FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 2, 2014

Backgrounder: Supports Intensity Scale (SIS)

What is SIS?

• SIS is an assessment process based on an interview or questionnaire asking persons with developmental disabilities probing questions to determine an ‘index score’

• The Ministry of Human Services then uses that score as part of a process to determine the level of support a client will receive

• While the government has repeatedly claimed that SIS is just one element of assessment used to determine support, numerous stories1, 2 have come out indicating it has overridden tools like psychiatric assessments

• The Ministry is unable to provide a consistent explanation of what other assessment elements are used or how they are used

• In some cases this has resulted in significantly reduced funding to persons with disabilities to cover support workers and residential programs

• Preparing for, conducting and reviewing SIS assessments takes hours from persons with developmental disabilities, their families and service providers, and the ministry staff that conduct the evaluation

• Spring consultations with families and service providers revealed major inconsistencies across the province for how SIS was delivered

What is the history SIS in Alberta?

• Originally the government refused to admit to using SIS as a means of determining funding before facing public pressure to come clean3

• In Budget 2013 the government cut $42 million from persons with developmental disabilities (PDD) funding, with the plan of using SIS as a tool to determine who lost support4

1 http://www.ndpopposition.ab.ca/news/post/documents-confirm-pc-plan-to-make-drastic-cuts-to-albertans-with-disabilities 2 http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=b9f6390c-1ddd-4bb4-877d-79046c925650 3 http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/iphone/news/latest/story.html?id=8453556 4 http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2013/06/02/locals-join-protest-against-pdd-cuts

• A summer of rallies and protests forced the government to suspend the cuts, but the use of SIS has continued5

NDP Documents Show:

• 1,560 reviews have been requested, along with 444 reassessments (50% higher number of reassessments than previous statements by Associate Minister Bardwaj)6

• In 85% of SIS reassessments the individual’s SIS index has increased

• Astoundingly different numbers on reviews and reassessments across the province, illustrating a very inconsistent approach to SIS, for example:

o 0 reviews or reassessments requested in the South Zone but 227 reviews alone requested in the Northeast

o 255 reviews requested in Calgary and only 39 reassessments, versus 765 reviews requested and 250 reassessments in Edmonton

• Only 9% of reassessments have been completed in Edmonton and only 26% province-wide

• A FOIP seeking complaints and responses to the Minister of Human Services from persons with disabilities or their families located more than 1300 pages

• Costs associated with just the licensing and training of SIS use– not including the actual costs for preparing, conducting and reviewing the assessments themselves or staff wages – have totalled $410,943.06

o Actual costs involved in conducting the 10,000 assessments are likely in the millions of dollars

5 http://globalnews.ca/news/621811/july-1st-deadline-not-firm-for-cuts-to-pdd-program/ 6 http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=b9f6390c-1ddd-4bb4-877d-79046c925650