Return to work legislation could help with the country’s poverty legislation, and a Port Alberni university is hoping to lead the way on the west coast. Continue reading PCU-WHS in the news…
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, announced funding for the International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – through the Disability Component of the Social Development Partnerships Program, at a news event held April 12 in Victoria.
Also attending the event was BC’s Minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, the Honourable Scott Fraser who is MLA, Mid Island-Pacific Rim, in the riding where the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) and NIDMAR are located.
The IFDM is designed to promote innovation, leadership and practical policy and program solutions, and will provide knowledge and tools on an integrated approach to disability management in the workplace. For further details on IFDM 2018, please visit the website: IFDM 2018
To view the news release, please click on the link below.
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Congratulations to long-time PCU-WHS and NIDMAR Board of Governors Labour Co-Chair, Ken Neumann, on his March 1 swearing in ceremony at USW International Offices in Pittsburgh.
Ken was acclaimed for a fourth consecutive term as Canadian National Director for the United Steelworkers, and we are very appreciative of the tremendous support for our collective goals of achieving better socio-economic outcomes for injured / disabled workers, employers and society at large that he has demonstrated during his 11 year tenure as Co-Chair.
The National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) and the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) are pleased to announce the appointment to their respective Boards of Daphne Taras, PhD.
Dr. Taras is Professor of Labour Relations, Edwards School of Business and Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, visiting Professor at the University of Toronto, and Chair of the Saskatchewan Educational Relations Board. She served as Dean of the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan from 2010-2016.
Reflecting on her new role with NIDMAR and PCU-WHS, Dr. Taras says that while law, policy, and chatter all matter, the need now is to focus on implementing change. “We need to ensure there are people in the workforce who have the training and skill set to meet every challenge. Every person with a disability is unique. This isn’t just about wheelchair ramps or accessible washrooms. This work is about removing all barriers so people with disabilities can work, contribute, and feel the dignity that comes from meaningful participation.”
Planning is well underway. The website is updated.
Information re Call for Abstracts is posted detailing the conference streams and specific topic areas for presenters. Deadline for abstract submissions is February 28, 2018.
View the “Welcome to IFDM 2018” message from the Honourable Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Chancellor of PCU-WHS, host organization for the event, by clicking on the “More information” link provided below.
Hotel and venue information is available on the website, as well as information regarding discounted travel fares.
For further details, please visit the website: IFDM 2018
The Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) is pleased to announce that the 2018 International Forum on Disability Management (IFDM) conference will receive sponsorship through the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program-Disability.
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities said, “Canada is at its best and all of society benefits when everyone is included. By bringing together academics, professionals and disability stakeholders from all over the world to share their knowledge and generate valuable ideas, this conference will help ensure that Canadians with disabilities are able to fully participate in their workplaces and communities.”
“We are very grateful for the significant support that the Government of Canada has provided, especially when considering recent reports that indicate 23 percent of all people living in poverty across Canada are persons with mental or physical health impairments, and in excess of 80 percent of impairments are acquired during a person’s working life, and therefore effective and collaborative workplace efforts in job retention and return to work can have a significant impact on changing this narrative” said Wolfgang Zimmermann, President of PCU-WHS.
To view the full media release, please see attached.
As an additional update, please note that the deadline for the Call for Abstracts has been extended to April 2, 2018.
For further details on the Call for Abstracts, please visit the following webpage: https://www.ifdm2018.com/call-for-abstracts/
IFDM 2018 Secretariat
Email: info@ifdm2018.com
Web: www.ifdm2018.com
A ceremony took place in Belgium at the end of November to recognize the first group of participants to complete the Disability Management Practitioner training program and also to present the IDMSC certificates to those who successfully passed the professional certification examinations. Attached please find the IDMSC Communique which provides the background on the agreement between the Belgium Health Insurance Agency (RIZIV/INAMI) and NIDMAR as well as comments from participants in the training program.
