Injuries or illness can strike anyone, anytime. In the past, we trusted that workers who became temporarily or permanently disabled would be looked after by the "system". We thought that sending them home to recover or supplying them with a disability pension was enough. Little thought was given to the full impact of a disabling injury or illness - the social, psychological and economic reality faced by the disabled worker and the potential costs to workers, employers and society.
In a changing global marketplace, employers have become increasingly aware of the importance of people as a resource, the overall cost of losing trained and experienced staff, and the increasing cost of disability when consensus-based, workplace disability management programs are not available.
Organizations are adapting their programs so that they encourage job retention. Service providers are basing their practices on research that indicates those who have incurred injuries or illnesses can benefit physically, mentally and socially if they engage in work activity that is safe and does not aggravate their condition. Unions are supporting return to work processes that enhance the likelihood that their members will retain their jobs and wages while making a contribution in the workplace through the use of disability management strategies such as job modification and the implementation of assistive devices.
As a result of demonstrated measurable success in lowering the human, social and financial costs of disability, disability management concepts have been embraced by organizations in Canada and other countries around the world including Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Accordingly, there is a growing need for knowledgeable individuals to assist workplaces develop, implement and administer effective disability management / return to work programs. Research conducted by Dr. Norman Hursh of Boston University found that trained practitioners are essential to many of the most successful workplace programs, achieving notable improvements in return to work rates and decreasing disability-related costs.
Occupational Standards developed in 1999 identified two levels of occupation in the field of Disability Management, i.e. Certified Return to Work Coordinators and Certified Disability Management Professionals and detailed nine domain areas of essential knowledge, skills and competencies in the field as well as an Ethical Standards of Practice.
In 2000, a Code of Practice for Disability Management was developed which describes the supportive framework for a workplace program and also identifies that the program should be administered by a competent person, i.e. meeting the Occupational Standards. The Code of Practice for Disability Management developed in Canada was submitted to the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva who have since developed the first international Code of practice: Managing disability in the workplace.
In 1995, an arduous DACUM (Design a Curriculum) was undertaken, a workshop that drew on the collective knowledge and experience of business and labour leaders, rehabilitation and insurance professionals, educators, disability rights advocates and disability management practitioners and professionals.
The curriculum has been continually updated and upgraded and has also been changed in format to consist of 25 modules which may be offered as an entire program or as independent workshop topics. The program has been reformatted for online delivery and is available through the Internet.
The RTWC program emphasizes the skills and knowledge required to return to work individuals who have incurred injuries or illnesses and provides an introduction to the competencies that are required to administer disability management programs.
Certified Return to Work Coordinators may work internally within their own organization or externally as providers. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to expediting, coordinating and facilitating the return to work of persons with temporary or permanent injuries, illnesses and disabilities in a range of settings.
The Occupational Standards identify that successful completion of diploma or certificate program training in Disability Management meets the educational component eligibility requirement to sit the certification examination for a Certified Return to Work Coordinator.
The Return to Work Coordinator Program consists of 25 modules covering the essential skills and competencies required by Return to Work Coordinators, including those who also have some responsibilities for program administration. Each module requires ten to twelve hours of study. Modules focus on such topics as return to work plans, job analysis, workplace modifications, assessment, assistive devices, organizational skills, marketing, information technology, labour relations, rehabilitation, disability-related legislation, program development, and evaluation.
Most instructors continue to practice as well as teach in the area of disability management / return to work coordination. Since the first offering of the program in the fall of 1995, participants have gone on to establish successful programs in countless worksites, giving practical effect to the overall program mission of reducing the human, social and financial costs of disability to the workplace.
The Return to Work Coordinator program is available online, on site at various educational institutions, or is available for delivery in-house.
For more detailed information regarding curriculum content, cost, dates of next offering, please contact:
Online Return to Work Coordinator Program
On site training
The following institutions also offer the full Return to Work Coordinator Program on site when there is a demand.
or contact us at:
The National Institute of Disability Management and Research
830 Shamrock Street, Suite 202
Victoria, BC
V8X 2V1 Canada
Telephone: (250) 386-4388
Fax: (250) 386-4398
Eastern Canadian Office
PO Box 512, Station B
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5P6 Canada
Telephone: (613) 260-2951
Fax: (613) 260-2954
2002 - The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) recently received approval from the Degree Program Review Committee of the Province of British Columbia for a new MA in Disability Management. The educational program is designed to meet the certification criteria for the new role of Certified Disability Management Professionals in Canada.
Backed by overwhelming support from employers, labour, government and service providers, UNBC has announced that it has approved Canada’s first consensus-based graduate program in disability management and will begin offering courses in fall 2002.
Organizations committed to the notion of consensus-based disability management are providing ongoing input and, in some cases, funding toward creation of the program. Weyerhaeuser VP, Human Resources Mike Rushby conveys the company support saying, "We are trying to lead by example within the employer community as we work collaboratively with various unions to establish return-to-work programs that include a focus on both occupational and non-occupational disabilities."
According to Marian Meagher, former executive vice president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which backed development of the degree program from the outset, "Return-to-work programs and certified practitioners/professionals will be a significant component in the workplace of the future. They will address the quality of life issues of workers and at the same time assist in meeting many of our projected skill shortage areas."
NIDMAR collaborated with Human Resources Development Canada in providing some of the core course material for the program. In developing the material, NIDMAR, working with various universities, helped gather input on the curriculum from business, labour and educators with the idea of "creating balanced educational training recognizing the economic and social parameters involved in managing disability issues in the workplace," explains Executive Director Wolfgang Zimmermann.
Robin Fisher, Dean of Arts, Social and Health Sciences says the program attracted considerable financial support from the private sector. "An important reason for the UNBC program in the North is the high risk of injuries in the region and the waste in human potential and to the economy when those workers are disabled and don’t get back to work. The program addresses the quality of life issue for workers, training of well-qualified individuals, and employability of students."
For further information from UNBC, please contact:
Henry Harder, Chair
Disability Management Program
University of Northern British Columbia
3333 University Way
Prince George, BC
V2N 4Z9
Tel: 250-960-6505
Email: [email protected]
www.unbc.ca/disabilitymanagement
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