October 2016

CEO's Message   Final Report of the Safety Standards Consultation Team 
The PDD Safety Standards Consultation Committee held their final wrap up meeting in Edmonton yesterday. Minister Sabir met with the committee and acknowledged the hard work and commitment from committee members and the technical support team from Human Services, Health, and Municipal Affairs that supported the voices of more than 2000 Albertans who took part in the consultation to be heard.
Ann Nicol, John te Linde (Consultation Committee Chair), The Hon. Irfan Sabir, Cam Tait, Marie Renaud, Michael Cooper.
The report has been released in its entirety today:
Supporting Safe and Inclusive Lives (final report)
Plain language version
Media release
Quotes from committee members
Consultation Committee website

I am most pleased with the principles that were drawn from the many participants that attended consultation sessions or participated in on line surveys. These are powerful statements that reflect our values and may guide our future.

Further information is expected shortly on the report's implementation, and information that will supplement this report in the form of recommended Q&As identifying operational mechanisms to follow during the transition period for individuals, families, and agencies supporting them who are currently impacted by the STANDATA.

My thanks to all of the ACDS members, staff, and Board who supported this journey over the past year, and whose work helped make it possible.

Ann
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If you want to schedule time to talk with Ann or comment on something that is important to you, just send a message to acds@acds.ca. 
Safety Standards Final Report Highlights

The principles articulated by the Committee are valuable to have in a public report as a reflection of the values of the community living movement in Alberta, and a lens for future government decision-making:
  • Safety is valued by everyone and our approach to safety needs to consider individual circumstances and needs;
  • People are safest when they are included in and connected to their communities;
  • Safety is about more than just physical structures and elements;
  • Having a sense of belonging and feeling comfortable in your own home are vital components of safety;
  • Safety is increased when people are informed and aware of how to be safe;
  • Safety and well-being are best supported when people have the necessary knowledge and skills;
  • Ideas require creativity and this is best accomplished through collaboration and partnership; and
  • Ideas that put the individual first and provide a foundation of inclusion will be more successful.
"The Consultation Team's recommendations fall under five broad areas: Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) Program; Staff Training and Education; Accreditation Standards for Agencies; Safety Codes Act Interpretation; and Other Ideas to support safety."

PDD Program
1. Undertake a review of the PDD program to foster safer lives in the community for individuals with developmental disabilities.

2. Develop a means of open, meaningful communication between the PDD program and
the disability community that will build trust and support positive interactions.

Staff Training & Education
3. Government of Alberta work with community partners to create and implement a human resources plan for Community Disability Services to better ensure safety and meaningful inclusion. This plan should incorporate the following requirements:

A. Require training and post-secondary educational standards to bring more qualified
workers into the field and ensure consistency among staff qualifications.
B. Require staff working with persons with developmental disabilities to be professionally certified.

Accreditation Standards for Agencies
4. Strengthen accreditation standards for agencies that provide PDD-funded services in the
areas of health and safety to reflect the critical individualized safety requirements in the
homes of people with developmental disabilities.

Safety Codes Act Interpretation
5. Municipal Affairs withdraw the August 2015 STANDATA.

6.Government of Alberta provide guidance to municipalities on how to interpret and apply the safety codes using the following principles:

A. Residences occupied by individuals with developmental disabilities who rent, lease or
own are not "PDD residences" or facilities.

B. The starting point for safety code assessment of homes for individuals receiving support
from PDD should be that they are residential dwellings, in the same manner as any other
home.

C. The source of financial or service support being received by a person living in a home is
not relevant to how the building codes are interpreted and applied to that home. That
is, homes of people receiving support through PDD should be treated no differently
from the homes of people not receiving publicly funded support, or receiving it from
another source. Any change of use or alternative classification under the Safety Codes
Act (including building and fire codes) should be assessed as it would be for any Albertan
living in similar circumstances.

D. Measures required under the Safety Codes Act should be affordable, enforceable and
meaningful so that compliance can be achieved within the circumstances where people
live.

7. Government of Alberta request that Municipal Affairs staff and municipal inspectors be
offered education from Inclusion Alberta, Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS) and individuals with developmental disabilities in understanding the homes and residences of individuals with developmental disabilities.
 
Emergency Voluntary Self-Registry
8. Government of Alberta encourage municipalities to investigate a voluntary database for
First Responderscontaining emergency contact information and the needs of individuals
requiring particular attention in an emergency.

Advocacy
9. Provide additional supports to strengthen independent self-advocacy and family advocacy efforts and organizations.

10. Investigate the creation of an independent Disability Advocate Office.

Health and Safety Officials as Educators
11. Health and safety officials continue to provide information on a voluntary basis to individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and service providers on how to life safely in their homes and communities.
The importance of ACDS' work, enabled through an active membership base, and engaged volunteers and staff was highlighted both during the consultation process last year, and in this final report.

Mobilization and the distribution of information was pivotal in helping to ensure over 2000 people were heard during this process, and of course, in convincing a new government that this process, and repeal of the Safety Standards regulation, was necessary.

ACDS' legal opinion and position papers were used in the lead up to, during the consultation, and in the crafting of a final report.

Our made-in-Alberta CET standards will continue to be pivotal in ensuring safe community living.

Workforce and human resources strategies for Community Disability Services will be an expectation of government for ensuring safety and proficiencies.

Provincial coordination of the PDD sector will go in hand with cross-ministry efforts in implementing these recommendations, and briefing Ministers and other multi-Ministry decision-makers on issues affecting our services and workforce. An example of this is the work ACDS has undertaken with Municipal Affairs on Safety and Building Codes, with the support of our legal counsel and expert knowledge from service provider leaders.

This report must now transition into its implementation. Please continue to stay alert for calls to contribute your time and expertise, to distribute information, and continue showing the importance and value of our sector to government and the public-at-large.
The ACDS Umbrella is a publication of the
Alberta Council of Disability Services
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Calgary, Alberta, T2E 7J2
Phone: 403-250-9495 * Fax: 403-291-9864
© 2016 Alberta Council of Disability Services

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