It is ARCH’s understanding that the intent of the Ministry was that eligibility
for services was to be reviewed every five years. A review may result in a
finding of ineligibility even for those who had been made automatically
eligible under Ontario Regulation 414/12.
“Eligibility” for supports and services does not mean that these persons will
automatically begin receiving services and supports. Only those who transitioned
from Passport and Special Services at Home (see below) will continue to receive
the same level of funding until they are reassessed. The Ministry has created a
chart that describes how the regulation affects the eligibility of adults who were at
various stages of eligibility prior to the enactment of the Social Inclusion Act. This
chart is recreated as “Appendix A”.
B. Application ProcessAll applicants start their application process at a Developmental Services Ontario
(DSO) organization, where staff review documentation to confirm eligibility for
services and supports. There are nine Developmental Services Ontario
organizations across the province. To find the DSO in your area go to:
http://www.dsontario.ca/agencies
Once eligibility is confirmed, the applicant’s support needs will be determined. In
the first part of this process the applicant’s areas of interest, likes and dislikes
and plans for the future are explored. In the second part of the process the
applicant will complete the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS). This assessment is
used to determine the services and supports the applicant will need to succeed
at home, in the community, at work, in education, etc. The unique needs of the
person are to be assessed at this point to ensure that the most appropriate
supports are provided. The focus of these assessments is described in the Social
Inclusion Act as “person directed planning”. The aim of the plans is to help the