Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Backgrounder on Proposed Funding to Eliminate Waitlists
Source: Ontario Ministry of Finance
1. Eliminating waitlists for direct funding programs
Passport helps adults with a developmental disability to develop work, volunteer and daily life skills and participate better in their communities. It also provides respite for caregivers. Approximately 9,000 adults are waiting for direct funding through Passport. The government's investment would serve those currently on the waitlist and the 4,000 more expected to apply for Passport over the next four years.
In addition, the proposed investment would also serve the approximately 8,000 children currently waiting for Special Services at Home. Special Services at Home helps families pay for services in or outside the family home for children with a physical or developmental disability.
2. Supporting important life transitions
Planning properly for important life transitions - leaving school, moving out of the family home or getting a job - is critical for all Ontarians. The government's proposed investment would help more than 4,200 adults with a developmental disability and their families find the supports they need to navigate these changes and build a life in their community.
3. Better residential supports
Ontario's investment plan would provide residential care for more than 1,400 adults who are on waitlists or in children's group homes.
4. Promoting innovation and community partnerships
Ontario's investment would increase support for innovative community partnerships that provide greater community inclusion. It would:
People with developmental disabilities rely upon the hundreds of agencies across Ontario for a wide array of safe, high-quality services. Nearly 80 per cent of the funds invested in community agencies support salaries for more than 30,000 workers in the developmental services sector in Ontario. Many front-line workers are part-time and lower paid.
Ontario's investment strategy would help agencies continue to provide high-quality services and keep qualified staff, which means better support for the people they serve.
Helping Thousands of People with Developmental Disabilities
Through a proposed $810 million investment over three years, the Ontario government would build on the funding announced in the 2013 Budget and continue the transformation of developmental services so that people with developmental disabilities can live as independently as possible in communities across the province.
1. Eliminating waitlists for direct funding programs
Passport helps adults with a developmental disability to develop work, volunteer and daily life skills and participate better in their communities. It also provides respite for caregivers. Approximately 9,000 adults are waiting for direct funding through Passport. The government's investment would serve those currently on the waitlist and the 4,000 more expected to apply for Passport over the next four years.
In addition, the proposed investment would also serve the approximately 8,000 children currently waiting for Special Services at Home. Special Services at Home helps families pay for services in or outside the family home for children with a physical or developmental disability.
2. Supporting important life transitions
Planning properly for important life transitions - leaving school, moving out of the family home or getting a job - is critical for all Ontarians. The government's proposed investment would help more than 4,200 adults with a developmental disability and their families find the supports they need to navigate these changes and build a life in their community.
3. Better residential supports
Ontario's investment plan would provide residential care for more than 1,400 adults who are on waitlists or in children's group homes.
4. Promoting innovation and community partnerships
Ontario's investment would increase support for innovative community partnerships that provide greater community inclusion. It would:
- Expand the Host Family program. This program matches an adult with a developmental disability with a family that wants to share its home. By expanding this program more adults with a developmental disabiltity would be given a safe and secure place to live in a family setting.
- Expand the Supported Independent Living program to enable more adults to live in their own accommodation with some onsite support.
- Provide support for employment opportunities such as pre-employment training and employer awareness as young adults leave school and look to enter the job market.
- Promote and support innovative partnerships that lead to shared community living solutions and cost efficiencies that help address growing service needs.
People with developmental disabilities rely upon the hundreds of agencies across Ontario for a wide array of safe, high-quality services. Nearly 80 per cent of the funds invested in community agencies support salaries for more than 30,000 workers in the developmental services sector in Ontario. Many front-line workers are part-time and lower paid.
Ontario's investment strategy would help agencies continue to provide high-quality services and keep qualified staff, which means better support for the people they serve.
Friday, April 11, 2014
A Start on Autism Resources
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services has a Resource Kit for parents with children who have Autism. The kit includes sections on:
The Autism Speaks website also has a large number of resource kits: Examples of a resource kit are the "100 Day Kit" which was created specifically for newly diagnosed families to make the best possible use of the 100 days following their child's diagnosis. Other kits you find on this page include an Advocacy Tool Kit, an Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Tool Kit, a ATN/AIR-P Autism and Medication: Safe and Careful Use tool kit and others.
Surrey Place Centre (Toronto) has a great page of individual links to documents from the Tools for Primary Care of Adults with Developmental Disabilities. There are resources for family physicians and for caregivers.
In the column to the right are links to a list of all the agencies funded by the provincial government to deliver developmental services in Toronto. Some of these agencies offer services specifically for people diagnosed with Autism. Agencies such as the Geneva Centre, JVS Toronto, Surrey Place Centre and Kerry’s Place Autism Services.
Pinterest is a great source for visuals like this social story board page. Search for autism or social story or whatever you are searching for on pinterest especially if you are looking for visuals.
