The New Alberta Information Sharing Strategy

Are your agency policies and protocols consistent with the new Alberta Information Sharing Strategy?

George Alvarez, Director of the Information Sharing Strategy at the Government of Alberta presented to CIAFV members on May 20 about the province’s new information sharing initiative.  A quick show of hands that day revealed that no one knew about this new provincial  initiative even though it affects how we share information about our clients with each other and with government departments.  We soon learned however about the strategy and how the resulting clarifications and changes in privacy legislation will help us better share the information we need to serve our clients.

For the Slides from the May 20th meeting click here

Information is essential to  domestic violence service delivery, planning, and policy . Information sharing helps ensure that people receive the services they require from service providers in a timely manner.   Information sharing also allows decisions to  made with the full consideration of the needs of people and/or the opportunities available to them. While there are valid reasons why some information cannot and should not be shared, much information can and should be shared to ensure that the best decisions are made and Albertans are supported as fully as possible.

How do your policy and protocols measure up?  How do your internal information sharing policies and procedures measure up?  Are they synched with this new provincial strategy?  Are you sharing too much information or too little and what is the potential impact on the services and supports you provide? Do your existing protocols for the exchange of client information adequately address your organization’s needs, as well as those of your clients?

A great first step in finding out is to take the online course:

Click the following link http://goo.gl/RKxK71

Information Sharing

Learn how provincial and federal privacy legislation enables governments, organizations and individuals to share information about the clients they have in common. This lets them coordinate efforts and provide the best response to meet an Albertan’s needs.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand how sharing the right kind of information in the right way can lead to better outcomes for Albertans
  • Identify key privacy legislation in Alberta
  • Recognize how existing privacy legislation enables information sharing
  • Identify steps and considerations in the information sharing process
  • Understand that other program legislation and regulations can impact information sharing

Information Sharing Strategy Office

[email protected] | 780.638.1372

Completing this online course would be great preparation for participating in our upcoming hand-on workshop on revising protocols and policies to ensure compliance with Alberta’s Information Sharing Strategy featuring the Director George Alvarez. Join others working on their internal or linking protocols.  We will review the strategy and work through a couple of representative internal and  linking protocols as well as be able to answer questions for member agencies about changes you may need to make to your protocols and policies.

Please plan to join us January 20, 2016  from 1:15  to 4:00  in the ALIGN training room in room 258 on the second floor of the Bonnie Doon Mall above the Royal Bank.

More details and online registration will be available soon.