Accommodation for Person(s) with Disabilities
Marchese Health Care is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:
Communication
Marchese Health Care staff and others providing services must communicate in a manner that takes into account a person’s disability. This includes all forms of communication such as face-to-face interactions, by telephone, in writing and electronically. All staff are trained in the clues that a customer gives to indicate their communication preferences and respond accordingly.
Assistive Devices
A person with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purpose of obtaining our services. Exceptions may occur in situations where Marchese Health Care has determined that the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. In these situations, Marchese Health Care may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist him or her in obtaining or using our goods and services.
It is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that his or her assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.
Service Animals
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal in the areas of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties unless otherwise prohibited by law. We will also ensure that all staff dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal..
To be considered a service animal under the Standard it must be obvious that the animal is required by the person for reasons related to a disability. If it is not obvious that the animal is a service animal the person must provide a letter from a physician or nurse stating that the animal is required for reasons related to a disability or a valid identification card from a recognized service animal training school.
Support Persons
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Marchese Health Care’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on company premises.
Feedback
Marchese Health Care is committed to providing high quality services to all of our clients. Feedback from the public is welcomed as it may identify areas that require change and encourage continuous service improvements.
Client feedback about the delivery of our services to persons with disabilities may be given by telephone, in person, in writing or through e-mail. Company contact information is posted on our website at www.marchesehealthcare.ca
Training
Marchese Health Care will ensure that the following employees will receive training, as required by Accessibility Standards for Customer Service:
- Every person who deals with the public on behalf of Marchese Health Care, including 3rd parties such as subcontracted client service personnel
- Individuals involved in developing the Marchese Health Care Accessibility Standards for Customer Service policies, procedures and practices dealing with providing services to the public or other third parties.
6.1 Contents of Training
The content of the training will include:
- A review of the purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
- The requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07)
- Instruction on Marchese Health Care’s policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of services to people with disabilities
- How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
- What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing our goods and services
- How to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices, or require the assistance of a support person or service animal
- The assistive supports made available to clients with disabilities for the purpose of helping them obtain our goods and services
6.2 Training Records
The Human Resources Department will keep records of training, including the date on which training is provided, and the number of persons trained.
6.3 Timelines for Training
Training will be provided as soon as practicable upon an individual being assigned the applicable duties, as well as on an ongoing basis as changes occur to the company’s policies, procedures and practices governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.
Notice of availability of the required documents
All documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, including policies, procedures and practices, training records and written feedback processes are available upon request. All policies will be posted on the company website and a policy statement will be posted on company communication boards.
When providing a document to a person with a disability, the company will provide the document, or the information contained in the document, in a format that takes the person’s disability into account.
Notice of the availability of all documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service will be posted on the company’s website.
DEFINITIONS:
Assistive Device: A device used to assist persons with disabilities in carrying out activities or in accessing the services of persons or organizations covered by the Customer Service Standard
Disability:
(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,(d) a mental disorder, or(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”)
Service animal: an animal acting as a service animal for a person with a disability,(a) if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or (b) if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability
Support person: in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services
REFERENCES:
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_05a11_e.htm#BK2
Accessible Customer Service Policy Required for the Implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA 2005)
City of London- September 29, 2008
Accessible Customer Service Policy
Ontario March of Dimes- March 24, 2009
Accessible Customer Service
Toronto Transit Commission
Accessible Customer Service
HNHB CCAC- December 16, 2009
Click here to see our June 20, 2014 Accessibility Report