The Autism Speaks website has a searchable index of apps for various platforms (not just Apple products). The search appears to be updated and maintained, so it's a great resource to return to time and again.
•
Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and treatment
•
Everyday living
•
Common transitions
•
Health care
•
Parenting and family support
•
Tools to track assessments, diagnosis information, treatment planning and
subsequent progress
•
References to current services in Ontario and up-to-date research
The Autism Speaks website also has a large number of resource kits: Examples of a resource kit are the "100 Day Kit" which was created specifically for newly diagnosed families to make the best possible use of the 100 days following their child's diagnosis. Other kits you find on this page include an Advocacy Tool Kit, an Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Tool Kit, a ATN/AIR-P Autism and Medication: Safe and Careful Use tool kit and others.
Surrey Place Centre (Toronto) has a great page of individual links to documents from the Tools for Primary Care of Adults with Developmental Disabilities. There are resources for family physicians and for caregivers.
In the column to the right are links to a list of all the agencies funded by the provincial government to deliver developmental services in Toronto. Some of these agencies offer services specifically for people diagnosed with Autism. Agencies such as the Geneva Centre, JVS Toronto, Surrey Place Centre and Kerry’s Place Autism Services.
Pinterest is a great source for visuals like this social story board page. Search for autism or social story or whatever you are searching for on pinterest especially if you are looking for visuals.
The Autism Speaks website has a searchable index of apps for various platforms (not just Apple products). The search appears to be updated and maintained, so it's a great resource to return to time and again.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Fundraising Need
Nicole Flynn is a lovely,
talented, and determined young woman from Scarborough and amongst her many
triumphs is the Gold Medal she won in swimming a couple of years ago in Italy.
It was very costly for her working class family to pay for her to have that
opportunity to win that honour for Canada!
Nicole has Down
syndrome.
So this
time we are asking for financial assistance to send
Nicole and her coach to the Down Syndrome Swimming Competition in Mexico in
November of 2014 through crowdfunding.
Nicole is an actor, a poet, a dancer, a
photographer, an athlete, etc. so, if you are a
person who feels it's important to show the abilities of our country's
differently-abled, please go to this link and support Nicole!
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Mandate of the Select Committee on Developmental Services - Ontario
That a Select Committee on Developmental Services be appointed to consider and report to the House its observations and recommendations with respect to the urgent need for a comprehensive developmental services strategy to address the needs of children, youth and adults in Ontario with an intellectual disability or who are dually diagnosed with an intellectual disability and a mental illness, and to coordinate the delivery of developmental programs and services across many provincial ministries in addition to the Ministry of Community and Social Services; and
That in developing its strategy and recommendations, the Committee shall focus on the following issues:
· the elementary and secondary school educational needs of children and youth;
· the educational and workplace needs of youth upon completion of secondary school;
· the need to provide social, recreational and inclusionary opportunities for children, youth and adults;
· the need for a range of available and affordable housing options for youth and adults;
· the respite and support needs of families;
· how government should most appropriately support these needs and provide these opportunities.
Ombudsman's Office Investigates Developmental Services in Ontario
Here's press release from November 2012 announcing the investigation:
TORONTO (November 29, 2012) – Ontario Ombudsman André Marin today announced an investigation into the province’s services for adults with developmental disabilities who are in crisis situations, after several desperate families complained their loved ones risked being sent to homeless shelters or jail because there was nowhere to care for them.
Complaints to the Ombudsman’s office about the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ response to such situations have steadily increased in the past two years, Mr. Marin noted – from 35 in 2010, to 45 in 2011, to 64 so far in 2012.
In many cases, parents of children with severe special needs complained that services for them essentially vanished when they turned 18. Many complained of a lack of planning and funding, lengthy delays and poor co-ordination of care through agencies contracted by the Ministry. Some families complained of being refused support services because of their loved ones’ high needs and challenging behaviours.
“We have heard heart-wrenching stories from aging or ill parents whose adult sons and daughters are a danger to themselves and others and need constant care that can’t be provided at home – but they have nowhere to turn,” Mr. Marin said. “Some of these caregivers are on the brink of emotional and physical breakdown. We have investigated past cases where people with these severe disabilities have been sent to shelters and even jail. What is particularly troubling is that our complaints have only gone up, despite new legislation and changes made by the Ministry in recent years.”
The Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons With Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008 created Developmental Services Ontario, established last year, to process applications and determine eligibility for services. Complaints to the Ombudsman have more than doubled since then. Services for adults with developmental disabilities are provided by some 300 community-based agencies contracted and funded by the Ministry.
The investigation will focus on two issues – whether the Ministry is adequately responding to urgent situations involving adults with developmental disabilities, and whether it is doing enough to co-ordinate, monitor and facilitate access to services for them.
