Regional Government

Activity: Human Services staff participated in Clear Language and Design Training to assist in the development and review of documents.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Staff has been given the resources to develop documents that are consistent with Plain Language.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information and Communication

Activity: Community Relations Team assisted in the display for the International Day of the Persons with Disability event highlighting supports available in the community.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Staff and members of public received information about Ontario Works programs and services available to the community including the homeless population.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Community Relations Team prepared and managed the Human Services display for the Corporate Diversity Event, which provided information about Ontario Works programs that support clients with disabilities and deal with the complex needs of clients. Focus was on specialized teams such as Immigration, Youth, and ODSP teams.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Staff was able to collect resources and learn about the different services within Ontario Works.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information and Communication

Activity: Community Relations Program Analyst attends monthly Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) meetings and other meetings and workshops in the community. Information is disseminated to staff as needed.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Staff is kept informed of any information or events that are occurring.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Community Relations Team coordinates the dissemination of the changes to Ontario Works legislation regarding Ontario Child Benefit to Ontario Works, Housing, Children’s Services and Peel Health Staff.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational and Communication
Result Achieved: Staff who shares clients in the Human Services Department and Peel Health, were given information about legislative changes so they would be able to address questions that may arise from their clients.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication, Customer Service

Activity: Community Relations team in Human Services meets with the Multicultural Community Consultation Group quarterly to discuss changes and updates in the program delivery of Ontario Works. Agencies are also given the opportunity to provide any updates regarding their agencies, including agencies serving persons with disabilities, to bring forward any issues and concerns they have for their clients.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Agencies are kept informed of any changes to the service delivery model and also can communicate any trends, concerns, or issues they may be seeing with our shared clients.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication; Customer Service

Activity: The Departmental Working Group for the AODA Customer Service Standards was developed and met regularly over a 9 month period to provide awareness and input into the methods as to which the Region of Peel would comply with the Customer Service Regulation, as stipulated by the AODA.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational & Communicational
Result Achieved: Human Services was able to provide input into how the Region of Peel would comply with the Customer Service Regulation, as stipulated by the AODA.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Advanced level autism training was provided for Resource Teachers working at the Region of Peel Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centres and Resource Consultants working in the community
Barrier Addressed*: Skills and knowledge among staff to ensure that all children can access and remain enrolled in early learning programs
Result Achieved: Over 30 children with autism were successfully included at the LPC centres
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information and Communication

Activity: Provided Supportive Approaches through Innovative Learning (SAIL) Training to Supervisors and Managers
Barrier Addressed*: Communication, Language, Informational and Customer Service
Result Achieved: Improve ability to listen and address unique needs of clients including clients with visible and invisible disabilities
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service, Information & Communication

Activity: The Outreach Team now is highly visible in the community. They patrol the streets with the Mobile Outreach van to assist clients outside of the core business hours.
Barrier Addressed*: Policy/Procedure, Attitudinal
Result Achieved: Staff has been able to build relationships with individuals who would normally not ask for assistance, even though they require supports such as homeless individuals. Many of these clients have visible and invisible disabilities.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service, Information & Communication

Activity: Human Services caseworkers complete financial subsidy applications and file updates outside of the office; i.e. shelters, hospitals and partnering agencies.
Barrier Addressed*: Financial, Policy/Procedure
Result Achieved: Clients have access to Regional services using a variety of methods.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Services, Transportation

Activity: The Transitional Housing Units offer a multidisciplinary approach to their clients. Clients are able to access Employment, Health, financial subsidy information, and other community agencies at the transitional housing units. They do not have to travel to the different offices/organizations to access supports.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational, Transportation
Result Achieved: Clients are able to access supports at “home” in their housing units.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication; Transportation

Activity: Home visits are offered by Resource Teachers.
Barrier Addressed*: Some parents of children with special needs are unable or uncomfortable coming to the Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centers for parent meetings because of mental health or transportation reasons or because of the sensitivity of the information being discussed.
Result Achieved: Monthly meetings with all parents of children with special needs, sometimes scheduled for early evening to allow other family members to participate as well.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Transportation, Customer Service

