The government wants to improve services and supports for adults who have developmental disabilities and their families.
It wants services and supports to:
To make these changes, the government has created the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008. It will replace the Developmental Services Act, which is 35 years old and is out of date.
Adults who have a developmental disability want more choice and control over their lives. They can live independently with the right supports. The new Act will give adults with a developmental disability more independence and choice.
The new Act is not in effect yet. Before the new Act can become law, the ministry must develop policy directives and rules that are enforceable by law. Policy directives are the instructions that organizations have to follow in the work they do.
The new Act gives adults with a developmental disability and their families more ways to get services and supports. It also defines what a developmental disability means. This helps explain who gets support and why. The Act is for people who are 18 years of age and older who have a developmental disability.
The new Act lists the services and supports that will be funded.
This also includes support for training to help people with life skills like:
The information and rules in the new Act make sure that people and agencies account for the money they get. This means that adults who get money to pay for the services they need have to show how they spent the money. It also means that the service agencies that get money from the government must follow standards. Agencies have to account for all of the money they get from the government.
Changes in the new Act make it easier for the government to make sure that service agencies follow the government's rules. Everyone who gets services and supports from an agency will need to follow the same standards no matter where they are in the province.
In September 2004, the government said that it would change Ontario's system of developmental services. It wanted to make the system more fair and accessible so that it lasts for a long time. Since then, the government has done many things to make this happen.
The changes in the Act support adults with a developmental disability so that they are included in activities in the community. The changes cover many areas such as:
These changes will help us create a modern developmental services system that fits how people live today.
The new Act will bring many changes. Here are some of the important ones.
New language and clearer definitions:
New ways people can get supports:
A new application process:
Waiting list reports:
A standard way for adults with a developmental disability and their families to raise concerns:
The Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008 has been passed and given Royal Assent. Before it can become law, the ministry has to develop policy directives (or instructions) and regulations (rules that must be followed). The ministry will need the public's ideas about these rules.
The Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008 will help the government to make the changes people want to see. It will improve the developmental services system over the long term.
For more information, contact us at:
Developmental Services Branch
Ministry of Community and Social Services
4th Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto ON M7A 1E9
Toll-free tel: 1-866-340-8881
Toll-free fax: 1-866-340-9112
You can also visit our website at: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/index.aspx.
Click on Developmental Services.
This brochure is also available online at:
To read the Act, visit the e-laws website of the Ontario government at:
www.e-laws.gov.on.ca. Click on Source Law.