Dear Members,
ALIGN News
ALIGN’s General Membership Meeting will be held virtually on May 29, 2020
9am-11am. See link below to register.
ALIGN will be offering a free Mental Health Series with Frank Shannon titled
“Understanding Brain Responses and Individual Coping Strategies in the Midst of a
Next week on Thursday and Friday we are taking a Communication Gathering
Meeting break. So for clarity:
- Red Deer north congregate group care/SIL- Thursday, May 14 cancelled & resumes Thursday, May 21
- Calgary and South congregate group care/SIL- Friday, May 15 cancelled & resumes Friday, May 22
- Provincial Foster Care -Tuesday, May 19 cancelled & resumes Monday, May 25.
Please remember to to forward these communication memos to your staff so they
can stay informed as well.
#COVIDcaring
Help ALIGN, CWLC, and the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies
recognize the tireless efforts of community service sector workers who continue
to ensure children, youth and families are cared for and supported throughout the
pandemic.
Every week, we will profile individuals who stand out for their leadership,
creativity and care. Nominate your staff, volunteers or peers by submitting their
name and photo (with consent) along with the organization they are working for,
and tell us, in a few short words, how they made a difference for children, youth
and families. If possible, please also share the persons social media accounts, or
alternatively the accounts of the organization they are being recognized for.
Covid-19 Updates
PPE
Consolidated information regarding PPE’s in one document can be found here
Directive page as a stand alone.
Education Supports for Families and Parents
Recognizing that many families have questions about at-home learning, a
provincial education help line is now available to parents through which Alberta
Education staff will address their questions and direct them to their school
authorities where applicable. The intent is to provide advice to families,
particularly to parents of children with disabilities, who have questions about their
child’s program now that the traditional delivery process has changed. Parents
can reach the help line by calling
780-422-6548
(toll-free by dialing
780-310-
0000
, followed by the 10-digit phone number) or by emailing
Guidance for Workplaces
reopening or continuing operations to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among workers, volunteers and patrons.
FSCD and PDD
Please find this week’s COVID-19 Q & A for the disability sector here:
Relief for Child Care
Alberta has announced a new three-phased daycare grant strategy to help them
restart operations once it is safe to do so. Daycare centres have been included in
Stage 1 of the relaunch strategy. The grants were established to help facilities
resume providing service for parents who will be returning to work. The total
funding will be up to $17.8 million.
Phase 1 will provide immediate grants to cover up to 25 per cent of overhead
costs not covered by federal funding. Phase 2 is intended to be used for
daycares to adhere to public health directives related to cleanliness and sanitation. Phase 3 is conditional on the assessment of existing programs to
address deferred costs or unforeseen operational expenses.
“Access to quality child care is going to be an important part of getting Alberta’s
economy back on track. We’re providing this money so child care centres will be
ready to care for kids as soon as health guidelines allow.”
Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Children’s Services
Mental Health Resources
Mental Health Week is May 4 to 10, an opportunity to promote positive mental
health for everyone. The Canadian Mental Health Association has a variety of
Free Suicide Prevention Conference
Join the world’s largest online suicide prevention conference for mental health
professionals.
It’s entirely free. Review conference line up here:
Wellness Works is Canada's first and only workplace health and performance
association, supporting practitioners and workplaces with simple, evidence-
informed, cost-effective education, resources and certifications. They do this on a
not-for-profit basis while advocating for the profound impact well-being has on
performance. Victoria Grainger the founder and CEO is who ALIGN has
contracted with to do the Pychological Wellness in the Workplace Sessions that
were postponed. We are currently planning with Victoria to do these sessions in
the fall virtually. Stay tuned for more information and in the meantime find their
May 2020 Newsletter Here:
As Albertans navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, CMHA AB would like to better
understand the impact of the pandemic on the lives and mental health of
Albertans.CMHA AB works at the intersection of clinical, community-based and
local mental health care.
This survey will enable CMHA AB and our partners to align our strategies,
activities and advocacy with the mental health realities of Albertans to support
better mental health for all.We ask that you take a few moments to
complete this survey
to provide your insight and experiences with us. Survey closes May 20, 2020.
