Assistants and Intermediaries

A Communication Assistant

• supports a person communicating in everyday situations, non-critical situations such as meetings, educational events and public forums.
• can be a family member, support worker, a friend or a person on the CDAC assistance database
• is approved and authorized by the person they are assisting
• can be hired by an individual with a disability that affects their communication
• can be hired by an organization hosting an event or a meeting
• attended an online training from CDAC
• has at least 12 months work experience supporting people with disabilities
• needs further training from the individual they are assisting
• cannot do communication assessments, provide therapy or recommend communication methods and devices.
• cannot support a person who has no formal method of communicating. For example in an intensive care unit.
• cannot support a person in a critical communication situation.  For example, giving consent to treatment or end of life directives.
• is not known, endorsed, accredited or paid by CDAC

A Communication Intermediary

• assists with communication in a police, legal or justice situation
• is a qualified Speech-Language Pathologists with additional training from CDAC to work in these settings
• is usually hired and paid by the police, legal and justice service
• can do communication assessments and recommend ways people can communicate in critical situations
• Is not known, endorsed, accredited or paid by CDAC