a case manager can help identify what the barrier(s) to receiving or increasing service
may be and what can be done to remove those barriers.
- Mediation
If negotiation does not resolve a dispute, it may be useful to consider mediation services
such as those offered by the Ontario March of Dimes.^47 The March of Dimes has
expertise with disability issues. They offer a mediation service, at a reasonable cost
that, after offering both parties a chance to be heard, helps to identify potential solutions
to produce a resolution acceptable to both parties.
The nature of the disputes that can arise in relation to attendant services often involves
a variety of frustrations over issues such as the manner in which services are provided.
Some of these issues, although serious to the client, do not, in and of themselves,
amount to a legal issue serious enough to justify taking formal legal action.
In such cases, it may be useful to pursue mediation. Often face to face meetings
between the parties and a third party neutral which allow everyone to express their
concerns under the guidance of mediator, can go a long way to reducing tensions and
opening the door to more productive dialogue. March of Dimes provides an accessible
and affordable mediation service with a special emphasis on attendant services issues.
- Litigation
If the parties cannot reach a resolution, it is sometimes possible to bring a formal appeal
to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board.^48 In some cases, where a failure to
accommodate argument can be made out, an application to the Human Rights Tribunal
of Ontario may be possible.
(^47) Ontario March of Dimes – Mediation Services (telephone: (416) 425-3463 ext. 7725; toll free 1-800-
263-3463; online: <www.marchofdimes.ca>.
(^48)
Health Services Appeal and Review Board (HSARB)(telephone: 1-866-282-2179; TTY: 1-877-301-
0889; website: http://www.hsarb.on.ca