The Ombudsman’s Office has investigated individual complaints on this issue over the past two years, a few of which have also been the subject of media reports. However, the increase in complaints indicates there may be a systemic problem and a broader investigation is warranted, Mr. Marin said.
He noted that the Auditor-General of Ontario’s report last year found that there is inadequate Ministry oversight of the $472 million it transfers to agencies providing services for people with developmental disabilities. “My investigation will build on that, and determine whether the Ministry is doing all it can to respond to crisis situations, and providing access to services in a fair and equitable manner,” he said. “It’s about timely response to crisis situations. It’s about making sure people who need help are not left without supports or homes.”
The adults in the situations complained about to the Ombudsman have a variety of mental and physical conditions including the inability to communicate verbally, inability to dress or care for themselves, low mental function, and unpredictable violent behaviour, requiring highly specialized care and services.
The Ombudsman is asking anyone who has information relevant to the investigation to contact his office at 1-800-263-1830, file an online complaint or email info@ombudsman.on.ca.
The investigation will be conducted by the Special Ombudsman Response Team (SORT) and is expected to take about six months. Since 2005, SORT has conducted about 30 major systemic investigations into issues affecting large numbers of Ontarians. The Ombudsman’s recommendations stemming from these cases have been overwhelmingly accepted, resulting in such reforms as increased screening of newborn babies, improved compensation for crime victims, better access to funding for cancer drugs, an overhaul of the property tax assessment system and increased security of lotteries.
TORONTO (November 29, 2012) – Ontario Ombudsman André Marin today announced an investigation into the province’s services for adults with developmental disabilities who are in crisis situations, after several desperate families complained their loved ones risked being sent to homeless shelters or jail because there was nowhere to care for them.
Complaints to the Ombudsman’s office about the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ response to such situations have steadily increased in the past two years, Mr. Marin noted – from 35 in 2010, to 45 in 2011, to 64 so far in 2012.
In many cases, parents of children with severe special needs complained that services for them essentially vanished when they turned 18. Many complained of a lack of planning and funding, lengthy delays and poor co-ordination of care through agencies contracted by the Ministry. Some families complained of being refused support services because of their loved ones’ high needs and challenging behaviours.
“We have heard heart-wrenching stories from aging or ill parents whose adult sons and daughters are a danger to themselves and others and need constant care that can’t be provided at home – but they have nowhere to turn,” Mr. Marin said. “Some of these caregivers are on the brink of emotional and physical breakdown. We have investigated past cases where people with these severe disabilities have been sent to shelters and even jail. What is particularly troubling is that our complaints have only gone up, despite new legislation and changes made by the Ministry in recent years.”
The Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons With Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008 created Developmental Services Ontario, established last year, to process applications and determine eligibility for services. Complaints to the Ombudsman have more than doubled since then. Services for adults with developmental disabilities are provided by some 300 community-based agencies contracted and funded by the Ministry.
The investigation will focus on two issues – whether the Ministry is adequately responding to urgent situations involving adults with developmental disabilities, and whether it is doing enough to co-ordinate, monitor and facilitate access to services for them.
The Ombudsman’s Office has investigated individual complaints on this issue over the past two years, a few of which have also been the subject of media reports. However, the increase in complaints indicates there may be a systemic problem and a broader investigation is warranted, Mr. Marin said.
He noted that the Auditor-General of Ontario’s report last year found that there is inadequate Ministry oversight of the $472 million it transfers to agencies providing services for people with developmental disabilities. “My investigation will build on that, and determine whether the Ministry is doing all it can to respond to crisis situations, and providing access to services in a fair and equitable manner,” he said. “It’s about timely response to crisis situations. It’s about making sure people who need help are not left without supports or homes.”
The adults in the situations complained about to the Ombudsman have a variety of mental and physical conditions including the inability to communicate verbally, inability to dress or care for themselves, low mental function, and unpredictable violent behaviour, requiring highly specialized care and services.
The Ombudsman is asking anyone who has information relevant to the investigation to contact his office at 1-800-263-1830, file an online complaint or email info@ombudsman.on.ca.
The investigation will be conducted by the Special Ombudsman Response Team (SORT) and is expected to take about six months. Since 2005, SORT has conducted about 30 major systemic investigations into issues affecting large numbers of Ontarians. The Ombudsman’s recommendations stemming from these cases have been overwhelmingly accepted, resulting in such reforms as increased screening of newborn babies, improved compensation for crime victims, better access to funding for cancer drugs, an overhaul of the property tax assessment system and increased security of lotteries.
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There are thirty-seven agencies which are officially listed as belonging to the developmental services sector in Toronto. These agencies ar...
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Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) is an agency run by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. In Toronto, the agency happens t...