International Forum on Disability Management – Towards IFDM 2020 – Brussels

During the conclusion of IFDM 2018 held in Vancouver, Canada, October 15-17, attended by 400 delegates from 30 countries, organized by the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS), the handover took place to Brussels, site of the 10th International Biennial Congress on Disability Management and Return to Work – IFDM 2020 – to be hosted by the Belgium Federal Social Security Organization, INAMI. To view the bulletin with further details, please click on the following link: More information

Prior to the handover to Belgium, the Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Chancellor of PCU-WHS and Master of Ceremonies for IFDM 2018, read the IFDM 2018 Canada Declaration, which sets out a series of challenges and opportunities for relevant stakeholders on a range of key initiatives which could be undertaken and contribute towards achieving much improved and sustained social and economic outcomes for disabled workers, employers, and our society at large. The Canada Declaration is available for downloading and viewing on the IFDM 2018 website at: www.ifdm2018.com

Over 80 Presentations were delivered by experts from 20 countries during the conference. These have been uploaded to the IFDM 2018 website. Please click on the tab marked Program on the website and click on the links provided in the titles of the Plenary presentations as well as of the Concurrent Workshop presentation titles.

To view the Gallery of Photos taken at IFDM 2018, please visit the IFDM 2018 website and click on the tab marked Gallery of Photos.

To view the Welcome videos from Federal Ministers Carla Qualtrough and Patty Hajdu and BC Premier John Horgan, please click on the tab marked Video Library on the website.

IFDM 2018 – Second Update

Keynote Address: Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Yazmine Laroche, Deputy Minister, Public Service Accessibility, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, will be the opening keynote speaker taking place on Monday, October 15, 9:00 am – 10:00 am. Ms. Laroche was appointed to this position by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on August 7, 2018 with a mandate to lead the Government’s public service accessibility agenda. For further details, please see the attached Second Update.

International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – Update

We are pleased to confirm the participants for the IFDM Plenary Panel taking place Tuesday, October 16, at 8:45 am – 10:15 am in the Plenary entitled:

The Disappearing Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Compensation Systems
This distinguished Panel will be chaired by Dr. Joachim Breuer, Director General of the German Federal Workers Compensation System – DGUV of Berlin, and President of the International Social Security Association – ISSA of Geneva.
For details regarding the Panel members, please see the attached Update.

INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON DISABILITY MANAGEMENT – IFDM 2018

REGISTRATION is available online. To register, please go to the IFDM 2018 website at: IFDM 2018
Click on the tab, “Registration”.
To view the Preliminary Program, click on the tab, “Program”.

The International Disability Management Standards Council (IDMSC), working in collaboration with the IFDM conferences, provides confirmation of 20 CEC hours to current holders of the CDMP and CRTWC professional designations who attend the full IFDM conference and optimize all learning activities.

IFDM 2018 Receives Government of Canada Support

The Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) is pleased to announce that the 2018
International Forum on Disability Management (IFDM) conference will receive sponsorship through the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program-Disability.

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities said, “Canada is at its best and all of society benefits when everyone is included. By bringing together academics, professionals and disability stakeholders from all over the world to share their knowledge and generate valuable ideas, this conference will help ensure that Canadians with disabilities are able to fully participate in their workplaces and communities.”

“We are very grateful for the significant support that the Government of Canada has provided, especially when considering recent reports that indicate 23 percent of all people living in poverty across Canada are persons with mental or physical health impairments, and in excess of 80 percent of impairments are acquired during a person’s working life, and therefore effective and collaborative workplace efforts in job retention and return to work can have a significant impact on changing this narrative” said Wolfgang Zimmermann, President of PCU-WHS.

To view the full media release, please see attached.

As an additional update, please note that the deadline for the Call for Abstracts has been extended to April 2, 2018.
For further details on the Call for Abstracts, please visit the following webpage: https://www.ifdm2018.com/call-for-abstracts/

IFDM 2018 Secretariat
Email: info@ifdm2018.com
Web: www.ifdm2018.com

Belgium to host IFDM 2020

The National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) of the Government of Belgium will host IFDM 2020.

With IFDM 2016 having successfully concluded, and IFDM 2018 scheduled for Vancouver, the following IFDM in 2020 will move to Brussels. Mr. Francois Perl, Director General of INAMI-RIZIV, of Brussels, Belgium, was extremely pleased to announce that his organization had been accepted to be the official host for IFDM 2020.

“Maintaining a continued successful employment relationship for individuals who acquire a disabling impairment is absolutely the best outcome for the individual, from every perspective,” said Mr. Perl in making the announcement. Please find further details in the IDMSC Communiqué at the following link:  More information

Conclusion of IFDM 2016 in Kuala Lumpur – Hello Vancouver for IFDM 2018

A bulletin is attached highlighting the successful International Forum on Disability Management, IFDM 2016, that took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 22-24, being the first IFDM to be hosted in that global region, and also being the largest IFDM held to date. Full story

An article along with a short video can be found on The Star Online website from Malaysia entitled: “Helping the injured and sick to return to work”
http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2016/11/26/helping-the-injured-and-sick-to-return-to-work-international-forum-offers-sharing-of-info-on-systema/

IFDM 2018 will be held in Vancouver, Canada, hosted by the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS).
Please follow updates for IFDM 2018 at: www.ifdm2018.com

IFDM 2016

IFDM 2016 – The first time the IFDM is being held in Asia, IFDM 2016 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 22-24, 2016. Call for abstracts – deadline is February 29, 2016. Registration is now available. For more details on the conference and to download the brochures, please visit the website: IFDM 2016

PCU-WHS to host IFDM 2018 in Vancouver

The Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) will host the International Forum on Disability Management (IFDM) during Fall 2018 in Vancouver, Canada. The theme for IFDM 2018 will be: Innovation in Integrated Workplace Health. To view the Communique containing further details, please click on the following link:  More information

Social Security Organization of Malaysia Announces Plan to Host IFDM in 2016

Four years ago, Malaysia’s Social Security Organization (SOSCO/PERKESO) launched the country’s first Return to Work Program. Since then, Malaysia has made monumental strides in improving disability management knowledge and practices in the region. Now, SOSCO is taking another step in solidifying its leadership role in disability management among Asian nations by hosting the International Forum on Disability Management in Kuala Lumpur in 2016.
Stay tuned for more on emerging themes for the Forum and the launch of a new website. In the meantime, the IDMSC Communique caught up with the Head of Operations, Edmund Cheong of SOSCO’s Return to Work Section; he had this to say about the IFDM in 2016. IFDM 2016