Legislated requirements and statement of commitment (Policy)

Effective April 2017

Accessibility principles

All Public Health Sudbury & Districts staff, while planning programs, services, activities, events, and in developing related policies, procedures and practices will abide by the following principles for accessibility:

1. Dignity
2. Independence
3. Integration
4. Equality or opportunity

Dignity

Respect the dignity of people with disabilities by treating them as clients and participants who are as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other client or participant.

People with disabilities will not be treated as an afterthought or be forced to accept lesser service, quality, or convenience.

Independence

Allow people with disabilities the freedom to make their own choices, communicate for themselves, and not feel rushed when completing a task, or taking over their task if they prefer to do it on their own.

Integration

Wherever possible, people with disabilities will be allowed to fully benefit from the same programs, services, activities and events in the same place, and in the same or similar way as other clients.  Alternative measures, rather than integration, will be used only when the person with a disability requires it or because the agency is not able to provide another option at the time.

Equal opportunity

People with disabilities have the same opportunity to benefit from the way Public Health Sudbury & Districts provides programs, services, events, and activities. This may mean that we will work with the individual to find suitable alternatives so that they can fully benefit from our programs, services, events, and activities.

Statement of commitment

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for its clients/customers, students, employees, job applicants, suppliers, visitors and other stakeholders who enter the premises and access our programs and services.

As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) which applies to all organizations in Ontario and requires the development of standards on an ongoing basis to meet all legislative requirements by 2025.

Under the AODA, the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations establishes the 5 (five) AODA accessibility standards as follows:

• Customer Service Standards
• Employment Standards
• Information and Communications Standards
• Transportation Standards
• Design of Public Spaces Standards (Built Environment)

These standards are known collectively as the Accessibility Standards.

Note: The Transportation Standard does not apply to Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to meet and if possible exceed the requirements of the legislation.  Public Health Sudbury & Districts has developed an Accessibility Plan that outlines Public Health Sudbury & Districts plan to be fully accessible by the year 2025.  Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Accessibility Plan is posted on the website along with Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ policies related to AODA.

Accessibility measures are being built into decision-making processes, short and long-term program planning, purchasing, event planning, emergency planning and the development of new systems and services.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.

Written and electronic communication

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to using inclusive  design standards for all print and digital information for both internal and external audiences.

To that end, Public Health Sudbury & Districts has created a guide to Accessible Documents.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts Accessible Documents guide can be found on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ website and on the intranet (SharePoint).

Training and instruction

All staff will be provided with the appropriate information, instruction and training and are expected to foster an accessible and inclusive environment for everyone associated with our organization.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that any staff who reports to them completes appropriate training as soon as practicable. Additional training may be provided for individuals who work in certain programs or team areas as needed including instruction on how to use equipment and assistive devices available. Individuals will be made aware of any amendments made to policies due to changes in legislation or where new process or program is developed.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has developed or endorsed a number of tools that meet the training requirements set out in the customer service standard of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. These tools and resources will be used to develop a training strategy for Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

Training must be provided:

• To staff within a reasonable time after they are assigned the duties of their position at Public Health Sudbury & Districts
• On an ongoing basis when amendments are made to legislation, policies, procedures, or practices

Please refer to GAM policy V-I-30 for training specific to customer service standards requirements.

Employee orientation and annual refresher

As part of their orientation, new employees are required to complete training, and will also be required to complete it annually, as a refresher.

An email is generated to the employee and Human Resources. The email will be acknowledgement of completion of the training.

Employee training will be recorded in the Human Resources database.

This module is available for use for other staff groups.  Any additional training that is deemed necessary by the manager based on the job functions will be provided within the area/division/team.

Compliance reporting

The Director, Corporate Services or designate is responsible for monitoring the organizations compliance with the legislation.

The Director, Corporate Services or designate is required to complete an online compliance reporting as required by the Ministry of Community and Social Services which involves responding to a series of questions by the required deadlines.

Note: For the purpose of this policy the term “staff” refers to employees, volunteers, students, Board of Health members, and in some cases, agency partners who deal with the public or third parties on its behalf.

---

This item was last modified on June 8, 2020