Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy
Community Living Mississauga is committed to conform to all aspects of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Human Rights Code and strives to ensure that all locations owned or operated by Community Living Mississauga provide barrier free services, supports, and employment. Community Living Mississauga recognizes that the key principals of accessibility are independence, dignity, integration, and equality.
This policy applies to all Community Living Mississauga employees, volunteers, and board members.
All services must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and inherent worth of people who have a disability and which reflects our Mission and Vision of equality, inclusion, and independence of people who have a disability.
Procedure
The Accessibility Policy is available on Community Living Mississauga’s intranet (iConnect) and on our website. Accessible formats of this policy will be made available if required and as requested.
The Accessibility Plan identifies and addresses barriers that may be encountered while living, working or visiting any Community Living Mississauga owned or operated location. It also encourages awareness of any barriers at community locations or services which may be accessed by the people we support so that they also may be brought to the attention of those locations and services. Barriers deny dignity and independence and Community Living Mississauga strives to offer barrier free services.
- Employees, persons supported, volunteers, family, friends, etc. may identify any potential barriers and report them at any time.
- Barrier Identification Forms can be obtained by calling Human Resources.
- The forms are received by Human Resources and reviewed by Senior Management. Barriers are discussed and plans are made to address or remove them as deemed applicable and feasible.
- The reported Barriers will include the location, the year it was first identified, description of the barrier, strategies for removing it, timeline for completion, and cost. Human Resources will ensure the Accessibility Plan Report is updated and posted as each new barrier is identified and resolved.
- It may be that some identified barriers cannot be addressed in a timely fashion or at all. For example, cost considerations may dictate that the best way to address the inaccessibility of a building’s second story is to allow its lease to elapse.
The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed by Human Resources every five years. The Accessibility Plan is available on Community Living Mississauga’s website. Accessible formats of this plan will be made available if required and as requested.
Use of Assistive Devices
Community Living Mississauga recognizes that some people who have a disability use assistive devices (i.e. wheelchairs, mobility aids, hearing aids) in order to access services. Community Living Mississauga will support these people in their need to use their assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from its services. In addition to telephone and electronic mail service, Community Living Mississauga offers assistive measures such as Teletypewriter (TTY) service to enable people who have a disability to access its services. If necessary, Community Living Mississauga will make every effort to provide alternate service methods to accommodate individual needs (i.e. large prints, audio tools).
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
When communicating with an person who has a disability, Community Living Mississauga will communicate in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability and shall do so in a manner that is respectful and meets the needs of the person. When requested, Community Living Mississauga will provide or arrange to provide accessible formats and communication supports for information needed. This also includes employees who have disabilities and who may need communication supports to perform his or her job and access information that is generally available to other employees. Emergency, Evacuation Procedures and other Safety Plans will be made available in accessible formats upon request.
The information and communications standards do not apply for information that we do not control directly or indirectly through a contractual relationship. Where it is not feasible to convert the information, the organization will do their best to accommodate the request to the best of our ability.
Service Animals
Community Living Mississauga recognizes that some people who have a disability may require the use of guide dogs or other service animals in order to access services. People who have a disability who are accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal will generally be permitted to enter Community Living Mississauga’s premises and to keep the animal with them, unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises.
If the animal is legally excluded from the premises, Community Living Mississauga will make reasonable efforts to arrange alternative ways for the person to obtain, use or benefit from its’ services.
The person with a disability is responsible for the care and control of the service animal at all times.
Support Persons and Admission Fees
Community Living Mississauga recognizes that some people who have a disability rely on support persons for assistance while accessing services. An person who has a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Community Living Mississauga’s premises together with a support person, and will not be prevented from having access to a support person while on the premises. If Community Living Mississauga charges an admission fee in connection with a support person’s presence at an event or function to meet the health and safety needs of a person with a disability, Community Living Mississauga will waive the admission fee.
Disruptions to Service
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to Community Living Mississauga’s facilities services or public spaces that are usually used by people who have a disability, (e.g., temporary loss of elevator service), Community Living Mississauga will provide notice of the disruption to the public, including the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services that may be available. Notice of such disruption will normally be posted on Community Living Mississauga’s website and may also be posted on the physical premises, where appropriate in the circumstances. Information regarding a disruption of services will also be made available in an accessible format as necessary.
Training
All employees, volunteers, and Board Members are required to successfully complete Accessibility training at the time of hire. The Accessibility Policy and Plan will be distributed through the normal process of Electronic Documentation.
Accommodation and Return to Work Procedures
Community Living Mississauga will make every reasonable effort to provide meaningful employment to any employee who has a permanent disability and who requests accommodation. Please see Community Living Mississauga’s Return to Work Procedures in the Health and Safety Manual for detailed procedures, roles, and responsibilities.
Community Living Mississauga commits to take into account any accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans in any activities related to Performance Management, career development and advancement, and redeployment.
Feedback, Comments or Complaints
Comments or complaints regarding Community Living Mississauga’s Accessibility Policy or Plan can be made to the Human Resources Department. Complaints and feedback will be received and addressed by Community Living Mississauga in accordance with our normal complaints administration procedures.
Copies of This Policy
Community Living Mississauga recognizes that individuals who have a disability use methods other than standard print to access information. Community Living Mississauga will provide this policy, or the information contained in the policy, as needed, in a format that takes into account the person’s disability, such as plain language, large print, or Braille.