What happens when you turn 18 in developmental services . . .
Newsworthy items from the public forum . . .
From time to time, we receive items of news that will help readers to understand what is happening in developmental services and supports in our province. These newsworthy items will be posted here with a pink link to a web page or article that will provide more information.
November 7, 2021 - Our forgotten neighbours - Community Living Oakville - How Community Living Oakville supports people with developmental disabilities and adapted to the pandemic.
October 29, 2021 - Ontario Helping More People with Developmental Disabilities Access Housing - $13 million investment helping people connect with accessible housing in their community.
July 19, 2021 - Mother moves south to support son at college - A mother launches a GoFundMe campaign to move with her son to college, in the absence of other supports.
July 1, 2020 - TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca - The website of a network in north Ontario that provides resources and assistance for adults with developmental disabilities.
April 4, 2020 - Ontario Protecting Vulnerable Ontarians During COVID-19 Outbreak - A news release from the Government of Ontario relief funding for residential service providers that support vulnerable populations.
January 10, 2020 - Haldimand and area students drive authentic inclusion - An article about how Fusion4Inclusion is fostering a sense of belonging for students with disabilities.
January 10, 2020 - Author of ‘Can’t Read, Can’t Write, Here’s My Book’ visits Caledonia school - An article about 28-year-old Michael Jacques (who has autism and an intellectual disability) wrote a book using his iPad’s speech to text function to write a book.
December 3, 2019 - People with developmental disabilities cannot take any more cuts - A press release from CUPE expressing the concern of front-line workers on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
November 26, 2019 - Online Housing Toolkit will help guide people with developmental disabilities - A press release about Developmental Services Ontario (DSO is the access point for ministry-funded adult developmental services in Ontario) launching its full online Housing Toolkit. The page has links to more detailed information and resources.
October 15, 2019 - TV celebrity urges Ontario to help families of adults with autism - Eugene Levy rallied support for the seven families and their nine children who are suing Premier Doug Ford’s government after their financial assistance ended last summer.
September 25, 2019 - More help needed for kids with disabilities who age out of care system - Parents share about what they see as a gap in governmental support for adults with developmental disabilities.
August 15, 2019 - Niagara business campaign encourages accessibility - An article about the "We Are Accessible" campaign in the Niagara peninsula helping businesses become more sensitive to those with disabilities.
August 12, 2019 - Adults with disabilities still waiting decades for supportive housing - An article and personal account indicating that government-funded supportive housing has had a longstanding wait list.
July 18, 2019 - Alberta government plans next steps in disability program review - An article about Alberta's Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program system being review by a government-appointed panel.
July 11, 2019 - Disabilities are merely obstacles to overcome - An article about a 27 year-old man who overcame obstacles arising from his intellectual disabilities to find gainful employment and even to write a book.
May 25, 2019 - 'Special' prom has this disabilities advocate pleading 'Stop!' - First-ever prom especially for students with developmental disabilities provokes a response.
April 25, 2019 - Why the Most Common Developmental Disability in Canada is Misdiagnosed - FASD has been well documented for more than 40 years, yet it remains among the most misdiagnosed developmental disorders.
April 17, 2019 - House-building charity for exceptional needs to by-pass wait list - A house-building charity so that people with an intellectual disability will have a chance to move out of their parents’ home.
April 2, 2019 - Why Ontarians with developmental disabilities still face employment barriers - An article from TVO exploring “full economic citizenship” for those with developmental disabilities.
March 27, 2019 - Six individuals share their personal journey through the developmental system - The DSO (Developmental Services Ontario), an access point for ministry-funded adult developmental services, has launched an awareness campaign.
March 8, 2019 - Windsor, Essex NDP MPPs hold town hall on developmental disabilities - Area NDP MPPs tackling provincial cuts to the Ontario Autism Program.
March 1, 2019 - Another lifeline for disabled has been chopped - An opinion piece about facilitation that has been provided through a pilot program in seven regions of the province.
February 21, 2019 - Lisa Gretzky’s bill for adults with developmental disabilities passes second reading - More about MPP Lisa Gretzky’s Noah and Gregory’s Law private member’s bill.
February 21, 2019 - Plight of Windsor children with autism cited in Toronto as MPPs call for action - About MPP Lisa Gretzky’s Noah and Gregory’s Law private member’s bill to protect people aging out of the youth system at 18.
January 30, 2019 - Ford government cut is cutting a lifeline to families with disabilities - An opinion piece from the Toronto Star.
