The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) says Alberta’s Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) and Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) programs are facing mounting challenges, and is calling on the provincial government to address it.

In a letter dated Jan. 27, 2025, AUPE Vice President Sandra Azocar expressed concerns about growing backlogs and staffing shortages that threaten to undermine the support these programs provide to vulnerable Albertans.

Azocar highlighted that, despite claims of manageable workloads, the FSCD program is severely strained by the suspension of new application intakes, leaving roughly 12,000 families waiting for critical services.

This backlog, she says, which is growing by 700 new applications per month, has left many families in limbo, unable to access the support they rely on for children with disabilities. The letter criticized the government for releasing temporary staff and failing to fill vacant full-time positions, warning that without immediate action, delays will only worsen.

“[In FSCD], workloads may appear manageable, but the truth has been hidden by the Ministry’s decision to halt all intakes on new applications,” Azocar wrote. “Even though there is so much work to do, temporary staff have been released, and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions remain unfilled.”

Similarly, she says the PDD program, which supports individuals with developmental disabilities, is also under strain.

As a case in point, Azocar pointed out that she believes caseloads have been artificially lowered by handing over thousands of maintenance files to non-delegated students. The result is that caseworkers now carry significantly more complex and demanding caseloads because simpler files have been removed. These situations require significantly more expertise and time, but she says they are being assigned without additional resources.

The union urged the Ministry of Seniors, Community, and Social Services to provide clearer updates on staffing plans and work to reduce the FSCD and PDD backlogs.

In an e-mailed statement to 94.5 Rewind Radio News, Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services Jason Nixon’s press secretary, Ashley Stevenson, issued a statement defending the government’s actions.

In it, Stevenson says there have been no funding cuts to direct services for Albertans with disabilities. In fact, Stevenson says Budget 2024 saw an increase in funding for the PDD program by $45 million, and the FSCD program’s funding was maintained to support those already receiving services.

“The government recognizes that the demand for FSCD and PDD programs remains high, and the department is working hard to connect families to services as quickly as possible,” said Stevenson. “There have been no reductions in department employees for this program.”

Stevenson also explained that the PDD and FSCD programs were designed in a different era, and with Alberta’s growing population and an increasing prevalence of disabilities, the government is committed to modernizing these programs to better meet current needs.

She emphasized the government’s ongoing investment, citing over $3.3 billion allocated in Budget 2024 to support Albertans with disabilities, including substantial investments in AISH, PDD, FSCD, and other related services.

Despite the government’s reassurances, the AUPE is calling for more concrete action to address the current strain on these programs and ensure that vulnerable Albertans continue to receive the care they need. Azocar outlined three steps to find solutions and provide the necessary resources to support families and individuals in need:

1. Be Transparent: Share regular, clear updates on staffing plans, workload management, and efforts to reduce the backlog in FSCD and PDD.
2. Commit to Staffing Solutions: Reverse the ending of temporary staff contracts, fill unfilled FTE positions, and ensure equitable workload distribution in PDD to stabilize the workforce.
3. Be Accountable: Develop a clear plan to address the 12,000 families waiting for FSCD services and ensure measurable progress is shared with the public