April 6 COVID-19 Update
This message includes

  • CSS/Service Provider Regional Meetings: will occur every two weeks 
  • Town Hall with GoA and Chief Medical Officer of Health: toll-free COVID-19 Coordinated Response Line, important follow-up and clarity from John Stinson, ADM 
  • April 2 Public Health Order: notification of COVID-19 cases, staff working in multiple facilities   
  • Video Message from Andrea Hesse: what we are hearing and advocating for, and some suggestions for continued service delivery  
CSS/Service Provider Regional Meetings 
Videoconference meetings between service providers and regional and provincial CSS/PDD representatives, occurred in all regions over the past two weeks. These regional meetings will reoccur every two weeks and have been scheduled. If you have not been invited or connected to these meetings, please contact either your Regional Chair, or  ACDS  and we will ensure you receive the invitation.
Saturday, April 4 Town Hall 
On Saturday, there was an opportunity to participate in a town hall teleconference with Minister Sawhney, Minister Schulz and Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the Chief Medical Officer of Health. For those of you unable to participate in that call, Alison Long, ACDS created a transcript which you can read here . In addition, we were told this morning that questions that were in the queue but not answered are being followed up, and this information will be shared.
Two highlights of the conversation

  • The current testing protocol in Alberta is focused on health care workers. Over the weekend, this was confirmed to include essential workers in congregate living sites. If your staff are showing symptoms, they should access the online assessment tool targeted to health care workers, and follow that process regarding whether testing is required.  

  • COVID-19 Coordinated Response Line 1-844-343-0971. AHS is providing this toll-free line for Congregate Living Setting Operators. Use this line directly if you have a resident with COVID-19 symptoms, you need assistance or guidance in managing symptomatic residents, or you have any COVID-19 related questions or concerns. 
This morning—in response to a number of inquiries following Saturday’s town hall —John Stinson, ADM shared these points
to offer clarity: 
  • All disability service workers that provide direct service to Albertans with disabilities and organizational supports needed to facilitate this work are captured under Alberta’s essential services designation. This is not tied to SLALA. 

  • The thing to remember about essential services is that these designations are to enable necessary work and services to continue during the pandemic whereas Health Orders place limitations on activities to help contain the spread of the virus. 

  • CMOH Health Orders are legally applicable only to groups homes that fall under the Supportive Living and Accommodation Licensing Act (SLALA) which applies to group homes with four (4) or more residents. 

  • CSS encourages all PDD group homes – even if you do not fall under the SLALA – to adhere to the CMOH Health Orders related to congregate and supported living infrastructure to best protect PDD group home staff and residents from the spread of COVID-19, and minimize the short-term impact on Alberta’s acute care system to allow this system to be prepared as much as possible to care for Albertans who become seriously ill from the COVID-19 virus. 

  • As independent service organizations all PDD Service providers can create and implement operational policies specific to their pandemic plans and business continuity plans that help ensure the safety of staff and residents including: limiting or temporarily halting visitation, and enforcing resident isolation based on COVID-19 risk factors as identified by Alberta’s CMOH. The development and implementation of such policies and procedures is up to each PDD Service Provider.  

  • Organizations that operate PDD group homes of three (3) or less residents need to speak with their own legal counsel regarding any legal risk of not implementing policies and procedures that minimize the risk of COVID-19 harm to staff and residents. 

  • CSS does not have legislative authority to require PDD service providers that operate group homes with three (3) or fewer residents to adhere to CMOH Health Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic but, and as stated above, CSS encourages all PDD service providers to adhere to the CMOH Health Orders related to congregate and supported living infrastructure to best protect PDD group home staff and residents from the spread of COVID-19. 
Recent Public Health Order
On Friday, we shared the  latest Public Health Order  for congregate living sites regarding response to a suspected, probable, or confirmed outbreak.  
Video message from Andrea Hesse, CEO 
In this video , Andrea shares what ACDS has heard from service providers related COVID-19, what ACDS continues to work hard to address and advocate for on behalf of the Community Disability Services sector. Andrea also provides information on issues related to funding and flexibility, offers some suggestions for moving forward with service provision where possible, and of course, a gives huge thank you for your 
continued hard work and resilience.  
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Alberta Council of Disability Services