Statement of Principle
Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services is committed to excellence in serving all clients, including those with disabilities. Agency staff convey hope and respect and believe that all individuals have the capacity to build on and strengthen their capacity for learning and growth.
Communication
We will communicate with people in ways that take any disability into account.
Support Persons
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be able to have that person accompany them on our premises.
Service Animals
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.
Training
Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services will provide training to employees, students, and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf, including:
Case Management staff
Specialized Housing staff
Front Office/Administrative staff
Maintenance/Janitorial staff
Notice of Temporary Disruption
In the event of an unexpected disruption to services or facilities for housing and support clients with disabilities the Agency will notify clients promptly.
Planned notices of the disruption of services or facilities will be clearly posted on the Administration Office door in a timely manner, in order to give tenants/clients suitable notice of the intended disruption, and will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
Feedback process
Clients who wish to provide feedback on the way Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services provides services to people with disabilities can do so by e-mail, fax, post, or verbally.
All feedback, including any complaints, will be directed to an appropriate Manager for review and follow up, and can expect to hear back within 5 business days. A survey of and community partners will be carried out annually to invite feedback on the agency’s programs and services.
Providing Services to People with Disabilities – Training
This training is provided to staff as part of their orientation to the agency:
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, the Agency will endeavor to ensure that all staff who work directly with, and provide services to clients with disabilities are aware of, and sensitive to the nature of the disability, as it pertains to their working relationship with the client. This information is contained in the client’s individualized service plan.
Prime workers will ensure that instructions are provided in the individualized service plan on the best way to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities, including those who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
If a client is having difficulty accessing agency services because of their disability, the Prime worker will bring the issue forward for discussion with the Team, through the PODS (case conference) table in order to seek resolution. In some cases the Prime worker may opt to first speak with the Program Manager.
Modifications to this or other policies
Any policy of Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.