In Ontario nearly 23,000 people are languishing on waiting lists. Decades of chronic underfunding of the developmental services sector is placing in peril children and adults who have an intellectual disability, their families and the agencies that support them. Here’s the breakdown:
More than 12,000 people are waiting for support to live in a decent home.
7,000 families on a waiting list for Special Services at Home (SSAH). The current funding is spread so thin that the average allocation to families is $4,200 a year. That translates into $350 per month or approximately 8 hours of support a week.
4,000 people on a waiting list for Passport funding. This funding is vital to assist those who need support to be involved in their community.
In a random sampling of ridings across Ontario, over 1,450 parents over the age of 70 are still providing primary care to their adult child or family member:
♣ 80% of parents are between 70 – 79 years of age, ♣ 17% of parents are between 80 – 89 years of age, and ♣ 3% of parents are over the age of 90. What will happen when these parents are no longer around to care for the loved one?
Community Living Ontario is a province-wide federation that promotes and facilitates the full participation and inclusion of people who have an intellectual disability. They have been urging the provincial government to respond to the critical situations in which families find themselves.
More than 12,000 people are members of Community Living Ontario through membership in 115 affiliated local associations. Community Living provides direct support and services to people who have an intellectual disability, helps communities build the capacity to support people, and advocates for social change toward the full inclusion of all people in community.
Media Contact: Gordon Kyle, Director, Social Policy and Government Relations, Cell: 416-996-4727