Involved?
Contact us. The Ability Center is “consumer driven”. Creating “Five Star” Inclusive Communities begins with creating “Five Star” Inclusive Experiences. We need your direction as to where we first put our energy. If there is something in community you would like to do, for example, take an art class at the Museum, or visit the Zoo, or sign up at the YMCA/JCC, let us know and we can begin the process of making that happen.
If you are 25 or over, please contact Mark Armstrong, our Community Inclusion Manager, at the number above or via email at marmstrong@abilitycenter.org
If you are under 25, please contact Alison Ross, our Youth/Recreation Inclusion Coordinator, at the number above or via email at aross@abilitycenter.org
What Resources are Available to Community Organizations?
