WestCare Announces New Shared Principles to Guide the Next Chapter of Our Mission 

For more than 50 years, WestCare has been driven by a singular commitment: Uplifting the Human Spirit. As our organization continues to grow in scale, complexity, and impact, it is essential that we remain unified not only by what we believe but by how we act every day, in every community we serve. 

Following a focused, two-day workshop, WestCare is proud to announce the adoption of a new set of WestCare Shared Principles, developed collaboratively by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the President’s Executive Legacy Council (ELC). These principles represent a critical evolution in how WestCare defines leadership, accountability, and culture across the enterprise. 

From Values to Actionable Principles 

The Shared Principles have been published on the WestCare website at https://westcare.com/shared-principles/ and are intentionally designed as behavioral standards, not aspirational slogans. They translate WestCare’s mission, credo, and long-standing values into clear expectations that guide decision-making, priorities, and day-to-day behaviors at every level of the organization.  

As WestCare President Richard Steinberg reflected: 

“WestCare’s strength has always come from its people and its purpose. These Shared Principles give us a clear, common language for how we live our mission, especially in moments that demand courage, clarity, and compassion. They are about honoring our legacy while equipping us for the future.” 

The principles emphasize service excellence, dignity and respect, cultural humility, stewardship, accountability, partnership, and continuous improvement, ensuring that WestCare remains mission-true and mission-ready in an increasingly complex environment. 

A Collective Leadership Commitment 

The Shared Principles were co-created through structured dialogue, storytelling, and consensus-building exercises that surfaced both WestCare’s proudest moments and the behaviors leaders believe are essential for the organization’s next era. Recent feedback from staff in a “Voices of WestCare Survey” was also a significant input that was used to help ensure diverse perspectives were considered.  The process culminated in a formal action pledge by workshop attendees, reinforcing a shared commitment to move from agreement to action. 

WestCare Chief Executive Officer Ken Ortbals emphasized the importance of operationalizing the work: 

“What makes these principles powerful is not the words themselves, but our commitment to live them. This is about consistency, how we lead, how we support our teams, how we serve our clients, and how we show up for our communities. The real work begins now.” 

What Comes Next 

Over the coming months, the Senior Leadership Team and the President’s Executive Legacy Council will partner closely with regional and program leadership to develop and implement a comprehensive rollout plan for the WestCare Shared Principles. This work will focus on embedding the principles into the fabric of the organization, including: 

• Leadership development and coaching; 

• New-hire orientation and onboarding; 

• Performance management and recognition; 

• Decision-making frameworks and operational processes; and 

• Ongoing communication and dialogue across regions and departments. 

This phased approach ensures the principles are not only understood, but practiced consistently and visibly across WestCare’s diverse programs and geographies. 

One WestCare, United by Purpose 

The adoption of the Shared Principles marks a defining moment in WestCare’s ongoing journey. They serve as a unifying framework that honors our history, strengthens our culture, and positions us to meet the future with confidence and integrity. 

Together, guided by these principles, We Are WestCare and we are committed to Uplifting the Human Spirit in every interaction, every decision, and every community we serve.