Issue 22 - December 2010

Minister’s message:
Making it easier for people to apply for developmental services and supports

Dear friends,

We are excited to tell you that we have reached another milestone in our goal of helping people live with more independence and choice.

We have now laid the groundwork for the new application process — one that will make it easier for adults with a developmental disability and their families to apply for services and supports.

As we mentioned in our June issue of Spotlight, we ran a competitive process to identify organizations that would be interested in operating one of nine regional application entities — or regional contact points — for adult developmental services. I recently announced the successful organizations, and they are now starting their work to prepare to open for business in July 2011.

Once they are up and running, the new regional contact points will be a key element in our plan to modernize Ontario’s developmental services system.

I know from talking to adults with a developmental disability and their families how important these new regional contact points are. They want a system that is simple to navigate, with a single contact point and clear and consistent rules for everyone — things we can all support.

All of our community partners will have a role to play in helping the regional contact points prepare for their new role, and we look forward to working with everyone on a smooth transition in the months ahead.

Many thanks to everyone who applied and to all of the community partners, including people with a developmental disability, who participated in the selection process.

Madeleine Meilleur Minister of Community and Social Services

How the new application process will work

Starting July 2011, people will apply for adult developmental services and supports through the contact point in their region. The new regional contact points will:

• provide information
• confirm eligibility for services and supports
• determine service and support needs
• link people to services and supports, and
• administer direct funding agreements in the future.

By using consistent criteria for eligibility and assessment, the regional contact points will make sure everyone is treated fairly when applying for services and supports. For people applying for service, this will mean a more direct, an easier to understand application process, better up-front information about services and supports and a single contact point.

The contact points will be designed to cover their entire geographic areas, so that people who live far away from them can still apply for the services and supports they need. Each contact point will be able to provide service in French and English.

The regional contact points will not be making decisions about prioritization for service or funding. Under the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008, these responsibilities will be carried out by a separate funding body. The current regional processes for deciding who gets priority for service and funding, and how much they will receive, will remain in effect until the future funding bodies and/or new prioritization tools come online.

Lead agencies for the regional contact points

Congratulations to the organizations that will become Ontario’s new regional contact points for adult developmental services:

• York Support Services Network, also known as YOR-SUP-NET Support Services Network: Central east Ontario (Durham, Haliburton, Northumberland, Peterborough, Simcoe, Kawartha Lakes and York)
• Sunbeam Residential Development Centre: Central west Ontario (Dufferin, Halton, Peel, Waterloo and Wellington)
• Contact Hamilton for Children’s and Developmental Services: Hamilton-Niagara (Brantford, Haldimand/Norfolk, Hamilton Wentworth and Niagara)
• HANDS - TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca , also known as Algonquin Child and Family Services: North east Ontario (Cochrane, Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Timiskaming, eastern Kenora District along Hudson and James Bay coastline)
• Lutheran Community Care Centre of Thunder Bay: Northern and north west Ontario (Algoma, Kenora, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Rainy River, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay)
• Extend-A-Family: South east Ontario (Hastings, Kingston, Lanark, Leeds, Grenville, Lennox, Addington and Prince Edward County)
• Community Services Coordination Network: South west Ontario (Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Huron, Bruce, Perth, Grey, Essex, Chatham-Kent and Lambton)
• Surrey Place Centre: Toronto

The initial competitive process in the Eastern region did not yield a clear outcome. A second competitive process will be launched shortly.

FAQs

Q. What will the new points of contact mean for people who are looking to access developmental services and supports?

A. The move to a single application window will make it easier for people to apply for developmental services in their community. People will have one place to go to find information, have their eligibility confirmed and to be assessed for service needs. It will mean less duplication, and a fairer, more consistent and transparent application process for everyone.

Q. What will the new points of contact mean for developmental services agencies?

A. Once they open for business in July 2011, the new points of contact will mean that agencies will no longer confirm eligibility for service, and will not complete the developmental services application package to assess an individual’s service needs. These responsibilities will move to the regional contact points. The contact points will also be information hubs for people, so service agencies will spend less time on referrals and finding resources and will be able to focus on what they do best, which is supporting people with a developmental disability to live as independently as possible.

Q. Where do people apply for services and supports in the meantime while the regional contact points are being set up?

A. The regional contact points will be up and running as of July 1, 2011. In the meantime, people will continue to use their current application processes in their community.

Q. Will the contact points eliminate wait lists?

A. The single points of contact are key to modernizing Ontario’s developmental services system. They are going to make the system easier for people to navigate and fairer because everyone will apply and be assessed the same way.

They will not control the funding a person receives or make decisions about who gets service first. These decisions will be made by a separate funding body. The current processes for deciding who gets priority for service and funding, and how much they will receive, will remain in effect until the future funding bodies and/or new prioritization tools come online.

In the end, all funding and service decisions will depend on the overall resources in the developmental services system.

Q. Will people who have already applied for service or people who are already receiving service have to reapply once the regional contact points are operational?

A. No, people currently receiving service, or who are waiting for services, will not have to reapply or reconfirm their eligibility – they will maintain their current eligibility and be “grandparented” into the new system. Within the next five years, we aim to reassess everyone who is receiving service, waiting for service or waiting to be assessed using the new common application package to confirm their service and support needs.

