Multi-year Accessibility Plan
Accessibility Plan and Policies for Lake Ridge Community Support Services
This 2014-21 accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that Lake Ridge Community Support Services will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
Statement of Commitment
Lake Ridge Community Support Services is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Accessible Emergency Information
Lake Ridge Community Support Services is committed to providing the community and our clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.
Training
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will provide training to employees, volunteers and other staff members on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers and other staff members.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services takes the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario’s accessible laws.
All new employees and volunteers will receive Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities training on their first day of orientation.
All employees will be required to have refresher training yearly.
Information and Communications
Lake Ridge Community Support Services is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to make all new websites and content on those sites conform with WCAG 2.0, Level A by January 1, 2014:
Commence compliance with WCAG 2.0 Level A, for all new internet websites and web content on those websites.
All new documents and forms on internet websites conform with WCAG 2.0, Level A.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to make ensure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request by January 1, 2015:
Post a copy of our commitment to ensuring Lake Ridge Community Support Services meets optimum standards of accessibility for people with disabilities and the procedure for providing feedback on the premises and website using a disclaimer that “the information is available in a variety of accessible formats upon request”.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to make sure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request by January 1, 2016:
Institute a standard that documents be created in a structured electronic format to allow for easier conversion to alternate forms.
Create promotional materials in alternate formats.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to make all websites and content conform with WCAG 2.0, Level AA (excluding live captioning and audio description) by January 1, 2021:
Establish third-party contacts for outsourcing materials for captioning, video-description and conversion to Braille or audio as well as, any other formatting that is not feasible to do in-house.
Familiarize with sources and time-frames associated with booking sign-language interpreters, interveners or captioners.
Employment
Lake Ridge Community Support Services is committed to fair and accessible employment practices.
We will take the following steps to notify the public and staff that, when requested, Lake Ridge Community Support Services will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired:
Where employees needs dictate, we will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability.
Our performance management and career development processes will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to develop and put in place a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability:
Lake Ridge Community Support Services maintains a Return to Work Policy that allows for employees to return to modified, alternate or accommodated employment when returning from a disability.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will take the following steps to prevent and remove other accessibility barriers identified.
Lake Ridge Community Support Services will correct any barriers, if necessary that are identified through our feedback process.
For more information
For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact J. Capes at:
Phone: (905) 666-9688 Ext. 223
Email: jcapes@lrcss.com
Accessible formats of this document are available free upon request from:
Lake Ridge Community Support Services
Phone: (905) 666-9688 Ext. 220
Email: LRCSS@lrcss.com