OWFR EDIA-R Toolkit
Communications Team Guide
How to use and administer the guided self-assessment and action planning toolkit on the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team website.
How to use and administer the guided self-assessment and action planning toolkit on the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team website.
The OWFR EDIA-R Toolkit is a guided, interactive self-assessment and action planning tool built directly into the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team website. It helps health sector organizations assess where they currently stand on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism (EDIA-R) and build a concrete action plan with documented commitments.
Unlike a static PDF checklist, the Toolkit is a multi-step wizard that adapts to the user's organizational role. It guides users through foundational learning, reflection tools, and practical checklists - and closes with a full session summary, an option to email themselves a copy of their results, and a short feedback form.
[owfr_ediar_toolkit]
This shortcode is placed on the EDIA-R Toolkit page by the developer.
You do not need to modify the shortcode to use the tool.
All introductory, educational, and reference content in the toolkit - including the definitions, core principles, organizational readiness reflections, reporting and complaints guidance, practice scenarios, glossary, and quick-reference templates - comes directly from the source document:
In addition, the Start Here assessment logic in Step 0 - including the readiness
staging model (Exploring, Developing, Embedding), size-specific guidance, and recommended starting
tools - was developed from the OW4R Start Here Guide and the
OW4R Navigation & Organization Recommendations, companion documents developed by
Connect2Knowledge - an organization that conducted a comprehensive review of
pilot-site feedback and contributed recommendations to strengthen the navigation and organization
of the toolkit. All three source documents are stored in the
Connect2Knowledge/ folder in the plugin.
The web-based plugin digitalizes this document set: the wizard steps correspond to the document's structure, the module questions are adapted from its checklists and worksheets, and the Step 4 resource accordion surfaces the appendix material (glossary, templates, practice examples) directly from the source text.
Educational content (definitions, principles, introductions) is stored in the WordPress database as Content Blocks - editable chunks of HTML text identified by a unique key. This separates the text from the code so non-developers can update it from the admin dashboard without touching plugin files. See Section 14: Editing toolkit content.
The Toolkit is designed for partner organizations within the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team network - hospitals, family health teams, community health centres, mental health agencies, long-term care providers, social services, and community organizations.
It is accessible to organizations of any size and any level of EDIA-R experience. A small community organization with no dedicated equity staff can use it just as effectively as a large hospital system. The pathway selection and Start Here assessment are specifically designed to route each organization to the tools most relevant to their current context.
The toolkit uses a 6-step wizard (steps 0–5). A progress bar and step indicator bar at the top of the page show where the user is at all times. Each step has a Continue button that advances to the next step.
The Start Here step is the toolkit's front door. Its purpose is to help any organization - regardless of size or EDIA-R experience - identify a meaningful starting point before selecting a pathway. It consists of three sub-steps shown in a mini progress bar (About → Assessment → Results).
An introduction to the toolkit spread across three paragraphs. The first explains that the OWFR OHT EDIA-R Toolkit and Checklists for Inclusive Care is intended as a guide for organizations to center equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their work - suitable for organizations just starting out or those looking to improve. The second describes the toolkit's focus on cultural safety, practical applications, and flexible steps that connect EDIA-R principles directly to organizational goals; it notes the toolkit is available in both digital and printable formats. The third welcomes questions and feedback and directs users to info@owfr.ca. Three bullets below explain what the assessment considers: the user's role, organizational size, and organizational readiness. A "Begin Assessment" button moves forward.
Seven multiple-choice questions assess the organization across three dimensions:
Answers are scored and mapped to one of three readiness stages:
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Exploring | The organization is at the beginning of this work. No formal EDIA-R structures are yet in place. Recommended tools focus on building shared language and completing a first concrete action. |
| Developing | EDIA-R work has started but is not yet embedded across the organization. Recommended tools focus on deepening practices and creating accountability structures. |
| Embedding | EDIA-R is integrated into most areas of the organization's work. Recommended tools focus on refining, sustaining, and reporting on what is in place. |
The Results page shows:
Pathways route users to the modules most relevant to their organizational role. Each pathway defines an ordered list of modules. The Pathway step (Step 1) presents four cards; selecting one displays a description panel. The session is created - and locked to that pathway - when the user clicks Continue.
