Component: Adults' DS Community Support Services

Legislation: Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act (SIPDDA), 2008

Service objectives

To support persons at least 18 years of age who have a developmental disability, reside in Ontario, and have high support and complex needs.

High support and complex care needs are currently defined as

  • A person with extraordinary medical and/or behavioural support needs: determined by scores on Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) sections 3A (medical scores of 7 or greater) and 3B (behavioural scores of 11 or greater); and
  • High overall support needs: for people with overall SIS percentiles of greater than 70%; and
  • Safety concerns: the caregiver has concerns about the person's safety due to his/her medical and/or behavioural support needs (ADSS s6.3 and 6.5); and
  • For only people with exceptional medical support needs, the person must require overnight support (people with extraordinary behavioural support needs do not necessarily need to require overnight support in order to meet the High Supports Complex Care Needs (HSCCN) definition)

Service description

People served

Services and supports are for persons who reside in Ontario, are at least 18 years of age and have a developmental disability as defined by the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008. In addition to having their eligibility confirmed by Developmental Services Ontario, people served will have high support and complex needs. Due to the nature of the DDJCM program, confirmed eligibility for MCCSS funded developmental services is not required. The diagnosis of a developmental disability and/or dual diagnosis should be suspected prior to entry into the diversion program, similar to urgent response.

A working definition of High Support and Complex Care Needs (HSCCN) will support the identification and referral for the Complex Support Coordination and Health Care facilitator functions. The working definition will be revised over time. High Support and Complex Care Needs (HSCCN) is currently defined as

  • A person with extraordinary medical and/or behavioural support needs: determined by scores on SIS sections 3A (medical; scores of 7 or greater) and/or 3B (behavioural; scores of 11 or greater.); and
  • High overall support needs: For people with overall SIS percentiles of greater than 70; and
  • Safety concerns: the caregiver (family members and/or paid support persons) has concerns about the person's safety due to his/her medical and/or behavioural support needs (ADSS s6.3 and 6.5); and
  • For only people with exceptional medical support needs, the person must require overnight support (people with extraordinary behavioural support needs do not necessarily need to require overnight support in order to meet the HSCCN definition)

Program/service features

To provide direct support and services for people with developmental disabilities who have high support and complex care needs because their needs exceed the available developmental services and supports, and/or require coordination with inter-ministry service providers/partners, thus allowing resources to be focused on the person rather than the system.

To improve access to supports and services for adults with developmental disabilities who have high support and complex care needs by creating consistency in how complex support coordination and health care facilitation is provided across the province.

Specific service provided

CNSCs are expected to fulfill their mandate by ensuring the following four functions are available in every region across the province

  • Complex support coordination
  • Dual diagnosis justice case management health care facilitation
  • Service system resources (videoconferencing/French language services)

To serve people with developmental disabilities with high support and complex care needs by

  • Coordinating support and service within and across sectors, by providing complex support coordination for people with high support and complex care needs
  • Acting as a resource to service agencies, Developmental Services Ontario and local planning tables (including urgent response and service solutions/case resolution)
  • Building system capacity to better support people with high support and complex care needs through education, mentorship and support to other case managers and service agencies; and
  • Providing provincial coordination of videoconferencing and French language services

CNSCs will also be referred to as the accountable agency

It is expected that at least one agency in each region is accountable to the ministry for funding, coordinating, and overseeing the delivery of the four functions (with the exception of videoconferencing and French language services, which are each led by a single agency for the province).

The accountable agency may directly provide services or outsource service delivery to other provider(s) through service level agreement(s). Any such agreement must clearly specify funding parameters and service expectations.

Delivery agencies would report up to the accountable agency. The accountable agency would roll up the delivery agencies' reports, conduct appropriate analyses and report back to the ministry.

Services excluded

  • Research activities or funding of research is not included as part of this service training is not included as part of this service
  • Capacity building activities need to be reviewed and pre-approved by the regional office
  • Professional and specialized services and supports provided directly to people with a developmental disability
  • Such services are expected to be provided by professionals or specialized staff through developmental service professionals and specialized services

Delivery method

  • Services are provided in person, over the phone and/or videoconference
  • Services provided are aligned with the ministry's policy directives, safety and security guidelines and expectations

Services and supports will be

  • Delivered following a person-centered approach
  • Empower people to achieve their full potential and their rights and choices will be informed and respected
  • Collaborative and integrative of other sector providers
  • Respectful of the social, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the person, families and communities
  • Staffed by professionals with the appropriate training, education, experience and skills necessary to respond effectively to meet the needs of people and their families
  • Based on the person's assessed needs, personal choices and available professional, agency, community, and contracted ministry resources
  • Obtained through the application for developmental services and supports process, which identifies the persons' support needs and priority access to service through a process that is objective, equitable and transparent

Note: To gain access to dual diagnosis justice case management diversion services and supports, the person's eligibility does not need to be confirmed by Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), but a developmental disability should be suspected, similar to urgent response.

Program goals

To provide direct support and coordinate services to meet the needs of people with a developmental disability who have high support and complex care needs that promote inclusion and respects and empowers the person to achieve their full potential.

Ministry expectations

  • Service agencies will inform the appropriate Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) office of resources and/or vacancy declaration as it becomes available; and maintain up to date agency information including: agency amalgamations/closures/name changes; service location changes or additions and services delivered at specific locations
  • Service agencies will comply with all relevant legislation, regulations, policy directives, program guidelines, funding agreement(s), accountability and reporting requirements; service agencies must continue to report to the DSOs and the Ministry regarding the status, and/or any changes in circumstances or service terminations relevant to all placements, of adults with developmental disabilities served by the service agencies matched and linked by the regional DSO
  • The service agency is responsible for utilizing the information technology specified by the Ministry for the collection and maintenance of information, supporting the security, integrity, consistency and validity of the information collected and maintained and ensuring that data is accurate and kept up-to-date

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on an Interim and Final stage. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.

Service data name Definition

# of Individuals Served: Community Networks of Specialized Care

The unique number of individuals that received this type of service in any language in the reporting year (cumulative). The same person should only be counted once per year.

Community Networks of Specialized Care: Ministry-funded Agency Expenditures

Total ministry-funded expenses for the service agency to administer and/or deliver this service in the reporting year (cumulative).