Ministry of Children and Youth Services Ministry of Community and Social Services Ministry of Education Ministry of Health and Long term Care Ontario Special Needs Strategy

Special Needs Strategy Vision “An Ontario where children and youth with special needs get the timely and effective services they need to participate fully at home, school, in the community and as they prepare to achieve their goals for adulthood” What it will required Change at the provincial and local levels Collaboration across sectors Innovative approaches to address challenges and barriers

What the strategy will mean for families Seamless experience of services Clear access and service plans Smooth transitions Families telling their story only once

What are the key elements of the strategy A voluntary developmental screen for children Coordinated service planning process for children with complex and or multiple needs Integrated delivery of rehabilitation services for children and youth- speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy services delivered in a seamless manner from birth to the end of school

Coordinated service planning For children with multiple and or complex special needs who would benefit from added support due to the breadth and cross sectoral nature of their service needs Children with multiple and or complex needs and their families: Will have a service plan that is built around their strengths and needs Won’t have to tell their story multiple times Will have a go to person when they have questions

Integrated Delivery of Rehabilitation services Children and youth will receive rehabilitation services that are: Seamless from birth to school exit Built around their goals for home, school and the community Delivered in a way and in a place that meets the needs of the child and family

Where we are headed

How will it happen 34 service areas in the province Two proposals are required from each area for ministry approval: Coordinated service planning (due March 5, 2015 Integrated Delivery of Rehab services (due June 1, 2015) Proposal planning tables will: Identify a common approach Be collaborative and inclusive Not be constrained by existing roles and responsibilities

Coordinated Service planning proposal development Planning tables will be expected to recommend one agency that will be the host of the Coordinated Service planning coordinators Planning tables are expected to review existing resources in its area that provide a range of coordination, access etc. services and develop ways that these can be re purposed to comprise the new positions

Mandatory signatories to Coordinated service planning proposal Children’s treatment Centres Agencies funded to provide interagency service coordination Autism intervention lead agencies Applied Behaviour Analysis base services and supports and lead agencies Local health integration Networks Community Care Access Centers District School Boards

Integrated deliver of Rehabilitation Services Services will be realigned so that children and families experience rehabilitation services as one program Does not require a lead agency model Is not about amalgamation

Proposal submissions Expectations May propose: Funding realignments Changes to existing roles/responsibilities, including opting out of service delivery and having funding reprofiled Changes to policies and regulations ON THE GROUND Services are delivered with a holistic view Speech and language services are unified A single wait list for each rehabilitative service is maintained

Integrated delivery of Rehabilitation services Proposal development Mandatory signatories Preschool Speech and Language District School Boards Children’s Treatment Centers Community Care Access Centers