January 19, 2019 - Provincial cuts leave adults with disabilities ‘hanging on a ledge’ - Ontario axes program that helps adults with autism and other developmental disabilities build rich and meaningful lives.
January 18, 2019 - 'Devastated' — families fight funding cuts for people with disabilities - The province is about to cut off funding for a support program that was started in Windsor.
January 15, 2019 - Experts Recommend Improvements to Ontario Developmental Services - A report by the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis titled "Evidence-Based Practices for the Treatment of Challenging Behaviour in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" has identified gaps in Ontario's developmental service system.
December 26, 2018 - Mother of adult with autism calls Alberta's support system 'broken' - A Calgary mother says she can no longer take care of her grown son with developmental disabilities, and she's been fighting for years to get the provincially-funded support he needs to live on his own.
December 14, 2018 - Mentally disabled win class status over loss of services at age 18 in Ontario - (Global) “The plaintiff’s complaint is . . . about the negligent utilization and administration of existing resources”
December 14, 2018 - Mentally disabled win class status over loss of services at age 18 - (CBC) A lawsuit, which accuses Ontario government of harm-causing negligence, seeks $110 million in damages.
December 7, 2018 - A law is tabled to eliminate wait times - Windsor West MPP, Lisa Gretzky, tables a law to eliminate wait times for people with developmental disabilities.
November 15, 2018 - A petition demanding more provincial help for families - An article from Windsor about a petition (on www.change.org) called "Necessity for Out of Home Respite/Group Homes for Adults with Disabilities."
November 14, 2018 - Is Ontario failing adults with developmental disabilities? - An article from TVO with questions about the effectiveness of government programs.
October 30, 2018 - Class action lawsuit over loss of services - A man is pressing a class action against the Ontario government because his developmentally disabled daughter was cut off from government supports after she turned 18.
June 28, 2018 - Unemployment and those with developmental disabilities - An article from the Calgary Star describing unemployment among those with developmental disabilities.
May 3, 2018 - Inclusive Post-Secondary Education - A site about attending college for those who have a developmental disability, intellectual disability or other learning challenges.
May 1, 2018 - Ontario Supporting Better Health Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities - An MCYS news release describing supports for primary care providers, including family doctors.
April 19, 2018 - Workshop to explore what’s available for teens with disabilities - An article about the 2018 Transitional Fair hosted by the Jumpstart Lambton Kent Teen Transition Committee.
April 5, 2018 - Despite Best Intentions People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Supports Continue to Pay the Price and Get Left Behind - A news release from OASIS (Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs).
April 4, 2018 - A response to the Ontario 2018 budget - The Provincial Network on Developmental Services was encouraged to see a strong commitment in the 2018 Ontario Budget for developmental services.
March 31, 2018 - Accessibility advocates express cautious optimism about Ontario budget - Over the next three years, the Ontario Liberal budget promises to pump $1.8 billion into services for developmentally disabled people.
March 31, 2018 - Response to 2018 Ontario Budget: A Plan for Care and Opportunity - A response from Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD), Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills (OCL) and Ottawa Rotary Home (ORH).
March 30, 2018 - Provincial funding boost could help people with developmental disabilities - A personal account of a legal battle on behalf of a developmentally disabled daughter and proposed new funding.
March 10, 2018 - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) supports lacking in-school system - An article in the Belleville Intelligencer related to supports within the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
March 5, 2018 - OPSEU demands developmental services system overhaul - A Thunder Bay developmental services worker says people are languishing on waitlists.
February 19, 2018 - Apology sought for 'disturbing' confinement of people with disabilities - The Calgary Herald reports on a case in Nova Scotia with some reference to Ontario's 2016 ombudsman’s report entitled "Nowhere to Turn."
February 6, 2018 - click to listen > Podcast from CBC's "The Current" - People with disabilities have a right to live in the community, not institutions, argues a Nova Scotian lawyer. A human rights case that starts this week argues forcing people with disabilities to live in institutions — and denying them homes within the community — is a violation of charter rights.
February 5, 2018 - New Toronto research hub to focus on developmental disabilities and mental illness - The background of research and a description of CAMH's new Azrieli Centre for Adult Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Mental Health.
January 9, 2018 - Ontario Improving Living Spaces for People with Developmental Disabilities - Ontario is investing $3 million to conduct repairs and upgrades at the residential properties of developmental service providers across the province through the Multi-Year Residential Planning Strategy.
January 3, 2018 - End of Ontario's sheltered workshops program drawing closer - "The MCSS said it will work with agencies to ensure the transition away from sheltered workshops is complete by January 1, 2019."
