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Overview
Protecting vulnerable adults in care is our first priority.
The Protection for Persons in Care (PPC) Act promotes the prevention and requires the reporting of abuse of adult clients who receive care or support services from the service providers named or otherwise identified in the PPC Act and PPC Regulation.
The PPC Act requires service providers to take reasonable steps to protect clients from abuse while providing care or support services.
Abuse under the PPC Act
The PPC Act defines abuse as an act or omission that:
- causes serious bodily harm
- causes serious emotional harm
- results in the administration, withholding, or prescribing of medication for an inappropriate purpose, resulting in serious bodily harm
- subjects an individual to non-consensual sexual contact, activity, or behaviour
- involves misappropriating, or improperly or illegally converting a significant amount of money or other valuable possessions
- results in failing to provide adequate nutrition, adequate medical attention, or another necessity of life without valid consent, resulting in serious bodily harm
The individual involved is any person who allegedly abused a client or who allegedly failed to prevent abuse of a client.
The client must have been receiving care or support services from a service provider named or otherwise identified in the PPC Act and PPC Regulation at the time the alleged abuse occurred.
Understanding serious harm
Bodily harm and emotional harm must be ‘serious’ in order for the act or omission to be investigated under the PPC Act. ‘Serious’ is not defined in the PPC Act. Complaints officers use reasonable judgement and refer to working definitions that are based on guidance in current literature.
Serious bodily harm could be described as harm that:
- requires medical assessment and treatment;
- results in a significant decline in the client’s health;
- results in extensive injuries;
- makes a pre-existing condition worse; or
- results in permanent disability.
Serious emotional harm could be described as harm that:
- has a significant or life-changing impact that interferes in a substantial way with the client’s psychological or emotional well-being
- is seen by changes in behaviour, mood, or patterns of behaviour that are more than transitory
What is not abuse?
There are certain circumstances where an act or omission is not abuse, such as:
- if a service provider carries out their duties according to professional standards or practices (for example, when a health professional provides necessary medical treatment)
- if the care or support services provided by the service provider are reasonably necessary in the circumstances (for example, a staff member uses the least restrictive intervention possible to keep a client or others safe when the client’s behaviour is a danger to themselves or others)
- If the act or omission is the result of, or can be attributed to, a client refusing care or support services (for example, a client makes an informed decision to stop medical treatment or engages in self-induced harm as a result of lifestyle choices)
- decisions made by a client, or on behalf of a client by either:
- an agent under the Personal Directives Act
- an attorney under the Powers of Attorney Act
- a co-decision maker, specific decision maker, guardian, or trustee under the Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act
- decisions made by a review panel under the Mental Health Act
- decisions made by a person described in section 28(1) of the Mental Health Act
- actions taken under the Emergency Medical Aid Act
Service providers
Service providers under the PPC Act include, but are not limited to:
- hospitals
- continuing care homes
- group homes
- some shelters (for example, homeless shelters and women’s emergency shelters)
- lodges
- addictions and mental health treatment and rehabilitation centres
- some of the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) funded care and support services settings
- day programs, residential and care or support services funded by a provincial health agency or regional health authority (for example, home care services)
Role of service providers
Service providers, their employees and persons hired to provide services are responsible for keeping clients safe from abuse when providing care or support services.
Service providers are required to:
- take reasonable steps to protect clients from abuse and maintain a reasonable level of safety for the client
- take all reasonable steps to provide for the immediate safety, security and well-being of all clients when notified that a report of abuse has been made
- make PPC information available to clients, volunteers and persons employed or engaged for services by the service provider
- require every successful applicant for employment, every new volunteer and every person engaged in providing care or support services to undergo a criminal records check
Legislation
Documents and forms
Documents
Forms
Contact
Connect with Protection for Persons in Care:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Toll free: 1-888-357-9339 (in Alberta)
Phone: 780-422-1155 (out of province or country)
Fax: 780-415-8611
Email: [email protected]
This is not an emergency number and is open only during office hours. You can leave a message at any time.
Address:
Protection for Persons in Care
Station M, Box 476
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2K1
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Protection for Persons in Care