| Pathway | Who it is for | Modules included |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | Board members, governance leads, trustees | Vision Mission & Values, Leadership & Governance, Accountability Checklist, Equity Decision Review |
| Senior Leadership | Executive directors, senior managers, C-suite | Vision Mission & Values, Gaps and Barriers, Leadership & Governance, Accountability Checklist, Organizational Practices, Equity Decision Review, Bias Reflection |
| Programs & Service Delivery | Program managers, service designers, frontline coordinators | Gaps and Barriers, Baseline EDIA-R Checklist, Organizational Practices, Project Accessibility & Inclusion, Engagement Checklist, Bias Reflection |
| Patient & Caregiver Support | Staff in direct patient/caregiver-facing roles | Gaps and Barriers, Engagement Checklist, Project Accessibility & Inclusion, Bias Reflection |
The Toolkit contains 11 assessment modules organized by category. Each module is a self-contained unit with its own content blocks, grouped questions, optional comment fields, a module-level summary/reflection area, action item tracking, and (for checklist modules) a formal sign-off requirement.
In the wizard, modules are listed in Step 3 as clickable cards. Clicking a module title expands an inline drawer directly below the card, keeping the user in context. The drawer shows the module's content, questions, and completion controls.
These appear in the "Reflection & Analysis Tools" group on Step 3.
Gaps and Barriers Analysis Analysis
Identifies structural, knowledge, cultural safety, and data barriers to applying EDIA-R in practice. A critical first step toward meaningful organizational change.
Equity Decision Review Analysis
A worksheet to reflect on who a decision helps, who it may harm or exclude, and what changes are needed to make it fairer. Has a module summary field.
Bias Reflection Analysis
A worksheet to notice and reflect on how bias, power, and inequity may be present in everyday healthcare practices. Has a module summary field.
Start Here Assessment Foundational
7 scenario-based questions that identify your organization’s current equity stage (Exploring, Developing, or Integrating). Results are used to suggest recommended starting tools. Has a module summary field. This module is only available through the Start Here step (Step 0), not through the pathway module list.
Vision, Mission & Values Alignment Foundational
Facilitates development and assessment of vision, mission, and values statements to include clear EDIA-R considerations, grounding them in real experiences, inequities, and commitments to change. Appears in the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership pathways.
These appear in the "Checklists" group on Step 3. All use the 7-point response scale and require a formal sign-off before they can be marked complete.
Baseline EDIA-R Checklist Checklist
A consolidated one-page assessment across leadership, governance, organizational policies, staff capacity, accessibility, reporting, engagement, and decision-making. Has a module summary field.
Leadership & Governance Checklist
Reviews board-level and leadership commitment to EDIA-R - governance structures, leadership composition, strategic direction, and accountability. Has a module summary field.
Accountability Checklist Checklist
Ensures clear processes for EDIA-R accountability, follow-up, and reporting are in place. Has a module summary field.
Organizational Practices Checklist
Assesses organization-wide EDIA-R policies, hiring practices, training, accessibility systems, and organizational commitments. Has a module summary field.
Project Accessibility & Inclusion Checklist
Ensures accessibility, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism are embedded throughout the full project lifecycle. Context-triggered: designed for use when a project is under design or delivery. Has a module summary field.
Engagement Checklist Checklist
Supports meaningful, inclusive partner and community engagement. Context-triggered: designed for use when community engagement is actively underway. Has a module summary field.
When a user clicks a module card in Step 3, an inline drawer opens immediately below it. The drawer contains:
All checklist modules and assessment modules that use scale-type questions use a nuanced 7-point scale designed to capture where an organization genuinely sits, rather than forcing a binary yes/no answer.
| Value | Label | Full label shown in the toolkit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No | No (Not in place) |
| 2 | On Hold | On Hold (Started but currently paused) |
| 3 | In Development | In Development (Planning or early stages) |
| 4 | In Progress | In Progress (Actively being implemented) |
| 5 | Yes | Yes (Consistently and intentionally embedded in practice) |
| 6 | Unsure | Unsure / I Don't Know |
| 7 | N/A | Not Applicable (N/A) |
Step 4 is a read-only reference library that surfaces supporting material from the source toolkit document. It uses four collapsible accordion sections that each user can open and close independently.
| # | Section title | What it contains | Content block key |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reporting Complaints & Follow-Up | Step-by-step guidance on raising concerns, internal accountability processes, and where to escalate unresolved complaints in Ontario. | reporting-process |
| 2 | Stories from Practice | Three real-world scenarios from the source document: closing the gap in substance use treatment, the cost of delayed gender-affirming care, and advancing culturally safe health care. | practice-examples |
| 3 | Glossary of Terms | Definitions for key EDIA-R terms used throughout the toolkit (Appendix A of the source document). | glossary |
| 4 | Quick-Reference Templates | Simple, ready-to-use starting points - suggested first steps for organizations new to EDIA-R, examples of accessible communications, a Vision/Mission/Values example, and a community engagement guide (Appendix B). | appendix-resources |
Step 5 is the toolkit's closing step. It automatically loads a full summary of everything the user completed in their current session and provides two optional action items: email a copy, and submit feedback.
