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Seniors Services Division

The Seniors Services Division is responsible for:

• The Alberta Seniors Benefit program, which provides monthly cash benefits to more than 140,000 low-income seniors across the province.
• The Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program, which provides lump-sum cash payments to eligible low-income seniors to assist with allowable one-time or extraordinary expenses.
• The Dental and Optical programs, which provides dental coverage and assistance with prescription eyeglasses for approximately 210,000 seniors.
• The Education Property Tax Assistance program, which provides an annual rebate to senior homeowners in Alberta to cover annual increases in the education portion of their property tax.

The Seniors Services Division also:

• Operates the Seniors Information Services Offices.
• Develops informative publications, including the annual Seniors Programs and Services Information Guide.
• Develops strategic policy on issues relevant to seniors and the aging population.
• Provides administrative support to the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta.

Disability Supports Division

The Disability Supports Division is responsible for:

• The Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program, which provides financial assistance to more than 43,000 adult Albertans who have a permanent disability severely impairing their ability to earn a livelihood.
• Administering the Alberta Aids to Daily Living program, which provides equipment and supplies for nearly 80,000 Albertans with a long-term disability, chronic illness or terminal illness. The program also provides grants for low-to-moderate income Albertans who use wheelchairs to make temporary or permanent modifications that increase mobility into and within their home.

The Disability Supports Division also:

• Provides additional funding to approximately 8,500 individuals receiving AISH, for personal expenses such as special dietary foods, transportation to medical appointments and costs of school-related expenses for dependent children.
• Delivers health benefits to individuals receiving AISH benefits, their spouse and dependents. Benefits include premium-free Alberta Health Care insurance, prescription and limited non-prescription medication, emergency ambulance coverage, dental and optical care, essential diabetic supplies and the waiver of Alberta Aids to Daily Living co-pay fees.
• Works with families, communities and other government partners to develop a range of coordinated and sustainable supports and services to better assist individuals to participate in employment and community activities.
• Provides community supports for persons with special needs, through programs like the Alberta Brain Injury initiative, Cross Disability Support Services Initiative, Community Access for People in Continuing Care Initiative and the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder cross-ministry initiative.
• Works to remove barriers and improve coordination of government programs and services for persons with disabilities by leading the development of disability policy. In addition, the division provides support to the Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
• Researches, develops policy, plans and coordinates policy frameworks for issues of relevance to persons with disabilities in Alberta and other provinces through forums like the Council of Ministers Responsible for Social Services.

Community Support Programs Division

The Community Support Programs Division is responsible for:

• Providing direct guardianship services through the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) for more than 1,800 dependent adults who are unable to make their own personal, non-financial decisions. The OPG also acts as decision-maker of last resort for formal mental health patients under the Mental Health Act and provides education and support for private guardians.
• Administering the Protection for Persons in Care Act, which requires that abuse involving adults who receive government-funded care services is reported and investigated.
• Developing strategic program and financial policy, and monitoring and reporting on the quality of services for the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program, which provides support to approximately 9,100 individuals with developmental disabilities.

The Community Support Programs Division also:

• Promotes through the OPG personal directives, a legal document that helps Albertans plan for a time when they may be unable to make their own personal decisions.
• Conducts research and evaluation to support continuous improvement of the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program.

Strategic Services Division

• Developing, monitoring and enforcing compliance with accommodation standards for long-term care and supportive living facilities; licensing supportive living facilities; and administering the department's responsibilities for accommodation services.
• Leading and coordinating the Ministry's corporate planning, policy and research activities.
• Administering the Seniors Lodge and Unique Homes programs and supporting grant programs.
• Administering supportive living capital grant programs.
• Corporate Finance supports the Ministry's financial planning, budgeting, payments and financial accountability activities. Specific areas of activity include budgeting and forecasting, reviewing and monitoring financial transactions, managing financial systems, revenue administration, financial reporting, and producing annual financial statements.
• Corporate Services is responsible for supporting the Ministry's information technology, administrative services, and business continuity and disaster recovery planning. As well, Corporate Services coordinates the Ministry's information and records management, legislative processes, and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy processes.

Human Resource Services

Human Resource Services plans, develops and delivers the Ministry's human resource programs, policies and practices. These include activities related to the Alberta Public Service Workforce Plan and associated initiatives, such as workplace health, employee recognition, performance management, leadership development, employee learning and development, succession planning, staffing, classification, employee relations, and managing the delivery of pay and benefits.

Communications

Communications provides advice and support to the Minister and the Ministry on providing clear and timely information to the public about the key initiatives, programs and services of the Ministry of Seniors. Communications also provides consulting services in issues management, strategic planning, media relations, writing, publishing, and website content.

Boards and Agencies

Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Boards

The Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Boards are agents of the Crown as established by the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act. Each of the six community boards is responsible for the delivery of supports to adults with developmental disabilities. These services assist persons with developmental disabilities to live, work and participate in their communities.

Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta

The goal of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta is to ensure the Government of Alberta is well informed on issues impacting seniors. The council consults with seniors and seniors' organizations across the province, identifies and comments on issues of importance to seniors, develops recommendations, and provides advice to the Minister regarding the needs of seniors.

Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities

The Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities champions improvements in the lives of Albertans with disabilities by listening to the concerns of the disability community and communicating those concerns to government. The council does this by focusing on policy development, advocacy and evaluation of policies and programs that affect Albertans with disabilities.