Educational / Professional Development Resources and Associations

Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS)

ACDS is the representative association for 130 member agencies that provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Formerly named The Alberta Association of Rehabilitation Centers (AARC), was established in 1972 by a group of vocational service operators. Incorporated the following year, AARC functioned as a not-for-profit society governed by a provincial volunteer Board of Directors and is now named the Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS).

ACDS' mandate is to provide supports, to community-based service providers of individual's with developmental disabilities, requiring a wide range of care/support needs. The goal is to ensure quality service delivery for clients. In fulfilling this mandate, ACDS does not limit its support exclusively to its members. The association's education, accreditation and collaborating efforts also have a positive effect on organizations outside the umbrella. ACDS is an important source of information for, and a respected partner with, other recognized groups engaged in strategic planning for the future of human services.

Canadian Society of Professionals in Disability Management (CSPDM)

The Canadian Society of Professionals in Disability Management seeks to minimize the socio-economic impact of disabling injuries and illnesses on employees and employers by establishing and supporting the practice of consensus based disability management through innovation and leadership in the field and the best professional standards of quality.

National Case Management Network (NCMN)

The National Case Management Network (NCMN) is a non-profit, membership-based, multi-disciplinary, professional organization dedicated to the support and advancement of Case Management Practitioners and Professionals.

Through its leadership , the NCMN's goal is to discover Case Management best practices, to steward these discoveries into meaningful standards of knowledge, and to disseminate that knowledge nationwide.

National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR)

The National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) is an internationally recognized organization committed to reducing the human, social and economic costs of disability.

As an education, training and research organization, NIDMAR's primary focus is the implementation of workplace-based reintegration programs which international research has proven is the most effective way of restoring and maintaining workers' abilities, while reducing the costs of disability for workers, employers, government and insurance carriers.

NIDMAR offers online academic programs in Disability Management as well as certification programs that offer professional credentials designed to reflect skills, experiences and competencies which represent the global standard and leading edge in the provision of consensus-based Return to Work and Disability Management services for workers, employers and insurance / rehabilitation providers. Theses certification programs are for the Certified Professionals in Disability Management (CDMP) and the Certified Return to Work Coordinators (CRTWC) designations.

The International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals

The International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals provides a community for rehabilitation professionals in their quest for education and professional growth, thereby promoting effective, interdisciplinary services for persons with disabilities.

• IARP serves a diverse membership practicing in the fields of long-term disability and disability management consulting, case management and managed care, forensics and expert testimony, life care planning, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) consulting
• IARP supports professional growth of its 2,500 members by providing an ethics code, professional competence standards, continuing education programs, networking opportunities and group-discounted packages of professional benefits
• IARP fosters rehabilitation research and management innovation through conferences, online education and the publication of peer-reviewed articles in The Rehabilitation Professional and the Journal of Life Care Planning
• IARP strives to shape public policy favorable to private-sector rehabilitation by working closely with other professional associations, government and industry

Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada (VRA Canada)

The Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada (VRA Canada) is the leading national organization representing and advocating for professionals who focus on removing barriers and returning individuals to work. We promote professional excellence and education, and work for the advancement of vocational rehabilitation and pre-vocational rehabilitation in Canada.

In the past, you may have known us as the Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (CARP). The change in our name, as well as the change in our mission, vision and scope of practice better aligns the Association with the vision of our members and will help make us a stronger, more viable association. As you browse through this web site, we hope that you will find it both informative and easy to navigate.