Q. What will happen to agencies that currently receive some funding to process applications and act as an access point for adult developmental services?

A. As responsibility for applications and assessments move to the regional contact points, so will job opportunities. We will work with community agencies that currently provide access functions, along with the new regional contact points to help address these changes over the coming months.

Q. If some agencies currently employ staff to perform application and access functions, what will happen to those jobs?

A. The new regional contact points will need people to perform assessment jobs in their organizations. There may be some job impacts where agencies are providing access functions, but overall, we expect there will be a number of new job opportunities with the regional contact points. We will work with the affected agencies on strategies to manage these transition issues.

Q. How will the new regional contact points affect agencies that jointly provide access to both children’s and adult services?

A. Under the new act for developmental services, the regional contact points will serve as the single point of contact for adult developmental services (age 18 and over).

The organizations that will be the regional contact points may already provide other types of services, such as access to the children’s system, and may continue to do so, beyond their specific role as the regional contact point.

In the meantime, we will work closely with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services on this matter.

Q. Will the regional contact points be responsible for transition-aged youth?

A. Under the new act for developmental services, the regional contact points will serve adults (age 18 and over), which in some cases will include young adults who receive support through children’s services, and have been determined to be eligible to receive support through the adult developmental services system.

We will continue to build links between the two systems to help youth who are transitioning from children’s to adult developmental services.

Quality Assurance Measures training begins

Province-wide training is about to begin for the boards, executive directors and staffs of agencies that provide services and supports to adults with a developmental disability.

The training will focus on quality assurance measures that will come into effect January 1, 2011, under Ontario Regulation 299/10.

Quality assurance measures promote good services and supports. They will advance social inclusion and help us protect people with a developmental disability from serious health and safety problems.

The training will help all Ontario-funded service agencies gain a common understanding of quality services and supports for adults with a developmental disability.

Agencies will need to develop policies and procedures on certain topics, such as preventing and reporting abuse. That way, adults with a developmental disability throughout Ontario will receive good services and supports in a consistent way.

Ontario selected VITA Community Living Services to deliver the training, which will include video-conferencing and webcasting.

After the training has been completed and the regulation comes into effect, ministry staff will monitor agencies to make sure they are following the new law. This may include interviewing agency staff and adults with a developmental disability.

To find out more about the new law, you can check it out on Ontario’s e-laws site. Search for Ontario Regulation 299/10.

On July 1, 2011, under the same regulation, quality assurance measures will come into effect for Ontario’s new regional contact points for people applying for developmental services. Look for more details about this in future issues of Spotlight on Transformation.

Welcome to Spotlight on Inclusion

In coming issues of Spotlight on Transformation, we will feature a series of articles that celebrates community inclusion: what we can do to include people with a developmental disability in our communities, our schools and our workplaces; how-to stories to help build connections for people with a developmental disability; success stories from people with a developmental disability who are thriving today thanks to inclusion; and stories that explore new and innovative approaches to make inclusion a hallmark of Ontario communities.

I Can Do Anything!
Donna Gage

I am happy with the way my life is now. I am proud of my accomplishments!

It was always my dream to work for Canada Post because I come from a family of postal workers, including my dad, my sister and brothers, my uncle and cousins. At family gatherings they would often talk about their jobs. For the longest time I never worked. I stayed at home with my two kids.

Now that my kids are grown, I have a job. I can join the conversation, not only about having a job, but I can relate to their job. I work at the Post Office in Oro as an Ergonomic Mail Carrier Assistant. I am proud of myself. I was connected to Canada Post through employment supports at Simcoe Community Services. I went to the interview and we filled out a lot of paperwork. When my police check came back, I started work.

I have had my job for almost four years. I really enjoy it. I love the people I work with. They are great. I meet a lot of the customers. It’s nice to get to know so many people. I take pride in my job. My job is really important to me.

Sometimes we get together after work. My co-workers come to cheer us on at baseball games, and sometimes we email each other with jokes or just to chat.

I enjoy sports — it keeps me healthy. I get to meet new people and see old friends. I play baseball, swim and bowl.

I have stepped down from my position on the Self Advocate Council for Community Living Ontario to accept a new position as a Regional Representative. I love to learn new things. I also sit on the Independent Rights Committee for Simcoe Community Services. I like to help advocate for others, who can’t speak for themselves. I love helping people. My role on committees is very important to me.

I have my own apartment and my lovable dog, Koho. As a mom, I am still kept busy with my kids, but my life is wonderful. I have the confidence to do anything I put my mind to.

I Feel Included
Pete Hryhorczuk

I feel included in the City of Waterloo. I volunteered there. I put award pins in boxes. I worked with students from the school. I helped them to do the job. We worked together. I would like to do it again.

I feel included at Extend-A-Family. I work at WALES (Working Adults Learning Empowering Skills) doing stuff for the office. I send emails, I stuff envelopes and I help put together the quarterly newsletter. I feel included at the library, people sit together and we all study. I am going to try to volunteer and be even more a part of the community.

Thank you.

Watch our videos

Find out about some exceptional people who are leading the way when it comes to community inclusion. Watch our video about Sol Express, an innovative program that helps people with a developmental disability develop skills in drama, dance, voice and art.