Speaking Notes for the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur Minister of Community and Social Service

Posted 06/22/09

OASIS 12th Annual Conference
13 May 2009

Windsor

Remarks for Minister Madeleine Meilleur
OASIS Conference
13 May 2009
Word Count: 1200
Approx time: 12 minutes

Good evening, everyone. Mesdames et messieurs, bonsoir.

C'est un plaisir d'être ici ce soir, entouré par tant de leaders oeuvrant dans les services aux personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle – vous, pour qui ce domaine est non seulement une carrière mais aussi une mission.

It is a pleasure to be here tonight, surrounded by so many leaders in the developmental services field – people for whom developmental services is not only a career but a mission.

I am also pleased that one of our ministry’s policy leaders, Colette Kent, will join Steve Finlay to speak to you about a human resources strategy that will encourage more people to enter this rewarding field.

The work you do – sharing information, making the most of resources, and advocating on behalf of your member agencies – has yielded tremendous results for developmental services in Ontario.

Working together, your organization and our government have made unprecedented progress in the last six years.

We passed the first piece of new developmental services legislation in more than 30 years, invested nearly half a billion dollars to increase wages and strengthen services, and are starting to roll out new processes to modernize developmental services.

On March 31, we also officially ended the era of institutional living for people with a developmental disability.

When our government took office in 2004, we promised to close Ontario’s last three institutions by 2009, three years ahead of schedule.

Although we were living in a vastly different world than the one that welcomed institutions in 1876, we still faced many challenges.

Nevertheless, the courage of our convictions carried us through family concerns, media criticism and legal challenges.

We were heartened by the many stories of people learning new skills, becoming more independent and contributing to the communities they have come to call home.

And in the end, none of us gathered here tonight lost focus on our goal.

If anyone still doubts our resolve, our abilities, or our collective strength, let this achievement be their reassurance.

When we committed to closing institutions, we proceeded in the confidence that with the right supports, people with a developmental disability can live with more independence and choice.

That is why our government is now focusing on getting the right mix of developmental supports and services to help people make the most of community life.

This year’s OASIS conference asks us to “Rev It Up” – to renew, energize and advance our work to support people with a developmental disability. Well, I could not agree more.

The spirit of renewal is definitely in the air. And now is the ideal time to refresh our spirits and “rev up” our engines for the challenges ahead.

Together we have come far, but we still have farther to go.

I want to share with you what our government is doing today to revitalize Ontario’s new community-based developmental services system.

In 2004, when we promised to end institutional living, we promised new legislation that would reflect how people live today: in communities, not institutions.

In the coming weeks, we will post the first regulation that supports the new Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act.

We’re asking you to offer your feedback on this draft regulation during the 45-day public review period.

Regulations define the details of our new developmental services legislation, and we need your input to get them right.

We will also offer more opportunities for you to provide your insights as we move forward.

Soon we will begin rolling out key changes that modernize Ontario’s developmental services system into one that is based on fair, accessible and sustainable community supports.

The first of these changes involves a new way to assess the supports people need at different stages of their lives.

Ministry staff have been working with agencies and experts to research and evaluate a new assessment tool, called the Supports Intensity Scale.

After much study and testing, we are confident that this new tool will help us match people with the amount of support they need to participate in their community.

This assessment tool is a key part of the new application process our ministry is introducing over the next two years.

We want people to apply for supports and services easily, fairly and consistently across Ontario.

Soon, our regional offices will have more information for you. In the meantime, we will continue working to keep you informed of changes to applications, planning and eligibility.

And as always, we invite your feedback to help smooth any wrinkles we encounter as we move forward.

We are making these system changes to help more people with a developmental disability today – and tomorrow.

We want to make sure that Ontario’s developmental services system is not only modern and fair, but financially sustainable to support future generations.

Our government has committed record amounts to developmental services over the past six years.

But we cannot deny that we are dealing with an economy vastly different today.

The 2009 Budget outlined how different our financial reality is, not only for Ontarians, but for people around the world.

I am proud to say that even in these tough times, our government has stood by its commitment to help people who need it most.

We have been able to maintain the third year of funding for agency staff salaries and wages, as well as agency base funding increases.

We have been able to make steady progress in the Ontario Disability Support Program with another two per cent increase later this year.

And we have not forgotten how essential affordable housing is, so we are spending $185 million to create new affordable housing for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

Together, we must respond to this strong commitment with every effort to improve the way we do things.

We have always relied on your knowledge, experience and creativity to help us make the most of what we have.

Agencies are the backbone of Ontario’s developmental services system. So we asked you to help us find ways to do more, to help more people with the resources available.

Votre organisation a toujours fait sa juste part. Mais dans ce climat économique, nous sommes tous appelés à en faire un peu plus.

Your organization has always done its part. But in this economic climate, we’re all being asked to do that little bit more.

You not only responded to our call for increased community capacity, but you have designed plans that are innovative and on target.

I heard about one agency in Ottawa that, after reassessing the needs of four people, was able to provide resources to serve six people: three in group homes, two in family homes and one in a supported independent living setting. These residential settings are more appropriate to the current stages of their lives.

This is just one example of the ingenuity and dedication agencies have brought to this challenge and many others over the years.

Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved in increasing community capacity, more than 600 people will get developmental services and supports for the first time.

As we move forward, we hope you will continue to “rev up” your efforts to make sure that no one with a developmental disability is left behind.

The fact is that the number of people who need developmental services in Ontario is projected to keep growing. At the same time, the needs of people already being supported are constantly changing.

So we must work together with families to make the best use of available funding and supports.

This is not about making people give up services that are working for them. It is about fairness. That means serving more people with a developmental disability and getting people supports that fit their needs.

If any sector is up for the challenge, it’s this one. You have been at the centre of Ontario’s remarkable progress in developmental services these last six years.

S’il existe un secteur qui est prêt à relever ce défi, c’est bien celui-ci. Depuis les six dernières années, vous avez été à la source même du progrès remarquable dans les services aux personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle en Ontario.

En travaillant ensemble, nous bâtirons un avenir où toutes les personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle seront réellement incluses dans toutes les communautés ontariennes.

Working together, we will build a future where all people with a developmental disability are truly included in Ontario communities.

So “rev up”. And don’t ever give up. People with a developmental disability are counting on me and they’re counting on you. They are counting on all of us – working together.

Alors, redresses-vous, retroussez vos manches, et n’abandonnez jamais toutes les personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle comptent sur vous et sur moi.

Enjoy your conference and thank you for your support.

Merci.

FIN