Accessible Customer Service
Our Policy on Accessible Customer Service: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, was enacted to ensure that goods and services provided in Ontario are accessible to people with disabilities, and that people with disabilities are treated with respect, dignity and equality. VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) is committed to compliance with the AODA and the Standards for Accessible Customer Service. VHA strives to “live” the tenets of Respect for Dignity, Respect for Independence, Integration, and Equality of Opportunity for all persons. VHA is committed to providing quality accessible care for all our clients.
VHA will ensure that all VHA staff, independent contractors, service providers and volunteers:
- Are trained on how to provide accessible customer service.
- Serve individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
- Welcome and serve people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person and work with the support person to provide access to service.
- Communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take their disability into account.
Accessibility training for VHA staff, independent contractors, volunteers ensures:
- Training is delivered to all on AODA customer service obligations according to their needs/duties as scheduled by VP of Client Services and Manager of Education.
- All VHA members attend training provided by VHA (i.e. it’s mandatory).
- It includes information on:
- The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
- Interacting and communicating with people with various types of disabilities.
- Interacting with people with disabilities who use an assistive device, or need the assistance of a service animal or support person.
- Using equipment (made available by VHA) to help people with disabilities access goods and services.
- What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing services.
- Training is provided to each person according to his/her needs and duties on an ongoing basis as practices and policies change. A record of training dates and those who attended is kept.
Use of Service Animals:
All staff, independent contractor service providers and volunteers must:
- Ensure a person with a disability is permitted to enter any VHA location with their service animal (unless prohibited by law).
- Ensure the service animal stays with the person with a disability and remains under that person’s control at all times.
- NOT touch the service animal without permission.
- Explore and implement options to minimize risk to the health and safety of another person posed by the service animal (e.g., severe allergies) while still providing access to service.
Use of Support People:
All staff, independent contractor service providers and volunteers must:
- Ensure the person with a disability has access to their support person while on VHA premises and has access to their support person while receiving services.
- Clarify with the client the extent to which personal health information may be shared with or communicated in the presence of the support person.
Notification of Service Disruption:
- VP of Client Services and the CFO/VP of Operations Support ensures processes are in place to provide notice if a planned or unexpected disruption in facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities–including the reason for the disruption–happens, its anticipated duration, and any available alternate services.
- VHA staff will provide notice of disruption of service through:
- Notice physically posted at the site of the disruption.
- Notice on VHA’s website – www.vha.ca.
- Notice on VHA’s voicemail system.
Feedback Process:
- Staff, independent contractor service providers, and volunteers will encourage the reporting of feedback for persons with disabilities about VHA Home HealthCare and VHA Rehab Solutions services, and will report that feedback to a supervisor or manager as well as document that feedback and follow-up in GoldCare (PS/nursing) or on hard copy (Rehab).
- Managers: Investigate and follow-up feedback and concerns, document actions taken and inform the person originating the feedback of any actions taken. Consult with Senior Management Group when necessary.
VHA accepts feedback from the public in a variety of methods including:
- Phone: 1-888-314-6622
- In Person: 30 Soudan Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1V6
- Fax: 416-482-4627
- E-mail: jklopp@vha.ca (Joy Klopp, Director, Contracts, Quality and Risk Management, Privacy Officer)
Assistive Devices and Communication:
- Staff, independent contractor service providers, and volunteers will accommodate people with disabilities by allowing and supporting them in using their own assistive devices to help them access our services, and provide access to assistive devices and other available communication services (e.g., offer to communicate using TTY, amplifiers, etc.)
- Managers will ensure staff know the assistive devices available and are aware of how to use them.
- VHA’s Senior Management Group will ensure equipment or other assistive devices are made available in a timely manner to help provide services to clients with disabilities including, but not limited to: a) Teletypewriter (TTY) b) Braille c) Audio information d) Large print
- Resources: Training Module: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/serve-ability/ | B.30.0 Valuing Diversity | City of Toronto Diversity and Accessibility website. | A Guide to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). | Guide to the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07.
