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AUPE members rally in downtown Red Deer on Jan. 28. (rdnewsNOW/Ashley Lavallee-Koenig)
RED DEER RALLY

AUPE members rally for disability service support, ministry responds

Jan 28, 2025 | 5:21 PM

More than two dozen Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members showed up in downtown Red Deer on Jan. 28, to help raise awareness of staffing shortages amongst programs that serve disabled youth and individuals.

Alberta’s Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) and Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) programs are particularly struggling, with AUPE members working in PDD, citing caseloads of up to 200 files in some cases, which is said to be double the maximum recommended number. FSCD workers are also reporting caseloads of 130 files and climbing, and say there are about 12,000 families waiting to gain access to services.

“It’s a workplace that’s unsustainable. The caseloads are out of control and it means Albertans don’t receive the level of service they deserve and need,” said AUPE vice-president Sandra Azocar.

Azocar explained, this isn’t a new issue; noting the province hired 30-40 temporary workers last year to address the caseloads and a full-time equivalent (FTE) deficit of about 38 positions, but only as a Band-Aid solution. Now, she said, they’re getting laid off.

“A lot of them are being told right now that there’s not enough work for them, which is why they’re being let go, which is completely inaccurate. What the government has done is they’ve created an artificial bottleneck at the intake level, so these 12,000 families that we’re talking about don’t exist in the government list,” she said.

The AUPE shared its concerns with Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services in a letter dated Jan. 27. It included three calls to action:

  1. Be Transparent: Share regular, clear updates on staffing plans, workload management, and efforts to reduce the backlog in FSCD and PDD.
  2. Commit to Staffing Solutions: Reverse the ending of temporary staff contracts, fill unfilled FTE positions, and ensure equitable workload distribution in PDD to stabilize the workforce.
  3. Be Accountable: Develop a clear plan to address the 12,000 families waiting for FSCD services and ensure measurable progress is shared with the public.

The ministry’s press secretary, Ashley Stevenson, issued a statement to Pattison Media’s 94.5 Rewind Radio News in response.

In the statement, she said there have been no funding cuts to direct services for Albertans with disabilities. She added that Budget 2024 saw an increase in funding for the PDD program by $45 million and the FSCD’s funding was maintained.

“The government recognizes that the demand for FSCD and PDD programs remains high, and the department is working hard to connect families to services as quickly as possible,” said Stevenson. “There have been no reductions in department employees for this program.”

Stevenson also said the PDD and FSCD programs were designed in a different era, and that with a growing population and increasing prevalence of disabilities, the government is committed to modernizing these program to better meet current needs.

Shamanthi Cooray, Local 006 chair, said workers have not been informed of any kind of modernization plan and have concerns about its implications.

Stevenson also emphasized the government’s ongoing investment, citing over $3.3 billion allocated in Budget 2024 to support Albertans with disabilities, including investments in AISH, PDD, FSCD and other related services.

Related: Government cuts $500K in funding to Alberta disability organization

AUPE members are encouraging families to reach out to their MLA, talk to the union for more information, and be allies in their fight to improve support for Albertans.

With files from Jordan Rein, 94.5 Rewind Radio News in Rocky Mountain House.

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