Optimizing Return to Work through Successful Early Intervention

VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2024 /CNW/ - With more than 80% of all mental and physical health impairments occurring during someone's working life, successful workplace accommodations designed to maintain equitable participation through continued employment are key in successfully addressing the myriad of challenges often associated with long-term unemployment such as financial hardship, poverty, psychological and social distress.  

The Reducing Poverty through Early Intervention and Occupational Rehabilitation Initiative (RPI) currently being implemented in the Province of BC, with support from the Governments of Canada and British Columbia, is designed to provide a valuable resource with practical policy and program solutions optimized for immediate direct disability case management for individuals, and having potentially longer term structural recommendations for employers. 

"We know it's difficult for people to maintain their jobs after an injury or acquiring a disability. We listened and today we're taking action to reduce employment barriers," said Sheila Malcolmson, BC Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. "To support people in Nanaimo, Kelowna, Prince George and Vancouver, we funded a new $4 million program to support the journey back to work after injury or disability."

Individuals and employers supported through this initiative can expect compassionate and professional assistance in identifying concrete options designed to successfully maintain employment for the disabled individual whenever possible. This could include the provision of direct health care support such as occupational therapy or physiotherapy services, or other assistance such as ergonomic interventions, needed to maintain employment.

The strategy of early intervention and occupational rehabilitation supports provided by Certified Disability Management Professionals (CDMPs) forms a key element in the Belgian Government's federal Disability Management efforts now enshrined through a legislative framework in Belgium since January 2022; a strategy which is also currently being considered in other jurisdictions. 

While this early intervention pilot initiative taking place in BC will certainly be available to any individual or employer seeking Return to Work and accommodation solutions, it is expected that individuals with little or no other short or long-term disability organizational support and no workers compensation or ICBC, would find employment support resources through this new initiative most valuable. 

In order to ensure maximum benefit and optimized outcomes for British Columbians while at the same time creating a valuable and successful pilot model with significant implementation potential for other jurisdictions, an Executive Leadership Committee, with senior level national and multi-stakeholder representation, and chaired by former BC Minister for Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Shane Simpson, has been established to guide, support and advise on the many aspects of this unique effort.

Wolfgang Zimmermann, Executive Director of NIDMAR, is most supportive of this Initiative. "As someone who suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a logging accident during my first week on the job, I was extremely fortunate to have the support of the employer and the union in being able to maintain workplace attachment through subsequent retraining. Sadly, I have witnessed too many friends and colleagues who, following a serious health impairment, were not accommodated and, as a consequence, suffered long-term unemployment, poverty, family breakdown, etc. The aim of this Initiative is to support individuals, along with their employers, through the return to work process."

For additional details as they become available, please monitor the NIDMAR website as follows:
www.reducingpoverty.nidmar.ca

SOURCE National Institute of Disability Management and Research

Wolfgang Zimmermann, OBC, Executive Director, NIDMAR, Tel: [phone], ext. 202, Email: [email protected]