Accessible Customer Service

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Community Living Huntsville is committed to excellence in serving all our customers, including people with disabilities.

Assistive Devices

Community Living Huntsville will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with assistive devices that may be used by people who are accessing our goods or services.

Communication

Community Living Huntsville will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that takes into account their specific communication needs.

Service Animals

Community Living Huntsville welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are welcome in any of our premises that are open to the public.

Support Persons

Community Living Huntsville welcomes people with disabilities and their support persons. Support persons are welcome in any of our premises that are open to the public.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, Community Living Huntsville will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

Community Living Huntsville will post service disruption notices at conspicuous places at the location affected and will endeavour to communicate personally with all people who receive services and/or their families. This could include telephone, email, notice on website, letter, etc.

Training for Staff

Community Living Huntsville will provide training to employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on our behalf.

People in the following positions will be trained:

All direct care employees
Administration employees
Supervisors
Managers
Executive Director
Board of Directors
Students
Volunteers

This training will be provided to staff during agency orientation and/or when practicable after they are assigned applicable duties.

Training will include:

An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the customer service standard requirements
Community Living Huntsville’s plan related to 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 support person
How to use the equipment or devices available on-site (e.g. TTY, wheelchair lifts, etc.) that may help with providing goods or services to people with disabilities
What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Community Living Huntsville’s goods and services

Employees will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Availability of Documents

Community Living Huntsville will make available any document required under the Accessible Customer Service Standard, Ontario Regulation 429/07 (O. Reg 429.07) within ten (10) business days of request. Please forward all requests of this nature to Community Living Huntsville’s Human Resources Department.

When providing documents required by O. Reg 429/07 to a person with a disability, Community Living Huntsville will do so in a format that takes into account the person’s communication needs.

Feedback Process

Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way Community Living Huntsville provides goods and services to people with disabilities are welcome to complete and submit the Accessibility Feedback Form located at reception at 99 West Rd. Alternatively, feedback is welcome via:

All feedback will be directed to Human Resources. For feedback where the customer wishes to be contacted, Community Living Huntsville will respond within ten (10) business days - either in writing, in person, by e-mail or by telephone to acknowledge the receipt of feedback and to outline the action(s) to be taken.

Complaints will be addressed according to our organization’s complaint management procedures.

Modifications to This or Other Policies

Any policy of Community Living Huntsville that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.