Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario Privacy Policy

AODA Policy

Integrated Accessibilities Standards Regulation Customer Service Policy

 

INTENT

Kids Care Oncology Central West Ontario o/a Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario (“RMHC®SCO”) is firmly committed to making every effort to ensure that our policies, practices, and procedures adhere to the guiding principles in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation under the Accessibilities for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

All goods and services provided by RMHC®SCO will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.

The delivery of goods and services to persons with disabilities will be accommodated wherever possible. RMHC®SCO will ensure that persons with disabilities will benefit from the same services as others.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all RMHC®SCO Board members, employees and volunteers who deal with the public and families requiring our goods and services or other third parties.

Definitions

Assistive device: A technical aid, communication device, or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are devices that persons bring with them, such as a wheelchair, walker, or a personal oxygen tank, and that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering, or reading.

Disability: As defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:

  • 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 co-ordination, 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;
  • A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
  • A learning disability, or dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
  • A mental disorder; or
  • An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Guide dog: A highly trained working dog that has been trained at one of the facilities listed in Ontario Regulation 58 under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act, to provide mobility, safety, and increased independence for people who are blind.

Service animal: A service animal for a person with a disability if:

  1. The animal can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability, as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal; or
  2. The person provides documentation from a member of one of the following regulated health professional colleges confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability:
  • College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario;
  • College of Chiropractors of Ontario;
  • College of Nurses of Ontario;
  • College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario;
  • College of Optometrists of Ontario;
  • College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario;
  • College of Physiotherapists of Ontario;
  • College of Psychologists of Ontario; or
  • College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario.

Support person: In relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies them in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or access to goods and services.

GUIDELINES

The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities

RMHC®SCO will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:

  • Ensuring that all persons receive the same value and quality when accessing RMHC®SCO’s goods and services;
  • Allowing persons with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and services, as long as this does not present a health and safety risk;
  • Using alternative methods when possible to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;
  • Taking into account individual accommodation needs when providing goods and services; and
  • Communicating in a manner that considers the person’s disability.

The Use of Assistive Devices

Customer’s Own Assistive Devices

Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by RMHC®SCO.

In cases where the assistive device presents a health and safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of goods and services, up to the point of undue hardship.

For example, open flames and oxygen tanks cannot be near one another. Therefore, the accommodation of an individual with an oxygen tank might involve ensuring the individual is in a location that would be considered safe for both the individual and the House.

Guide Dogs and Service Animals

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal will be allowed access to premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs or service animals.

Staff may respectfully ask if an animal is a service animal and will not ask the nature of the person’s disability or purpose of the animal.

Food Service Areas

A person with a disability who is accompanied by guide dog or service animal will be allowed access to food service areas.

Recognizing a Guide Dog or Service Animal:

If it is not readily apparent that the animal is being used by the person for reasons relating to their disability, RMHC®SCO may request verification from the person.

Care and Control of the Animal:

The guest who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all times.

Allergies and Other Health and Safety Concerns

If a health and safety concern presents itself, for example, in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, RMHC®SCO will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals. Pursuant to RMHC®SCO’s obligations under the Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, each person’s accommodation needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis, up to the point of undue hardship.

Due diligence needs to be paid to address health and safety requirements. For example, if a person’s health and safety could be seriously affected by the presence of a service animal on the premises open to the public, management must fully analyze all options for safely accommodating the service animal. Options could include creating distance between the two individuals to eliminate in-person contact, changing the time the two individuals receive service, or using air purifiers and other measures that could allow the person to use their service animal on the premises.

In very exceptional circumstances where a service animal becomes out of control, causing a clear disruption or a threat to the health and safety of others, and the animal’s behavior is not corrected by the owner, a person with a disability can be asked to remove their service animal from the premises.

As a courtesy, particularly if the person and service animal have been in attendance on the premises for a long time, staff may ask whether the animal requires water, may designate an area in which the service animal can relieve itself, or ask whether the staff can be of assistance pertaining to the service animal.

The Use of Support Persons

If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, RMHC®SCO will ensure that both persons may enter the premises together and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person.

In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained from the guest before any potentially confidential information is mentioned.

Accommodation Fees

Where a support person is required to accompany a person with a disability, and where the person with a disability has agreed to the accompaniment, RMHC®SCO will not charge the support person any additional accommodation fees provided the accommodation is for one guest suite.

Notice of Disruptions in Service

Service disruptions may occur for reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of RMHC®SCO. In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that persons with disabilities rely on to access or use goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice. In some circumstances, such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.

If a notification needs to be posted, the following information will be included unless it is not readily available or known:

  • Goods or services that are disrupted or unavailable;
  • Reason for the disruption;
  • Anticipated duration; and
  • A description of alternative services or options.
  • Notification Options

When disruptions occur, RMHC®SCO will provide notice by:

  • Posting notices in conspicuous places, including at the point of disruption, at the main entrance, and the nearest accessible entrance to the service disruption, or on RMHC®SCO’s  website;
  • By any other method that may be reasonable under the circumstances.

Guest Feedback

RMHC®SCO shall provide all individuals with the opportunity to provide feedback on the service provided to persons with disabilities. Information about the feedback process will be readily available to all persons and notice of the process will be made available by Family Services staff during check-in.

Submitting Feedback

Guests can submit feedback to:

  • In person at Reception or the Family Services office
  • By phone 905-521-9983 x2106
  • By email: info@rmhcsco.ca
  • By mail: 1510 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1E3
  • Persons who wish to provide feedback by completing an onsite customer feedback form or verbally can do so to any RMHC®SCO Family Services team member.
  • Persons who provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.

Training

Training will be provided to:

  • Every employee of or a volunteer with RMHC®SCO;
  • Every person who participates in developing the policies of RMHC®SCO; and
  • Every other person who provides goods, services, or facilities on behalf of RMHC®SCO.

Training Provisions

Regardless of the format, training will cover the following:

  • A review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005;
  • A review of the requirements of the customer service standards;
  • Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
  • Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who:
  • Use assistive devices;
  • Require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal; or
  • Require the use of a support person (including the handling of admission fees);
  • Instructions on how to use equipment or devices that are available at our premises or that we provide that may help people with disabilities;
  • Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services; and
  • Policies, procedures, and practices of the company pertaining to providing accessible customer service to customers with disabilities.

Training Schedule

Training will be provided to new employees, volunteers, and contractors during onboarding. Revised training will be provided in the event of changes to legislation, procedures, policies, or practices.

Administration

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures, please contact:

Amanda Harrison, Senior Manager, Human Resources
905-521-9983, extension 2122
1510 Main Street West, 
Hamilton, ON  L8S 1E3
aharrison@rmhcsco.ca

This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes or changes to company procedures.

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