Activity: Special Needs Program at Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centres to enable full inclusion and to implement individualized learning plans to support unique developmental needs of children.
Barrier Addressed*: Equal access to early learning and child care services for children with multiple and often complex needs.
Result Achieved: 123 children with identified special needs received service.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Home-based family literacy programs.
Barrier Addressed*: Families unable to attend family literacy programs in schools due to transportation, mobility or psychosocial reasons.
Result Achieved: 4 new sites for family literacy programs in buildings where people live have been established.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Communication is sent out to the community when there is a closure or service disruption. This includes after hours and contingency plans.
Barrier Addressed*: Informational and Communicational
Result Achieved: The community is aware of the service disruption and are aware of what to do if they need assistance.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information and Communication, Customer Service

Activity: Accessible units were built into the emergency shelters.
Barrier Addressed*: Built Environment
Result Achieved: Clients with mobility disability can access the emergency shelters.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Built Environment

Activity: Clients applying for financial subsidy upon disclosure of a disability or childcare issues booked in with a caseworker for a home visit appointment.
Barrier Addressed*: Policy
Result Achieved: Clients do not have to make their way to the Human Services office to complete their financial subsidy application if their disability or child care issues prevent them from visiting the Regional office.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: The Client Contact Unit is able to identify clients during the telephone application who are not able to attend an appointment in person due to various reasons such as transportation, childcare, caring for a family member, in a temporary or long term health care facility or is unable to leave the home due to illness or disability.
Barrier Addressed*: Accessibility, Transportation
Result Achieved: Regional services are adapted to meet clients’ need.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: When needed, Human Services staff accommodates different clients by meeting them outside of the Human Services facilities as well as by completing financial subsidy applications over the phone.
Barrier Addressed*: Accessibility, Transportation
Result Achieved: Clients are able to be seen for appointments in their homes, outside agencies (Caledon Community Services, hospitals), or at other locations.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Main Entrance at Brampton West Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centre is now accessible.
Barrier Addressed*: Accessibility, Safety
Result Achieved: Created barrier free entrance at the Brampton West Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centre.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Built Environment, Customer Service

Activity: New Children’s Washroom has been added to Brampton West Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centre.
Barrier Addressed*: Accessibility
Result Achieved: Barriers were eliminated by creating accessible washroom.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Built Environment, Customer Service

Activity: Training was provided to staff for Special Needs Unit on Family Centred Practice.
Barrier Addressed*: Customer service
Result Achieved: High levels of satisfaction reported by parents of children with special needs in annual survey.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: A draft Inclusion Policy for Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centres was developed.
Barrier Addressed*: Written policy to support current practices.
Result Achieved: Draft policy is in final stage of approval.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Increase the capacity of community child care centres to offer inclusive programming for children with special needs.
Barrier Addressed*: Policies and practices which prevent children with special needs from attending many community based child care centres.
Result Achieved: Inclusion training provided to child care operators. Workshop to assist service providers to develop an Inclusion Policy.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Increase the capacity of Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centre to identify and make appropriate referrals for children showing signs of delayed development due to various disabilities or medical or functional reasons.
Barrier Addressed*: Access to inclusion in appropriate early learning programs.
Result Achieved: Red Flags guide distributed to all LPC centres. Resource Teachers and some Early Childhood Educators trained in using Ages and Stages Questionnaire developmental screening tools.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: A project is currently underway to open an integrated nursery school program in Brampton, scheduled for September, 2009.
Barrier Addressed*: Few part time early learning options available for children with special needs in north Brampton.
Result Achieved: Budget approval given. Renovations are under way. Program scheduled to open in September. Community Advisory Committee has been established.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Creation of a partnership with Peel Children’s Centre to facilitate access to intensive children’s mental health services for families with children under 6 years of age.
Barrier Addressed*: Timely access to mental health services for families.
Result Achieved: 6-8 spaces per year in the Intensive Child and Family program at Peel Children’s Centre are now reserved for Region of Peel clients.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Coordinated information and referral services for children with special needs to access child care and early learning services.
Barrier Addressed*: Information
Result Achieved: Over 430 referrals were made in the past year.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & communication, Customer Service

Activity: Coordinated wait list for child care for children with special needs.
Barrier Addressed*: Access to childcare for children with special needs.
Result Achieved: Families receive guidance and support to collect the necessary documentation required for access to special needs child care fee subsidies and the Special Needs Program at the Region’s Learn-Play-Care (LPC) centre.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service, Policy/Practice

Activity: Early Literacy Program community outreach.
Barrier Addressed*: Access to community programs for families who have difficulty going out into the community due to economic, health or psychosocial reasons.
Result Achieved: Early Literacy Specialists take literacy sessions to community locations where families are presented with “snuggle up and read” kits in collaboration with the Winter Coats Program and Early Learning and Parenting in Peel Neighbourhoods.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service, Transportation; Information & Communication

