Ontario Government Improving Support for Ontarians with Developmental Disabilities

Media Studio, Queen's Park

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Thank you all for joining me here this morning.

There are three things I want to talk to you about today:

• first, I want to talk to you about the future of the developmental services sector in Ontario and address why we are working on a plan to transform it;
  
  
• second, I want to tell you about a substantial investment we are going to be making in the developmental services sector to support major policy change; and
  
  
• third, I want to talk to you about the next steps we will be taking to get our transformation underway, which includes closing the government's three remaining institutions for individuals with a developmental disability.

Transforming the developmental services sector

It's no secret that our current developmental services system doesn't work as well as it should.

How do I know this?

Over the course of the past 10 years, I've met with many families and people who work or are involved with the developmental services sector. So I'm acutely aware of their concerns.

I know from my talks with folks that much has changed over the years. Fifty years ago, institutional care was the primary model for providing services to people with a developmental disability.

Today, most people with a developmental disability receive services within a community setting -- that's because society has changed its attitude towards people with a developmental disability.

And just as attitudes have changed, so have people's expectations around levels of care and the types of services that should be available to people with a developmental disability.

Attitudes and expectations have changed, and yet government policies have not kept up.

This is the major problem.

Today, families want a system where people with a developmental disability are integrated in all aspects of society: schools, community programs and the labour force.

Today, families want greater choice and flexibility in getting the supports and services they need to care for their family members at home.

And the question that keeps them up at night is: "what will happen to my child when I am no longer around to care for them?"

It's heartbreaking to hear aging parents say, who's going to take care of my child after I'm gone?

I've heard their concerns and I know we need to create a system that's fair, accessible and sustainable for the future.

I'm told we need to create a system that is fair for everyone -- so that an individual gets the level of service they need whether they live in Kapuskasing or in Toronto.

And we need to create a system where access to services is based on who needs it most, not on who lobbies the most.

We have to get a handle on what people's true needs are.

That starts by making sure that assessments are done in a consistent way and that the system responds to the needs being identified through the assessments.

We also need to focus on collecting accurate data for forecasting, planning to meet the needs of people with a developmental disability.

For example, we don't know the age of individuals with a developmental disability who are receiving services from the developmental services sector in Ontario.

And we don't really have an idea of what people's needs are going to be in five years time.

Their needs are changing and we have to have a system that's flexible enough to accommodate their needs.

As our knowledge through research goes we have to provide front line staff with the latest skill and techniques to serve this population whose needs are very different from the last ten years.

To move forward on all of this, we need a comprehensive plan.

And not another five-year plan, but one that will lead us for the next 25 years and beyond and one that we can afford.

Our plan has to be realistic.

It has to be creative and innovative.

We need to look beyond what we're doing now and see who else we need to talk to.

Let's push beyond the developmental services sector and bring other people on board.

We have to start replicating and building on the best sorts of partnerships that are out there.

For example, there is a great partnership between Queen's University and Ongwanada, an agency in Kingston, that provides a full range of developmental services.

The university uses the agency for practicums for students and research. The university provides direct consultation with clients and agencies.

So the agency gets clinical supports, the students get hands-on experience and the university gets a great source of data for its research, which it uses to enrich the entire sector.

Now that's a great community partnership.

We need more partnerships like this as we build for the future.

$110 million investment in community services

In order to get the ball rolling on the transformation of the DS sector, I recognize that we are going to have to make a substantial investment.

And that brings me to my second point today.

I'm thrilled to be able to announce, that despite our current fiscal challenges -- in order to transform the DS sector so that it is on a forward-looking footing for the future and so that it is fair, accessible and sustainable for the next generation of adults with a developmental disability -- we will be investing up to $110 million over the next four years to strengthen community-based services.

Nearly $70 million of that will go to create new places to live for adults with a developmental disability who will be leaving provincially-operated institutions.

At the same time, we are going to launch a massive policy review.

We plan to seek public input on a long-term plan this coming winter. We want advice from everyone who has an interest in the developmental services system. Everyone will have the opportunity to participate.

Next steps

In addition to this we will be winding down the three remaining provincial institutions for people with a developmental disability over the next five years.

With the phasing out of Rideau, Southwestern and Huronia Regional Centres in 2009, Ontario will complete a longstanding journey from an institution-based service system for people with developmental disabilities to a community-based system that promotes inclusion, independence and choice.

In the mid-60s, Ontario operated 16 institutions. Over the past 30 years, Ontario has closed 13 of them and helped more than 6,000 residents successfully move or relocate to the community.

I don't want anyone to think for a moment that closing our facilities is a simple issue. We know this decision will affect the remaining residents and many skilled people who have cared for our residents with dedication and compassion for many years. And we know these changes will have an impact on the communities in which our facilities are located.

We are taking the time needed to make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone:

• to make individual plans for the residents in conjunction with their families, our staff and the communities;
• to work with our staff on planning for their futures after the closures; and
• to work with the communities -- bringing many provincial ministers to the table to mitigate the affects of the closures.

We recognize it will be challenging to integrate some individuals with higher needs into the community. We need to have specialized services in place for these individuals so that we can take care of them appropriately. I hope to be able to announce more specifics later this fall.

We know we're going to have to put more supports in communities for these individuals as they move out of the institutions and we know we're going to have to put more supports into communities for individuals and families who are already waiting for services.

That is where we will invest our resources over the next four years.

Conclusion

So there is a big agenda ahead of us. It is a challenging agenda.

But I know that with real commitment from all partners - individuals, families, agencies, government -- and I hope I have demonstrated my commitment today - we will succeed in being a real leader in developmental services.