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Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences
9th World Congress on Return to Work and Disability Management - Vancouver
Education
Vancouver, British Columbia
October 15, 2018 - October 17, 2018
https://www.ifdm2018.com/
Welcome Messages to IFDM 2018 from Key Leaders
9th World Congress on Return to Work and Disability Management

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) is pleased to host the International Forum on Disability Management - IFDM 2018 - taking place in Vancouver, Canada, October 15-17, 2018.

We are excited to bring you personal welcome greetings from some of our distinguished leaders and supporters which can be found on the website at the following link and include the following:

https://www.ifdm2018.com/video-library/

– Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Federal Minister of Science, Sport and Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the Federal Government of Canada

– Hon. Scott Fraser, BC Minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation on behalf of the Province of BC (Minister Fraser's riding is home of the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences)

– Dr. Joachim Breuer, President, International Social Security Association, Geneva, Switzerland

– Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Founding Chancellor, Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences

– Mr. Ken Neumann, National Director, United Steelworkers and Labour Co-Chair, PCU-WHS

– Mr. Dean Winsor, Vice-President, HR, Teck Resources and Employer Co-Chair, PCU-WHS

The IFDMs started with a vision: to gather leading representatives of stakeholders in disability management and return to work from all over the world in order to assemble global perspectives on consensus-based best practices, cutting edge research and successful disability management / return to work policies and programs.

With the 9th World Congress now well developed, and starting with IFDM 2002, which was held in Canada and saw over 400 participants from 10 countries attending, IFDMs have successfully been held on a biennial basis with host countries including the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, the US, the UK, and Malaysia - and it is now back in Vancouver for 2018, before transferring to Belgium for 2020, following which the International Social Security Association, United Nations affiliated and headquartered in Geneva, will continue hosting the IFDMs in perpetuity as a triennial event.

The international success of the IFDMs is also a reflection that, with an innovation, thought leadership and practical outcome focused mindset, we can collectively achieve much improved outcomes for individuals who acquire a mental or physical health impairment during their working lives which, very often, result in great economic and social costs for the individual, their family, and all affected stakeholders leading to unemployment, potential poverty, homelessness or worse.

IFDM 2018 will build on the history of innovation, leadership and best practice solutions through 78 stimulating workshop sessions and 3 plenary panel presentations with representatives from approx. 20 countries.

The three plenary panels on critical challenges include:

– The Disappearing Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Compensation Systems, Chaired by Dr. Joachim Breuer, CEO, German Federal Workers Compensation System

– Disability and Poverty: Breaking the Cycle, Chaired by the Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Chancellor, PCU-WHS

– Meeting the Challenge of Mental Health in Today's Workplace, Chaired by Ms. Jody Thomas, Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence and PCU-WHS Deputy Minister Champion

While updates regarding additional panel members and keynote speakers will be announced over the next while, we are also pleased to provide links to Canada's first ever National Accessibility Legislation tabled in the House of Commons last week by the Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Federal Minister for Science, Sport and Persons with Disabilities.

While it broadly follows the priority areas earlier identified through national consultations, details of the legislation highlight Employment as an overriding focus and supported through the Minister's stats. With more than 80% of disabling mental and physical health impairments occurring during someone's working life, effective job retention and return to work strategies are critical in measurably impacting the fiscal, social and psychological consequences of unemployment for the individual, their family, and other affected stakeholders.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/…/article-federal-governme…/

https://www.canada.ca/…/minister-duncan-introduces-the-prop…

For further details regarding IFDM 2018 please contact us or visit the website at: [www.ifdm2018.com
]www.ifdm2018.com

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences
Tel: 778-421-0821
Fax: 778-421-0823
Web: [www.pcu-whs.ca
]www.pcu-whs.ca

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