December 28, 2017 - Minimum wage and support hours - Parents of developmentally disabled adult children fear minimum wage hike could reduce support hours.
November 21, 2017 - Developmental Services - Spotlight on Transformation - Issue 63 contains information about and a link to "Guidelines For Supporting Adults With A Developmental Disability When Applying To, Moving Into And Residing In A Long-Term Care Home."
November 1, 2017 - Ontario Expands Support for the City of Toronto's Bridges to Housing Project - Information about provincial investments in residential supports for people with developmental disabilities.
October 30, 2017 - People with Developmental Disabilities will receive less support under government's proposed wage bill - News release by OASIS - Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs.
September 22, 2017 - Rally to protest lack of services for adults with developmental disabilities - Background and video on the "Nowhere to Turn" rally in Windsor.
September 21, 2017 - 'Our people matter': advocates demand services for adults with developmental disabilities - Parents of Adult Children with Disabilities Windsor/Essex hosted a rally.
September 1, 2017 - Improving Ontario's Social Assistance Programs - Details from the MCSS about improvements to social assistance programs.
August 7, 2017 - London politicians want to end 'discriminatory' group-home bylaw - A zoning bylaw that may
discriminate against developmentally disabled Londoners may soon be off the books.
July 12, 2017 - Supporting Upgrades and Repairs at Community Agencies - An MCSS media release about funding for repairs, renovations, upgrades and fire safety improvements at community agencies across the province.
July 10, 2017 - Unwed parents in Alberta don't share financial burden once disabled child turns 18 - CBC reports a case out of the province of Alberta.
June 26, 2017 - $12.5 million to help connect adults with developmental disabilities to resources - An announcement of Ontario MCSS funding going to community initiatives.
June 21, 2017 - Funding to support vulnerable adults crucial - Ontario MCSS funding eyed to better connect developmentally delayed adults to proper housing.
June 21, 2017 - Improving Access to Services for People with Developmental Disabilities - The Ontario MCSS news release about $12.5m in funding.
May 11, 2017 - Parents, MPPs rally for funding for developmentally disabled adults - A group of people assemble at Queen's Park to express their concerns.
May 10, 2017 - Ontario parents want help for their developmentally delayed adult-age children - Parents are increasing the pressure on the Ontario government for more help as their developmentally-disabled children become adults.
May 9, 2017 - Windsor MPP calls on Wynne government to support adults with developmental disabilities - Lisa Gretzky argues Ontario government doesn't support adults with disabilities.
April 23, 2017 - $110M lawsuit targets Ontario wait lists for developmentally delayed adults - Father of disabled woman says she was abruptly cut off from support funding when she turned 19.
April 18, 2017 - Lawsuit claims care for developmentally disabled adults arbitrary, inconsistent - Article about a class-action suit launched on behalf of developmentally disabled Ontario residents.
March 2, 2017 - Letter from Minister Jaczek (MCSS) regarding Community Living Dufferin - A response from the Minister of the MCSS to a reported crisis in funding.
February 14, 2017 - 13,000 Adults with Developmental Disabilities Receiving Support - A news bulletin from MCSS telling how Ontario will eliminate the 2014 Passport waitlist by the end of next month, one year ahead of schedule.
February 6, 2017 - Upgrading and Expanding Living Spaces for People with Developmental Disabilities - A
news release from the province about investments in repairs, renovations and improved spaces for more people at residential properties.
January 27, 2017 - Province teams up with Community Living Burlington for housing program - LifeShare (the Host Family program) matches people with developmental disabilities with families in their communities where they can be supported and enjoy inclusion, independence and community belonging (includes a video clip).
November 16, 2016 - Ontario Helping Protect People with Developmental Disabilities - A news release about the provincial government's launching of a service for reporting abuse and neglect of people with developmental disabilities.
September 7, 2016 - Sudbury centre for adults with developmental disabilities continues to expand - In spite of the trends described in the Ombudsman's report, an Adult Enrichment Centre in Sudbury provides increased services.
September 4, 2016 - Disabilities Report Welcome - A number of people working in the area of developmental disabilities respond to the Ombudsman's report.
September 2, 2016 - Ontario Making Access to Services Easier for People with Developmental Disabilities - A bulletin from the MCSS about simplifying the application process for young people with developmental disabilities and their families applying for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Special Services at Home (SSAH) funding.
