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Statement on Accessibility Practices

Statement of Commitment

SurexCARE is committed to providing excellent housing and support services that are, to the extent possible, equally accessible. Our workers reflect, in their everyday performance, our commitment to creating a more accessible Ontario, and preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with disabilities. We have experience accommodating and adapting the services we provide to meet the needs of tenants and clients with disabilities – if you require accommodations due to a disability, please bring this to the attention of SurexCARE staff involved in your care, and we will do our best to support you.

Please find our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan here: Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Core Principles

SurexCARE strives to provide housing and services that reflect the following principles:

Dignity – Persons with disabilities are valued service users as deserving of housing/services as any other tenant or client.

Equality of Opportunity – Persons with disabilities shall have equal opportunity to obtain, use and benefit our housing and services.

Integration and Participation –Persons with disabilities shall access their community and services in a similar manner as any other member of the public. Where this is not possible, services will, to the extent possible, be provided in another way that considers the person’s individual needs.

Independence – Housing and services shall, where possible, be provided in a way that respects the independence of persons with disabilities. Staff are willing to assist a person with a disability but will not do so without first attempting to get the permission of the person with a disability.

Accessibility Feedback & Complaints

SurexCARE welcomes feedback on how we provide services. Clients and family feedback will better enable us to identify barriers and respond to concerns. If you would like to provide general feedback about our services, please speak with SurexCARE staff involved in your care. If you would like to make a formal complaint regarding the accessibility of housing and services at SurexCARE, you may do so by:

(a) By asking a SurexCARE staff member to complete Complaint Registration Form on your behalf; or

(b) Using the contact form on the SurexCARE website (www.surexcare.com). Complaints should include your name and contact information, the services you receive from SurexCARE and housing location (if any), the names of your workers at SurexCARE and the details of your complaint. Contact form submissions go directly to the Executive Director, who will work with relevant program staff to determine an appropriate response.

You can expect to hear back within ten (10) business days. SurexCARE will make sure that our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, upon request.

Assistive Devices

Clients and tenants with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing services and facilities at SurexCARE. If there is a barrier that prevents the use of an assistive device on SurexCARE premises or where services are provided, measures will be taken to assist the individual with a disability in obtaining, using or benefitting from SurexCARE services and facilities.

Communication

We will work with persons with disabilities to determine a method of communication that works for them. We will provide, on request, information in an accessible format or with communication supports to individuals with disabilities, within a reasonable time frame. Accessible formats and communication support will be provided at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

Service Animals

Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public. If service animals are excluded from the premises by law, we will explain why the animal is excluded, and discuss with the individual another way of accommodating their disability in order that they may access our services and facilities.

Support Persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises that are open to the public. SurexCARE will ensure that both the individual with a disability and their support person are permitted to enter the premises together, and that the person with a disability has access to the support person while on SurexCARE premises. If you require a Sign Language Interpreter for social events and outings, please let us know (as early as possible), and we will do our best to schedule one for you.

Emergency Procedures

Where our emergency procedures, plans or public safety information are available to the public, SurexCARE will provide the information in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.

Notice of Availability of Documents

SurexCARE will provide documents or information contained in them in an accessible format or with communication support on request. We will consult the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner, and at no additional cost.

Statement of Privacy Practices

Statement of Commitment

Ontario has a law (the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004) that protects your personal health information (PHI). SurexCARE values the trust that you, our clients, place in us, and is committed to protecting your right to privacy. We wish to be transparent about why we collect your PHI, how we use it, and when we will disclose it; to keep that information private and confidential to the greatest extent possible; and to ensure that you know who to contact if you have questions or concerns around our handling of PHI.

What information do we collect?

The information that we collect may include, for example, your name, date of birth, address, health card number; as well as information about your mental and/or physical health and the programs and services you have accessed.

Why do we collect this information?

We use this information about you in order to:
• Determine your eligibility for SurexCARE programs and services, and identify the programs and services most appropriate for you;
• Calculate your rent and process rent payments, if applicable;
• Organize, plan and coordinate your support;
• Plan, administer and manage our internal operations;
• Conduct risk assessment, error management and quality improvement activities;
• Support you in managing your health services and planning;
• Comply with legal and funding requirements; and
• Fulfil other purposes permitted or required by law.

We will try to get your or your Substitute Decision Maker’s written permission before sharing your PHI with anyone outside of SurexCARE. During intake, you or your Substitute Decision Maker will be asked to sign Consent Forms allowing us talk to other individuals and organizations involved in your care – communicating them helps to ensure that your care is appropriate, well-coordinated and integrated. However, please let your staff know if you would like to place restrictions on what or with whom we share PHI – we will respect your decisions regarding your information to the extent that they do not interfere with our legal or professional requirements or our ability to provide appropriate care. Please note that there are some exceptional circumstances where we may be required to give out some of your personal health information without your consent (for example, in emergency situations and for the purpose of cooperating in an investigation). If you would like to know more, please request a copy of our Statement of Policy and Procedure on Client Privacy and Confidentiality.

What Are My Rights with Respect to My Personal Health Information?

You have the right to:
• Withhold your consent or withdraw it at any time.
• See and get a copy of your health record, and ask us to make corrections to inaccurate/incomplete information.
• Be told if your PHI is stolen, lost or improperly accessed.
• File a complaint regarding SurexCARE’s information handling practices.

There are certain exceptions to these rights – for more information, please request a copy of our Statement of Policy and Procedure on Client Privacy and Confidentiality.

What Is SurexCARE Responsible For?

SurexCARE is responsible for taking steps to keep your information safe and secure and to protect it from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal. We do this by ensuring that records containing personal health information are kept in a locked cabinet within a locked office where they are only accessible to staff involved in your care, and by likewise protecting and role-restricting information that is stored electronically. These systems are monitored and audited regularly. We take steps to ensure that everyone who performs work for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal health information for the purposes you have consented to.

How to Contact Us:

If you have questions or concerns about our privacy practices, please speak to our Privacy Officer: 40 Wynford Drive, Ste. 311 Toronto, ON M3C 1J5
Telephone: 416-469-4109
Email: info@surexcare.com

If you are not able to resolve a problem directly with us and wish to make a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the provincial agency which oversees privacy compliance, contact: Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario 2 Bloor St. East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Telephone: 1 (800) 387-0073
Email: info@ip.on.ca
Webpage: https://www.ipc.on.ca/health/your-health-privacy-rights-in-ontario/privacy-breaches-under-phipa/