• Disability Services funds programs and services to help adult Albertans with developmental disabilities to be a part of their communities and live as independently as they can.
• The Disability Services Program funds, monitors, and evaluates the provision of services for Individual Albertans with developmental disabilities. These services supplement the support of family, friends, and community members, and assist Individuals to live as independently as they can in the community.
• Services are provided to support Individuals in their home, work, and social environments based on the individual’s assessed support needs.
• There are three ways services can be provided:
  1. By the Individual and their family/guardian, known as Family Managed Services
  2. By a Community Service Provider
  3. By the Ministry

• To be eligible for the Disability Services program, you must
  • be 16 years or older
  • live in Alberta (citizenship or permanent residency)
    have a developmental disability before the age of 18 and need assistance in 6 out of 24 daily living skills

• Contact Disability Services, or Red Deer Disability Services at (403-340-5003) or fill out the online application at myAlbertaSupports.ca

• Contact Etana to set up a meeting with our Intake Coordinator.
• We spend time getting to know you and to discuss supports needed and requested.
• We will ask you to fill out an application. We can assist you with this, if needed.
• This information is reviewed within Etana to ensure we are able to match the request for supports to our available resources. For example, sometimes we have a space in a community home that may be a resource for a person to move to. Sometimes a request comes in to match a person to a family home. We may or may not have the resources to fulfill that request.
• If Etana does not have a match to the request for supports at this time, we will let you know so that you may explore other agencies. If you are interested, we can keep your information so that we can call you if we are able to provide support in the future.

• Etana ensures that confidentiality is met. Your application will only be viewed by others in order to make decisions about bringing you or your family member into service. Each staff personnel employed with Etana are required to sign a ‘Statement of Confidentiality’
• We would never release any information to others without your signed consent.
• Etana has a “Code of Ethics’ all personnel abide by.

• Home Living
  • Community Homes (Residential)
  • Individual Support Teams (Outreach)
  • Living with a family (Adult Placement/Proprietorship/Support home)
• Belonging (Community Access, Leadership and Advisory Council)
• Individuality (Wellness, Proactive Strategies, “Behavioural” supports)

• This will depend on:
  • How quickly your funding is approved or provided
  • If a current space is a good fit
  • What is needed to be in place for the person requesting/needing services
  • Transitioning (what time frame needed for a healthy, safe & successful move or to be successful in beginning services)

HERE’s a TIP: Applying for funding and finding a service provider can be time consuming and exhausting. It is an important decision! Our staff at Etana will do all we can to help you and your family member.

• Disability Services provides funding to pay for staff.
• Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) benefits are provided to pay for personal needs (rent, utilities, food, hygiene supplies etc.)
• Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) can provide funding for equipment such as a walker, hearing aids, or a wheelchair.
• Etana charges program fees in order to pay for costs not funded by other areas. These costs are individualized and based on the activities of the service recipient. They pay for staff mileage, admissions, and administration.
• Each individual who lives in a home owned/operated by Etana is required to pay a monthly room and board fee. This covers all food, utilities, and supplies costs. The individual pays for all personal needs (clothing, bedroom furniture, bedding, towels, personal items such as hygiene, etc.).