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.
The most needed tool in the developmental services sector is for caregivers of people with a developmental disability to have a clear understanding of the services available and how to access them. Although a lot of the information I hope to share will also be relevant for people across Ontario, I will be writing with the assumption that my audience is based in Toronto. Your comments and concerns are welcomed.
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