Alberta Council of Disability Services

Latest Research, Reports, and Advocacy Briefs

Suspension of Canada-Alberta Job Grant (September 2024) - This advocacy brief outlines the significant impact of the Canada-Alberta Job Grant suspension on training budgets in the CDS sector, with nearly 80% of organizations affected. Read the full brief here.

The Chronic Wage Issue (August 2024) - This advocacy brief highlights the impact of inadequate wage increases, ongoing staffing shortages, and the pressing need for sustained wage parity and inflation adjustments in the CDS sector. Read the full brief here.

ACDS Survey 2023 - Read the full report for the 2023 survey in the members-only section: ACDS Survey 2023, Workforce Fundamentals or the infographic summary of the report here.
 
Sector Scanner 2023 - In the inaugural issue of the Sector Scanner, organizations were surveyed to update the financial information originally presented in The Perfect Storm report. Additionally, the Sector Scanner expands on this information by featuring insights from sector leaders on what they sense are the most significant ongoing and upcoming challenges in the CDS sector. Read the full report and summary document.     
 
CDS Sector Priorities 2023 – 2026 (July 2023) - ACDS has highlighted seven priorities to guide our advocacy work for the CDS sector and corresponding collaborative opportunities with the Government of Alberta. Read the two-page summary and the full report.
 
ACDS Survey 2022 - Community Disability Services Sector Training Issues and Needs (April 2023) - Read the infographic summary here. The full report can be read in the members-only section.
 
Blueprint CDS: A Comprehensive Workforce Strategy for Community Disability Services, Summary Document (Final Report) - A summary of all recommended strategies to recruit and retain a sustainable CDS workforce.
 
Blueprint CDS: A Comprehensive Workforce Strategy for Community Disability Services, Technical Document - Following province-wide sector engagement, recommendations identified in the Initial Assessment report were validated and refined. This report provides detailed descriptions and suggested timelines for all recommended strategies, as well as summarizes all research and analysis performed to date.
 
Rising Costs in the CDS Sector (March 2022) - Read the full report titled, The Perfect Storm: Workforce Challenges and Escalating Costs in Community Disability Services and the one-page summary.
 
ACDS Survey 2021, Organizational Wellness and Workforce (March 2022) - Information about the ongoing impact of COVID-19, and data such as turnover and vacancy rates. (Full report for members-only)
 
ACDS Survey 2021 Infographic: Organizational Wellness and Workforce (March 2022) - A summary of the above report. 
 

Community Disability Services Workforce: An Essential Foundation for Quality Supports (February 2022) - A summary of workforce issues in the Community Disability Services (CDS) sector, key statistics, and recommendations.

COVID-19 Pandemic Year 2: Stories from Alberta's Community Disability Services Sector: (October 2021): Supplements ACDS' 2020 Impact and Insights: COVID-19 and Alberta’s CDS Sector report.

ACDS Survey 2020: COVID-19 Impact on CDS Workforce (March 2021): Data on the impact of the first wave of the pandemic on the CDS sector workforce. 
Impact and Insights: COVID-19 and Alberta's Community Disability Services Sector (October 2020): Synthesizes how service providers in the CDS sector were impacted during the first six months since the COVID-19 public health emergency was declared. 
ACDS 2019 Workforce Survey (March 2020): Comprehensive and vital information about the CDS sector workforce. 
ACDS has recently received funding to lead the development of a sector-driven strategy for the CDS workforce. Learn more about Blueprint CDS.