Two tiles at the top of the step show:
A collapsible "Your Full Results" accordion loads a server-rendered HTML summary of the entire session. This includes:
The user can enter any email address and click "Send results." The system generates an HTML-formatted email of the full summary (with inline styling for email client compatibility) and sends it via WordPress’s built-in mail function. The status (success or error) appears inline below the button after submission.
The Download PDF button opens a print-ready version of the full session summary in a new browser window. The window automatically triggers the browser’s native print dialog. The user can select "Save as PDF" from the print dialog to save a formatted PDF to their device.
A short feedback form collects:
On submission, the feedback entry is:
owfr_ediar_feedback_log option)After a successful submission, the form fields are hidden and a "Thank you" confirmation message is shown.
A session is a database record created when a user selects a pathway and clicks Continue from Step 1. It ties together all the answers, module responses, action items, sign-offs, and progress for a single toolkit run.
Every time someone opens the toolkit page, they start from Step 0 with a blank slate. There is no automatic resumption - old sessions are not loaded. A new session is only created when the user selects a pathway and clicks Continue from Step 1. Old sessions remain in the database and can be viewed by administrators, but they do not interfere with new sessions.
| Data type | Database table | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| Session record | owfr_ediar_sessions | User ID (0 for guests), pathway slug, status (in_progress / completed), timestamps |
| Module responses | owfr_ediar_module_responses | Per-module status (not_started / in_progress / completed), optional summary text, completion timestamp |
| Answers | owfr_ediar_answers | Per-question responses (answer value + optional comment) linked to session and module |
| Action items | owfr_ediar_action_items | Title, description, responsible person, priority, due date, support needed, feasibility notes |
| Sign-offs | owfr_ediar_signoffs | Signer name, title, module slug, timestamp |
Guest sessions (user ID = 0) are stored in the database just like logged-in user sessions. The session ID is held in the JavaScript state for the duration of the page visit. If the user closes or refreshes the page, the session ID is lost from the browser's memory (though the partially completed data remains in the database, visible to admins).
Answers inside an open module drawer are saved to the database when the user clicks Mark Complete on a module, or when the Save my answers button is used in the Start Here Assessment. There is currently no background auto-save for in-progress answers - answers that have been entered but not saved will be lost if the page is closed or refreshed mid-module.
The toolkit supports two export formats, accessible via buttons in the toolbar at the bottom of the wizard (visible once a session has been started). The toolbar also contains the Appendix A (Glossary) and Appendix B (Quick-Reference Templates) buttons, and - when configured by an admin - a Download Toolkit PDF button that links directly to the official printable version of the full EDIA-R Toolkit document:
| Format | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Print / Save as PDF | Opens a standalone printable HTML page with the full session rendered in a clean, print-optimized layout. Use the browser's Print function (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) and choose "Save as PDF." | Archiving a clean record, sharing with leadership, storing in a file system |
| Export CSV | Downloads a comma-separated file with one row per answer, including session metadata, module slug, question text, answer value, and any comments. | Data analysis, importing into a spreadsheet, aggregating across multiple sessions |
The Toolkit has a dedicated admin area in WordPress. Go to EDIA-R Toolkit in the WordPress sidebar (Administrator role required):
| Admin page | What you can do there |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Overview of total sessions, completed sessions, and recent activity. The landing page when you click EDIA-R Toolkit in the sidebar. |
| Content Blocks | View, search, and edit all content blocks. Each block has a key, a title, and a rich-text body. This is where all toolkit instructional and reference text lives. See Section 14 for details. |
| Modules & Questions | View all 11 modules and their questions. Allows editing of question text, help text, and question order. Coordinate with the developer before making structural changes - changing wording after users have answered can affect data interpretability. |
| Pathways | View and edit the four pathway definitions. You can change pathway descriptions and adjust which modules appear in each pathway. Changes take effect immediately for new sessions. |
| Sessions | A list of all sessions in the database (both guest and logged-in user sessions). You can view the details of any session including answers, action items, and sign-offs. You can also initiate a print or CSV export for any session from here. |
| Action Plans | A consolidated view of all action items created across all sessions - useful for seeing what commitments organizations have made across the network. |
| Settings | Plugin-level configuration: accent colour, the page the toolkit is embedded on, guest mode toggle, export format, and Toolkit PDF URL - a URL to the printable toolkit document that activates the "Download Toolkit PDF" button in the toolbar. Upload the PDF to the WordPress Media Library, copy the file URL, and paste it here. |
All educational and reference text in the toolkit - introductions, definitions, principles, module preambles, the glossary, reporting guidance, and appendix templates - is stored in Content Blocks and can be edited from the WordPress admin without any coding.