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With the support of the Scottish government, events recently held in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, recognized individuals who achieved the prestigious international Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) designation. Attached please find the IDMSC Communique which provides additional details on both events. Continue reading Committed Professionals Meeting Societal Challenges in Scotland
Following a Consensus Based Disability Management Audit (CBDMA) conducted in 2009 under a special initiative in the province of BC, a pilot DM program incorporating best practices was implemented at one health authority and a cross section of long-term care facilities. When the pilot showed that the program could make a significant difference both in cost savings and in much improved return to work outcomes for healthcare workers, collective agreements were negotiated including language around the “Enhanced Disability Management Program” (EDMP) with the various healthcare employers covering 150,000 healthcare workers in four bargaining associations in seven regional health authorities and more than 200 long-term care / community care facilities in the province. Please click the link below to review further details on the process undertaken in the development of the EDMP across the healthcare sector in BC. More Information
Graduates of NIC Human Services programs have new opportunities to complete a degree at Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences, thanks to a new agreement signed this fall between the two institutions.
On September 28, an event was held in Toronto hosted by the WSIB and NIDMAR to recognize those individuals who were able to attend the event and who achieved the Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) and Certified Return to Work Coordinator (CRTWC) designations in 2017. Continue reading Recognizing Professional Excellence in the Re/integration of Persons with Disabilities
An event hosted by NIDMAR was held in Vancouver, BC on September 22, for those who were able to attend, in order to recognize individuals who achieved the CDMP and CRTWC professional designations in 2017. Continue reading Recognition of 2017 CDMPs and CRTWCs in Vancouver
Congratulations to our Deputy Minister University Champion, Jody Thomas, on her appointment as Deputy Minister for the Department of National Defence. The announcement was made by the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, on Friday, September 22. We wish her the best of luck in this new and challenging assignment. We very much appreciate her continued support of PCU-WHS.
The International Social Security Association (ISSA), a United Nations agency based in Geneva, has published a report entitled “The Return on Work Reintegration” that identifies the global return on investments for employers, social security systems, and society, for injured and ill workers with the goal of reintegration in the workplace. A copy of the report can be downloaded from the ISSA website at:
The March of Dimes Canada, NIDMAR and PCU-WHS signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will offer educational opportunities in the field of Disability Management / Return to Work for MODC’s management staff and client base to provide a collaborative learning opportunity to community leaders and managers, and provide them with relevant tools and knowledge to effectively manage health-related absenteeism, and implement disability prevention and management programs.
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The Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences recently had the pleasure of hosting all three levels of government around a common theme – more effective return to work efforts – so that individuals who acquire a mental or physical health impairment during their working lives (about 85% of impairments are acquired during that time) do not migrate into a life of poverty and despair. This was brought together by our Deputy Minister University Champion, Jody Thomas, Senior Associate Deputy Minister with the Department of National Defence, and her Chief of Staff spending a half day with us to learn first hand about our programming, learning management system, current educational partnerships, initiatives underway, etc. She was joined for more than half the time by Port Alberni’s Mayor Mike Ruttan, Member of Parliament Gord Johns, and Member of the Legislative Assembly Scott Fraser, who will now also be a member of the incoming BC Government.
https://www.albernivalleynews.com/local-news/federal-minister-champions-alberni-valley-university/
http://www.albernivalleynews.com/e-editions/?iid=i20170713040736939
PCU-WHS was fortunate to have been approved for the University to hire a summer student for 2017 under the Federal Government’s Canada Summer Jobs Program. We are most pleased to introduce Hilary in this short release.
It was June 1987 when a group of disabled forest industry workers, led by Wolfgang Zimmermann and supported by key leaders in the forest industry, unions, government and other stakeholders pulled together a production team and the financing to produce a powerful national documentary film entitled Every Twelve Seconds, so named because at the time, a disabling workplace injury occurred every 12 seconds in Canada. More information
The Federal Government has released a report entitled “Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned from Canadians”, which sets out a range of priority areas identified during the national consultations as part of the development of a Canadian Accessibility Act.
The employment for persons with disabilities was ranked as a number one priority. With approximately 1.2 million Canadians with disabilities living below the poverty line in Canada, and the extremely low hiring rate, which has remained unchanged over the last decade, economic participation is critical.
A link to the report is provided below:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/planned-accessibility-legislation/reports/consultations-what-we-learned.html