August 31, 2016 - Responding to "Nowhere to Turn" report - Arch Disability Law Centre responds with suggestions to the Ombudsman's reports. There is a video attached to this response.
August 31, 2016 - Meeting the challenges outlined by the Ombudsman- Reflections by Dr. Helena Jaczek Minister of Community and Social Services following the Ombudsman's report.
August 30, 2016 - Adults and caregivers benefit from a new service - An Adult Enrichment Centre in Sault St. Marie covers some gaps in services.
August 29, 2016 - Everything is a battle - St. Thomas mothers describes difficulties when dealing with their developmentally disables adult children.
July 22, 2016 - Ontarians living in long-term care facilities - A Global news report that more than 2,900 Ontarians with developmental disabilities live in long-term care facilities.
June 18, 2016 - Creative city housing initiative - A pilot project in Sarnia to provide housing for two men with developmental disabilities.
May 25, 2016 - Ontario Investing in Housing for People with Developmental Disabilities - A Province of Ontario news release about funding of six housing projects.
April 17, 2016 - Life after high school for the developmentally disabled - A newspaper article from Kingston, Ontario about the challenges (and some local opportunities) following transition from high school.
February 16, 2016 - Hospital project for those awaiting group homes - A pilot project at the Ottawa Hospital aims to improve the care of people who are forced to live in the hospital while waiting for a space in a group home.
January 11, 2016 - 450 on Wait List - A mother describes the situation facing her 18-year old autistic son.
December 18, 2015 - Developmental Services Housing Task Force Seeking New Proposals - A bulletin from the goverment of Ontario seeking proposals for innovative housing solutions for people with developmental disabilities.
November 11, 2015 - On-going housing crisis in Ontario – A Global News report indicates that the housing shortage for people with developmental disabilities continues to be critical.
August 28, 2015 – Investing in housing – A report from the government of Ontario about investing in housing for people with developmental disabilities.
August 26, 2015 – A mother's love, a systemic problem – A report about a mother's concern for the care of her daughter when she turns 18 (as reprinted in the Norfolk News).
August 6, 2015 – A mother's love, a systemic problem – A report in the Hamilton Spectator about a mother's concern for the care of her daughter when she turns 18.
June 1, 2015 – Autistic adult daughter leaves mom exhausted with nowhere to turn – A CBC "Go Public" report about a family in Ontario.
May 23, 2015 – Oasis applauds new resources – related to a new Centre of Excellence for Employment Services via the Ontario Disability Employment Network.
April 2, 2015 – Northern Ontario Initiative – New option coming in Sudbury and the Sault for adults with developmental disabilities.
March 23, 2015 – Province of Ontario "Newsroom" press release about progress in funding - following the $810 million, 3-year commitment, this is an update on disbursements including those under the Passport program.
February 2015 – Spotlight on Transformation - Issue 46 - A newsletter from the MCSS.
December 9, 2014 — Ontario's Auditor General, Bonnie Lysyk, released her report on the state of developmental services - These are the highlights of the Auditor General's report on the state of developmental services in Ontario. A link to the full treatment in the report can be found at > Chapter 3, Section 3.10, December 2014.
October 28, 2014 — Developmental services agencies confirm shocking shortage of services - Survey confirms the crisis in services and reiterates the urgent need for the Ontario Government to provide the funds needed to help people with developmental disabilities.
October 27, 2014 — "OASIS Annual Operating Pressures Survey" - Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs (OASIS) releases third annual report to developmental service providers.
October 22, 2014 — Easter Seals : Signs of Hope from the Government - Reference to a report that includes 46 recommendations for immediate action by the provincial government.
September 9, 2014 — "This is not a home" (says mother of 21-year old) - CBC story about a young woman who is residing in a nursing home for senior citizens.
June 2, 2014 — Province failing adults with developmental disabilities, mom says – CBC story about a family from Kenora, Ontario with an adult son suffering from a seizure disorder.
May 21, 2014 — Mom ready to leave autistic daughter in government's care – Toronto Star story about a family from Arnprior, Ontario with an adult daughter in need of care.
May 19, 2014 — Ontario's crisis of disabled adults, abandoned by the system – Globe and Mail article by Elizabeth Renzetti.
April 2014 — Spotlight on Transformation - Issue 39 – A newsletter from the MCSS. In this issue, there is a proposed investment in services and supports for people with developmental disabilities.
April 11, 2014 — Pre-election promise to eliminate waitlists – A media release from the Ministry of Finance indicates Government intentions to improving access for 21,000 people with developmental disabilities.