| Block key | Where it appears in the wizard |
|---|---|
introduction | Toolkit introductory text |
purpose | Purpose statement for the toolkit |
using-the-toolkit | How to use the checklists - checklist usage guidance |
audience-guidance | Audience-specific guidance text |
disclaimer | Legal and scope disclaimer |
definitions | Step 2 (Learn) - Key Definitions accordion section |
core-principles | Step 2 (Learn) - Core Principles accordion section |
organizational-readiness | Step 2 (Learn) - Organizational Readiness accordion section |
reporting-process | Step 4 (Resources) - Reporting Complaints & Follow-Up section |
practice-examples | Step 4 (Resources) - Stories from Practice section |
glossary | Step 4 (Resources) - Glossary of Terms section (Appendix A) |
appendix-resources | Step 4 (Resources) - Quick-Reference Templates section (Appendix B) |
| Module-specific blocks | Introductory content inside each module drawer |
Yes. The toolkit runs for any visitor. Guest sessions are stored in the database with a user ID of 0. The limitation is that guests cannot resume a previous session from a different device or browser - their session exists in the database but there is no mechanism for them to retrieve it.
Not currently. Answers inside an open module drawer are saved when the user clicks Mark Complete or uses Save my answers in the Start Here Assessment. Answers entered but not saved will be lost if the page is closed or refreshed mid-module.
Yes. The step indicator bar at the top is always visible. Users can also return to any previously visited step using the step indicators. Completed module data is preserved in the session as long as the user remains on the page.
The Start Over button (visible from Step 1 onward) resets the current session: the JavaScript state is cleared, all rendered module lists are emptied, and the user returns to Step 0. The in-progress session record in the database is also reset.
This depends heavily on the pathway and how much team discussion each module prompts. The Start Here assessment and pathway selection take 5–10 minutes. A single checklist module completed thoughtfully with team discussion can take 30–60 minutes. A full Senior Leadership pathway session (8 modules) is typically a multi-session effort spanning several hours.
Yes. Multiple sessions can be created at any time. Each session is independent. Organizations are encouraged to revisit the toolkit as their EDIA-R work evolves - to reassess, to work through a different pathway, or to complete the toolkit with a different team.
Feedback submitted on Step 5 is stored in the WordPress database and also emailed as a notification to the site's admin email address (WordPress Settings → General → Administration Email Address). There is not currently a dedicated admin page to review submitted feedback - it can be accessed via the site admin's email inbox.
Pathway module assignments can be edited from Pathways in the admin. Adding a completely new module (with its own questions and content blocks) requires developer involvement. Changing which modules appear in a pathway is a straightforward admin operation.
The toolkit was built with accessibility in mind: all interactive elements are keyboard navigable, ARIA labels are applied to the wizard container and step navigation, colour contrast meets WCAG AA ratios, and plain language is used throughout. If specific accessibility needs are not being met, contact the developer.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (EDIA-R) Practical Tools and Checklists for Inclusive Care. We are grateful to the project team for sharing their time, ideas, and personal experiences. Your voices helped shape this toolkit and made it helpful and easy to use.
Thank you to the OWFR OHT EDIA-R Network for making this work a priority.
We thank Pathways Alcohol & Drug Treatment Services, Queensway Carleton Hospital, and Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre for testing the toolkit and giving feedback.
We also thank Connect2Knowledge for developing the “Start Here” guide section and for contributing recommendations to strengthen the navigation and organization of the toolkit based on a comprehensive review of pilot-site feedback.
Beth Monaco, Carefor
“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
OWFR EDIA-R Toolkit Plugin v2.0.3 | Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team | May 2026