December 2016


ACDS Notes

Safety Standards Update
Dear PDD Safety Standards Consultation Participants:

I am pleased to let you know that Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee has signed a Ministerial Order, effective December 30, 2016, to amend the Exemption Regulation under the Safety Codes Act to ensure that residences where adults with developmental disabilities live are not subject to care or treatment standards under the building and fire codes. The August 2015 STANDATA is withdrawn and is no longer in force or effect. This means that safety codes inspections will not occur in these homes unless there is a request, incident or complaint, as is the case with any other home in Alberta.

This decision supports the recommendation in the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) Consultation Team final report  that residences of adults with developmental disabilities should be treated no different than any other home when interpreting and applying safety codes.

Minister Larivee and I have posted a letter online  with more information about this decision. I encourage you to read it and to please share this information with others in your community who may be interested.

Thank you for participating in the PDD safety consultation this past year. Your input will help ensure the continued safety and inclusion of Albertans with developmental disabilities in their communities.

Sincerely,

Irfan Sabir
Minister 
Social Enterprise


The mandate of URSA, which acquired the lands in 2009, remains: to create a retreat space where all individuals, regardless of ability, can experience the beauty of a relaxing and calming retreat space. URSA has welcomed individuals with developmental disabilities and their families with a retreat space specially designed to suit their needs.

The retreat is looking to rent out its space at affordable rates with special non-profit pricing to ensure we can continue to make this space available to our clients and all individuals in the community who require the accessibility the retreat centre is known for.




As part of our work to promote the sector and our member organizations, ACDS would like to start compiling a directory of the social enterprises operated by our members, and promoting their individual stories - starting with this issue of the Umbrella.

Please take a few minutes to fill out this form with some basic information. As well, if you'd like to submit a write-up for the Umbrella, Community of Practice and social media, contact [email protected].
Training and Development Update

Conference 2017 - Call for Participation
The ACDS Conference Planning Committee invites you to submit a proposal to present at our 31st Annual Spring Conference in Calgary April 24-26, 2017.
 


Positive Behaviour Supports
If you are interested in bringing PBS level 1 and 2 or Train the Trainer to your region. Please connect with [email protected]. 
 
PBS Blended (online) pilot is rolling up in early January. Thank you to those organizations that have agreed to work with us, to develop best practises in implementation. Expected roll out date of April 1, 2017.
Accreditation Update


News, Links, and Events

Information Technology Safety
An ACDS member organization has been attacke d twice in the last two months in a ransomware attack. We'd like to take this time to remind you all about internet and email security. These attacks are increasingly being used to target non-profit organizations. The end result of a successful attack can be compared to taking the harddrive out of your computer and smashing it with a hammer. Whether the physical drive is destroyed, or the data encrypted, and the encryption key held ransom, without uncompromised data backups, your information is gone... Unless you pay the ransom. Which carries no guarantee that you'll retrieve your data, or that you won't simply become a target for more attacks. 
 
Microsoft - Malware Protection Centre
How do I protect myself against ransomeware?
You should:
Microsoft.com

Time - A Devastating Type of Hack Is Costing People Big Money
Grayson Barnes had just started working at his father's law firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma when a note popped-up on one of the computer screens. It informed him that all the files on the firm's digital network had been encrypted and were being held ransom. If he ever wanted to access them again, he had to pay $500, in the Internet currency Bitcoin, within five days. If he didn't, the note concluded, everything would be destroyed.
Time.com

PC Magazine - The Growing Threat of Ransomware
As ransomware becomes more sophisticated, the likelihood increases that even the most thoughtful users are at risk of getting hit, highlighting the importance of backing up files online and off. Restoring those files is admittedly inconvenient, but ransom seekers don't hold much sway when you've got unencrypted copies as a backup. It might sound like overkill, but ransomware is "becoming more and more prolific," says Hayter.
PCMag.com 

As service providers, what solutions are you using for on and off-site data backups?
Would you be interested in discussing these options with other service providers?
If so, please send an email to [email protected], or leave a comment in the Community of Practice.
Graham Thomson: Notley thinking about chopping up Human Services
Notley said she will take time over the holidays to examine "how we've organized the government, how it's worked" and whether the size of cabinet needs to be changed.
Edmonton Journal

Provincial politicians reflect on the fall session
"One of the things the disability community has been talking about for a very along time is changes to the Marriage Act," Renaud. "I think its leftovers from the eugenics days, but people with disabilities who wanted to marry had to get a letter from a physician saying that they could."
St. Albert Gazette

Cam Tait: International Day of People with Disabilities shows us how far we've come but the work is far from over
For the past several years, people left the Ramada Edmonton Hotel & Conference Centre on the first Thursday in December with new information and an appreciation of community leaders.
Edmonton Sun

Alberta Government - Supports are available over the holidays
A variety of provincial government phone lines will offer support to Albertans over the holidays.  
Alberta.ca

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Is there a news story, upcoming event, or something from your region or organization that you would like to highlight in the Umbrella? If so, please contact [email protected] .
The ACDS Umbrella is a publication of the
Alberta Council of Disability Services
Bay 19, 3220 - 5 Avenue NE
Calgary, Alberta, T2A 5N1
Phone: 403-250-9495 * Fax: 403-291-9864
© 2016 Alberta Council of Disability Services

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