Inclusion Alberta Newsletter Excerpt Feb 2025
Inclusion Alberta reports on surveys conducted on both programs confirms that long waits and denials are province-wide experiences. Parents are losing their jobs while children are missing developmental opportunities in critical early years. For many adults with intellectual disabilities, valuable years of life are being squandered while they remain isolated at home, their skills unused, potential untapped, dreams fading, and health declining. Unless families, individuals and allies speak up about the importance of adequately funding these programs, the situation could continue to get worse.
There also is a danger that government will make changes to PDD and FSCD that save money but move the programs away from facilitating inclusive lives and offering what individuals and families need. PDD and FSCD provide critical and essential supports for those that can access them, but they are being poorly administered and need more funding given population growth.
Inclusion Alberta encourages you to call your MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly, a person who has been elected to represent the people in your area within the Alberta government) and ask for an in-person meeting where you can share your family’s experience and expectation that FSCD/PDD provide the supports necessary for those the funding programs are intended for.
Resources:
- Action urgently needed: Contact your MLA about FSCD and PDD (Inclusion Alberta website with more information on FSCD/PDD and how to meet with your MLA)
- Find your MLA and their phone number by entering your postal code here.
- Download “Tips for meeting with your MLA” (doc)
- Download a one page printable handout (doc)
For more information or any assistance in meeting with your MLA please contact info@inclusionalberta.org