Accessibility Feedback

Accessibility Standard for Customer Service

Deerhaven Accessibility Standard for Customer Service

Purpose and Scope

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is Provincial Legislation with the purpose of developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for persons with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025.

Ontario Regulation 429/07 entitled “Accessibility Standards for Customer Service” came into force on January 1, 2008. This regulation establishes accessibility standards specific to customer service for public sector organizations and other persons or organizations that provide goods and services to members of the public or other third parties.

This policy is in accordance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Ontario

Regulation 429/07 and addresses the following:

• The provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities
• The use of assistive devices by persons with disabilities
• The use of service animals by persons with disabilities
• The use of support persons by persons with disabilities
• Notice of temporary disruptions in services and facilities
• Staff training
• Customer feedback regarding the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities
• Notice of availability and format of documents and meetings

This Policy applies to all employees of Deerhaven.

Policy Statement

It is the policy of Deerhaven that every employee and customer has a right to equitable treatment with respect to employment, services, goods and facilities without discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Definitions - Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

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 coordination, 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;

Accessible shall mean capable of being entered or reached, approachable; easy to get at; capable of being influenced, obtainable; able to be understood or appreciated.

Assistive Device shall mean 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.

Dignity shall mean respecting and treating every person including persons with a disability as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other customer.

Independence shall mean freedom from control or influence of others, freedom to make your own choices.

Guide Dog shall mean a dog trained as a guide for a person who is blind and having the qualifications prescribed by the regulations.

Service Animals shall mean animals that are used as a service animal for a person with a disability.

Support Person shall mean an individual hired or chosen by a person with a disability to provide services or assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods or services.

1.Providing Goods and Service to Persons with Disabilities

Deerhaven is committed to providing accessible service for its customers. Goods and services will be provided in a manner that is based upon the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity to all of its customers. To ensure the best possible customer service, Deerhaven encourages open two-way communication and expects persons with disabilities to communicate their need for accommodation or assistance if it is not readily apparent how that need can be met.

Communication

Deerhaven is committed to communicating with persons with disabilities in ways that take into consideration their disability as follows:

a) Deerhaven staff will be trained in how to interact and communicate with customers with disabilities guided by the principles of dignity, independence and equality;

b) Customers with disabilities will be offered alternative communication formats that will meet the needs of the customer as promptly as feasible;

c) Documents will be provided to customers in an alternative format that will meet the needs of the customer in a timely fashion, and

d) If telephone communication is not suitable for customer’s needs, alternative forms of communication will be offered as required.

2.Assistive Devices

Persons with disabilities shall be permitted to obtain, use or benefit from goods or services through the use of their own assistive devices.

3.Use of Service Animals, Assistive Devices, and Support Persons

Deerhaven will ensure that the access is not compromised for persons with disabilities who require assistive devices, or who are accompanied by a service animal, guide dog or support person. Service animals, such as, but not limited to Guide dogs, hearing dogs, seizure response dogs, and other certified service animals shall be permitted entry to all Deerhaven facilities that are open to the public.

Use of Support Persons

Deerhaven is committed to welcoming customers 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 Deerhaven premises with his or her support person.

4.Notice of Temporary Disruption to Facilities or Services

In the event that a planned temporary service disruption occurs that would limit a person with a disability from gaining access to Deerhaven, goods or services, Deerhaven will make the disruption known to customers in the following ways:

a) Messages will be posted on the Deerhaven web site at www.deerhaven.ca

b) Notices of service disruption will be announced over the Deerhaven on hold message on our phone system.

Notices will include information about the reason for the disruption, anticipated duration, alternate service locations if applicable, and a description of alternative facilities or services if available from the affected service department. If an unexpected disruption occurs, persons with disabilities will be accommodated by the use of other possible means to deliver the goods and service, such as:

Deerhaven may use an appropriate location outside of the building to provide the goods or service directly to the person with a disability

5. Staff Training

Deerhaven will provide AODA customer service training in to all employees, This training will be provided as a condition of employment to all new staff and on an ongoing basis for staff to ensure all staff stays current with any policy or procedural changes as it relates to the AODA Customer Service Standard.

The training will include:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• How to use the assistive devices available on the premises that may assist with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing goods and services at Deerhaven in any area or department
• Current policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard

6. Feedback Process

The ultimate goal of Deerhaven is to meet the needs of our customers, while paying attention to the unique requirements of our customers with disabilities. Feedback regarding the way Deerhaven provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made in person, by telephone, through email, mail, or by other means as required.

Feedback in person, by telephone or through email or mail should be directed to:

Deerhaven
Attn: Ken Morton
896 Bell Blvd. W
Belleville, ON K8N 4Z5
Phone: (613) 962-5021 extension 260

Feedback will be used to improve customer service. The writer of the feedback will be provided with a response in the format in which the feedback was received.

7. Format of Deerhaven Policies

Deerhaven develops and updates policies, procedures and practices in such a manner as to respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities, as well as integration and equality of opportunity. Deerhaven will provide policy and procedure documents produced by the Deerhaven in an alternative format upon request. Alternative formats available include large print versions of the document or a electronic file. Copies of the Accessibility Standrd for Customer Service are available from the receptionist at Deerhaven.