Transforming Developmental Services in Ontario

The Ministry of Community and Social Services provides funding to more than 350 developmental services agencies. These agencies deliver a range of programs and supports to 42,000 adults with developmental disabilities living in Ontario.In 2014, Ontario committed to an $810 million, three-year investment to expand support for adults with developmental disabilities with a view to supporting people to live as independently as possible in communities across Ontario.The 2017 Ontario Budget included an additional investment of more than $670 million over four years for developmental services. This will bring annual funding for developmental services to more than $2.3 billion in 2017/18. This investment shows the government’s continued commitment to help individuals live and participate as inclusively as possible in their communities as well as help address situations of crisis involving people with urgent and complex care needs.While there is more work to be done, progress has been made.

Easier Service System Navigation and Access

Making it easier for people to get the information they need to set and work toward personal goals

• $12.5 million investment aimed at improving access to service, including:
  • additional Adult Protective Service Workers, who provide adults who have a developmental disability and live on their own with help with their everyday living needs, accessing community resources, and setting and achieving goals
  • funding family support networks
  • expanding service navigation, which will help people with developmental disabilities and their families find services and supports available within their community
    
  All of the initiatives in this investment are aimed at connecting people with developmental disabilities and their families to local supports, programs and resources in their community.
• Making access to services easier - simplifying the application process for young people and their families applying for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Young people with developmental disabilities seeking government-funded adult developmental services and supports, as well as income support from ODSP, were required to prove their developmental disability twice.
• Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS) funding MyCommunityHub - an online registration space for individuals and families to browse various community activities, classes, programs, workshops, respite and camps offered by developmental service agencies across Ontario.

Collaboration and Cross-Sector Partnerships

Working with ministry partners to improve service coordination, transitions and planning within and across sectors

• Joint MCSS/Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) Long-Term Care Home Guidelines - improving knowledge, planning and service coordination within and between developmental services and the long-term care home sector.
• Addition of 40 mental health workers and release from custody workers in courts - supporting MOHLTC toincrease the number of mental health court support workers in the province who provide services to vulnerable people, such as those with mental illness, developmental disabilities or dual diagnosis who are in conflict with the law.
• Joint MCSS/MOHLTC dual diagnosis framework - addressing the need for greater coordination and integration of health and developmental services supports for individuals with a dual diagnosis (a developmental disability and mental health challenges)
• Caring for adults with developmental disabilities with complex needs - in collaboration with MOHLTC, we’ve taken steps to better protect the health and well-being of those with complex and urgent needs, in addition to providing them with improved supports and services.
• Updating Ontario’s Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy - introducing legislative and policy measures, and investing $178 million over three years, to ensure that all Ontarians, including those with developmental disabilities, have access to affordable and adequate housing.

Prevention Services and Supports

Working to ensure safe and secure environments and experiences for adults who rely on Ontario’s developmental services system

• Advocates Against Abuse - provincewide educational program where people with disabilities educate other people with disabilities about protecting themselves, knowing when to report or communicate that an incident has occurred.
• Policy Directives for the Host Family Program - improved requirements for agencies funded to provide the Host Family Program, aimed at promoting the safety and security of adults with developmental disabilities who live with a host family.
• Ontario.ca/ReportON - a 24/7 phone line, TTY and email service for reporting witnessed or suspected abuse of adults with developmental disabilities. Since the service was launched, we’ve received approximately 160 reports related to alleged or suspected abuse or neglect of adults with developmental disabilities.

Flexibility, Choice and Inclusion

Promoting person-centred planning, tailored to the needs and wants of individuals

• Eliminated the 2014 Passport program waitlist - providing new supports to a total of 13,000 adults with developmental disabilities.
• Eliminated the 2014 Special Services at Home (SSAH) program waitlist - providing support to a total of 8,000 children with developmental disabilities two years ahead of schedule.
• Ontario.ca/LifeShare - partnering with community agencies, to launch an awareness and marketing campaign promoting the Host Family program and expanding the number of potential new host family providers, through which Ontario families and citizens can provide safe and nurturing environments for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Supporting new housing solutions - funding a group of 10 developmental services agencies  (the Intentional Community Consortium) to develop inclusive, community-based housing options for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Multi-Year Residential Planning (MYRP) strategy investments - investing $2 million in repairs and upgrades at residential properties across the province.

Engagement and Community Partnerships

Working with individuals, families, caregivers and agencies to create meaningful, inclusive opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities

• ConnectABILITY - a website and virtual community dedicated to lifelong learning and support for people who have a developmental disability, their families and support networks.
• Launch of Access Talent, a provincial employment strategy for people with disabilities - breaking down employment barriers for people with disabilities by launching a new strategy to connect more people with disabilities to rewarding jobs and more employers to new talent to help grow their businesses.
• Employment and Modernization Fund (EMF) Phase II - 38 projects received support through the second phase of the EMF, which is intended, through collaborative solutions, to promote greater inclusion and independence for adults with developmental disabilities. The minister has committed to future funding to support similar projects.
• Developmental Services Housing Forum - sharing ideas on how to remove barriers improve opportunities and support the creation of innovative housing solutions. The ministry is planning future sessions which will focus on specific areas of residential supports and services.
• Regional Engagement Sessions - "What We Heard" - a summary of all of the important ideas, suggestions, and comments from individuals, families and service providers who attended these sessions.
• Housing Task Force - a cross-sector task force addressing housing issues for adults with developmental disabilities. There are currently 18 projects underway worth approximately $5.6 million. The community-based projects will provide creative, inclusive and cost-effective housing solutions for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Developmental services performance measurement framework - a quality improvement tool intended to help the ministry assess whether services and supports are achieving their goals, as well as where improvement is needed. Diverse perspectives, including those of people with developmental disabilities, families, caregivers and service providers, were incorporated in the development of this framework. The ministry will continue to engage broadly across the sector as data collection tools are developed and implemented.