Accessibility Plan

Canadian Shield Health Care Services is committed to following all accessibility standards to ensure all individuals can benefit from accessible services, programs, and employment.

We are dedicated to removing barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities—whether visual, hearing, physical, intellectual, learning, or mental health-related—from fully participating in all aspects of our business.

---

HOW DO WE MEET OUR RESPONSIBILITIES?

TRAINING

• Mandatory AODA training upon hire and annually thereafter.
• In-Services used to update staff on policy changes throughout the year.

ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

• Commitment to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.
• Equal opportunity to obtain, use, and benefit from services, goods, or facilities.

ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

• Our Accessibility Plan outlines steps to prevent and remove barriers for employees and clients.
• The plan is reviewed and updated annually.
• We publish an annual status report to relevant governmental ministries.
• We incorporate feedback from persons with disabilities.

---

HOW DO WE ELIMINATE BARRIERS?

PHYSICAL BARRIERS

• Landlords must adhere to accessibility requirements.
• Features include:
  • Wheelchair access
  • Accessible doorways and washrooms
  • Light alarms for the deaf
  • Braille signage for the blind
• Clutter-free office space for ease of mobility.

ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIERS

• Constant improvements to make office spaces safe and empowering.
• Features include:
  • Controlled noise levels
  • Soundproof counseling rooms
  • Removal of allergy-triggering substances

ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS

• Enforce human rights policies to eliminate harassment/discrimination.
• Client and employee feedback via digital and phone surveys.
• Applicants informed of accommodation availability and how to request it.

Individual Accommodation Plans

• A structured process includes:

  • Employee participation
  • Individual assessments
  • Option to include workplace representatives
  • External evaluations (employer-paid)
  • Confidentiality protection
  • Plan timelines and review schedules

• We monitor treatment of individuals with disabilities and provide workplace flexibility.

Return-to-Work Process

• Designed for employees returning after disability-related absences requiring accommodations.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

• Provide accessible formats and supports upon request, at no cost.
• Accessible information delivered timely.
• If conversion is not technically possible, we explain why and summarize the information.
• Our website is user-friendly.

TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS

• Provide technology training and support to all employees.

TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS

• Train employees to:
  • Use accessibility features safely
  • Handle equipment failures
  • Ensure client safety during emergencies

MENTAL HEALTH BARRIERS

• Offer mental health and wellness services and self-care resources for all employees.

---

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

• Sit during long conversations for better eye contact.
• Avoid awkward or undignified positioning of wheelchairs.
• Be aware of accessible building features.

VISUAL DISABILITY

• Don’t assume level of blindness; many have low vision.

HEARING DISABILITY

• Ensure clear visibility of face and body language.
• Use closed captions for media.

SPEECH OR LANGUAGE DISABILITIES

• Don’t assume other disabilities.
• Be patient and keep interactions simple.
• Ask for confirmation instead of guessing.

INVISIBLE DISABILITIES

Examples include:

• ADHD
• Arthritis
• Brain injuries
• Chronic Fatigue
• Gastrointestinal disease
• Epilepsy
• Chronic Pain
• Learning disabilities
• Mental illness

SUPPORT PERSONS

• Speak directly to the client, not their support person.

---

HOW DO YOU GET ACCOMMODATED?

For more information on our Accessibility Policy or if you're experiencing a temporary or permanent disability, contact your supervisor:

📞 705-618-7233