This video is about Developmental Services Ontario North East region. You will learn about
- Who the DSO is
- What the DSO does
- How to apply For services
- Who is eligible for services
- What to expect when meeting with the DSO
- How to contact the DSO
What is the DSO?
Developmental Services Ontario is where people with a developmental disability go to Apply for Ministry funded adult developmental services and to receive information about developmental services in their community
Developmental Services Ontario is also referred to as the DSO
Developmental Services Ontario was introduced in July 2011 by the Ontario government under a new law otherwise known as the social inclusion Act.
This change was made to ensure
- A single regional access point to avoid confusion about where to go for services
- Clear and consistent way for determining who is eligible for services
- Needs are determined using the same tool across Ontario
- Information can be transferred from one DSO to another to avoid retelling your story
What will the DSO do?
- Confirm if you are eligible for Adult Ministry funded Developmental Services
- Complete an application package to determine your level of support needs
- Provide you information about services and supports in your community that helps adults with developmental services
- Tell you about other community programs that might be useful or interesting to you
- Match and link you to Ministry funded developmental services
- Link you to other community services.
Initiating Contact
If you were receiving Ministry funded developmental services/ or were on a waitlist for a service prior to July 2011 and were 18 or over at the time, your information will automatically be sent to us and we will be contacting you to schedule an appointment in due time. An application to determine your needs will be completed every 5 years.
If your circumstances have changed and an application is required sooner to determine your needs you have these options:
- Call us directly to self- refer
- Have a family member or a friend call us on your behalf
- Have a service provider send in a referral by fax or email
- Come in to our North Bay office to meet with our Information Access Coordinator
Eligibility
Before you can apply for adult developmental services, the DSO will need to make sure that you are eligible. If you were receiving Ministry funded developmental services/ or were on a waitlist for a service prior to July 2011 were 18 or over at the time you will be what we call grand-parented and that means that you are automatically eligible for adult developmental services.
If you were over 18 and not in service before July 2011 then before you can apply for adult developmental services, the DSO will need to make sure that you are eligible. To do this we need the following documentation:
- Proof of age
- Proof that you are an Ontario resident
- Psychological assessment that tells us about your disability support needs to determine you e you you with the services and supports you need
If you already have an assessment that was completed by a school, a hospital or another organization, you can give us a copy and we will review it to make sure you are eligible. If you do not have a psychological assessment, then we can help you find out how and where to get one.
If you are 16 or 17 years old it is very important that you call us so that we can confirm if you are eligible for adult developmental services. You will need the same information that I just mentioned. If you are eligible, as soon as you turn 18 we will be able to clink ort match you to available ministry funded adult dev. services you to adult developmental services.
Once you have been confirmed eligible the next step is the application package.
Application
Once you have been confirmed eligible to receive adult ministry funded services and supports we can begin the process of completing the application package. The application is made up of 2 parts.
The 1st meeting is called the application for developmental Services and Supports or the ADSS and is completed by an assessor. This part of the application process helps us get to know you a little better. We will begin with some general information about your referral, medical conditions, capabilities and background information which will help us get a good understanding of your needs. We will then move to a section called, “Getting to Know You.” In this section, we will talk about things that you like and dislike, as well as about your dreams and future goals.
Next, we will schedule a time to complete the Supports Intensity Scale or the (SIS). This part of the application tells us about the level of support you need to be successful in a variety of areas. These areas include: home living, community activities, lifelong learning, employment, social activities and protection and advocacy. We will also talk about support you might need for different medical or behavioral issues.
Each of these parts can take up to 4 hours and we will ask that you have 2 people with you that we call respondents. These respondents can help better understand the level of support you need to be successful. These individuals can be people who know you well like a service provider and a caregiver.
Preparing for the Meetings
An assessor will be assigned to each person requesting an application package. They will
- set a time and location for two meetings;
- confirm that the individual will be part of the application process;
- confirm that two respondents will be available for both meetings;
Meetings can be scheduled at flexible times and in different locations, so long as the setting is private and allows for comfortable seating. Each meeting will take approximately two hours, depending on the needs of the person and the amount of information shared.
The application will allow us to determine what level of support you require to be successful and what services you would like to receive. We call this the Matching and Linking Process
Matching and Linking
With the application complete we will make referrals directly to the Ministry funded adult developmental service you need. For services where there are waitlists we will ensure that your name is placed on the waitlist.
Once services become available we will let you know and ask you if you are still interested in that service. If you are interested in the service we will match you to that service.
Examples of services that we can match and link to are:
- Residential living
- Family Home placement
- Supported Independent Living
- Community Participation supports
- Passport
- Respite services
- Specialized and professional services such as Behavioral therapy
- Person directed planning
- Employment supports
Let’s review what we talked about
- the DSO
- Is your single point of access for all Ministry funded adult services
- The DSO
- Will confirm your eligibility
- Complete an application package to determine your support needs
- Match and link you to available Ministry funded adult services
- Provide you with information about other services you may be interested in
- How to apply
- All individuals with a developmental disability will have an application completed every 5 years
- If your circumstances have changed and you need an assessment sooner, you can call us or have a service provider send us a referral form
- Eligibility for Developmental services
- In order to receive Ministry funded adult developmental services the DSo must confirm that you are eligible
- The application process
- The application is in 2 parts and can take up to 8 hours to complete. It is important to have 2 respondents who know you well attend these 2 meetings
What to expect when meeting with the DSO
- Matching and Linking
- Once the application is complete and we know what services you require we will match you to available ministry funded adult services
Reaching us
If you have questions about anything we have talked about today or you would like to contact us we can be reached in the following ways:
- Call us at 1-855-376-6376 or 1-705-476-2299 extension 1206
- You can send us a fax at 705-495-1373
- Email [email protected]
- If you prefer to look us up online go to DSOntario.ca or www.handsthefamilyhelpnetwork.ca
Our offices are located at:
- 222 Main Street East, North Bay, ON
- 23 Balls Drive, Bracebridge, ON
- 60 Wilson Avenue, Timmins. ON
We look forward to meeting you and helping to connect you with the services and supports you need.