Activity: Community Corners program.
Barrier Addressed*: Information, Transportation
Result Achieved: Awareness and education of external community programs and agencies for families who have difficulty going to the facilities. This provides families and opportunity to learn information about new agencies.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Transportation, Customer Service, Information and Communication

Activity: Community Relations Team is visible in the community. Presentations are made to community agencies as requested to inform the community about the programs and services available.
Barrier Addressed*: Ability of community to access program information.
Result Achieved: The Region of Peel has been able to build partnerships and relationships with the community members and organizations. Clients and organizations are given the resources to advocate for themselves and each other.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication; Customer Service

Activity: Broader Distribution of Booklets Entitled “A Guide to Housing Options for the 55 Plus Group in Peel Region”. This booklet includes information on:

• Peel Access to Housing, how to apply for social housing and modified units for persons with disabilities;
• Region of Peel Long Term Care homes;
• Highlighting social housing projects noting accessible units and how to apply;
• Older adult population data;
• Information about community agencies that offer support services and programs for people who require support services or who have physical or mental health issues.

Barrier Addressed*: Lack of information about accessible social housing in the Region of Peel.
Result Achieved: Increased awareness of disability issues and barriers for seniors and promotion of Regional services to assist.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication; Customer Service

Activity: Promoted information about Regional housing and long-term care locations in “The Care Guide”. With a distribution of 110,000 copies annually, this is Canada’s most comprehensive guide documenting housing and care services available for seniors. Peel Advisory Working Group on Older Adult’s Housing (PAWGOAH) partnered with the Care Guide to produce articles relating to older adults and their families in Peel. Its January 2009 edition focused on information about the PAWGOAH, social housing in Peel, long-term care, new housing developments, accessibility in the Region of Peel and elder abuse.
Barrier Addressed*: Information
Result Achieved: Increased awareness of housing barriers impacting seniors.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication; Customer Service

Activity: Broaden the number and locations of Parenting Workshops in the Community.
Barrier Addressed*: Accessibility to parenting workshops for communities that do not have a regional child care centre.
Result Achieved: 3 additional community agencies now host the Parenting workshops.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Customer Service

Activity: Child Care Service Providers Handbook posted to Peel Region website. Previously this handbook was available in print only.
Barrier Addressed*: Information
Result Achieved: Handbook available on line February, 2009
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Parent Policy Agreement for child care fee subsidy posted to Peel Region website. Previously this Policy was available in print only.
Barrier Addressed*: Information
Result Achieved: Clients are able to access forms in multiple ways.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Learning In Our Neighbourhood (LION) mobile early learning units are available to the community in Peel. These buses have been modified to improve accessibility.
Barrier Addressed*: Families unable to access early learning and parenting programs in underserviced and isolated communities. It is more difficult for parents with mobility issues to travel to programs in the community
Result Achieved: 3 LIONs mobile units are now in operation. All of them have been retrofitted with accessibility in mind (coach lift system, grab bars in washrooms etc). This initiative won the 2008 Regional Accessibility Award from the Region of Peel AAC.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication, Customer Service, Transportation

Activity: Early literacy services and materials for children with special needs
Barrier Addressed*: Families of children with special needs often have many appointments and limited time to attend community programs. They may also feel uncomfortable taking their child into a community based program with typically developing children.
Result Achieved: Collaborative project with Erinoak Kids Preschool Speech and Language Program scheduled for implementation in September, 2009
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication, Customer Service

Activity: Family Literacy Information Packages.
Barrier Addressed*: Literacy and Learning needs
Result Achieved: Packages now include a variety of handouts and materials to address a variety of learning styles.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication

Activity: Early learning and parenting services started in social housing buildings.
Barrier Addressed*: Access to community programs for families who have difficulty going out into the community due to economic, health or psychosocial reasons.
Result Achieved: Pilot programs started in two separate neighbourhoods.
Department: Human Services
Standards: Information & Communication, Customer Service, Transportation

Activity: Children’s Services website has been redesigned.
Barrier Addressed*: Information
Result Achieved: Modified children’s services website for easy read and use.
Department: Human Services - Access to community programs for families who have difficulty going out into the community due to economic, health or psychosocial reasons.
Standards: Information & Communication, Customer Service