Passport

Information for Families Who Receive SSAH for Adults

The Ministry of Community & Social Services has advised that the SSAH Program for Adults will end on March 31, 2012.

Effective April 1, 2012, funding for the SSAH Program for adults will be transferred to the Passport Program.

The passing of the new Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act was passed in 2008
Families with children with a developmental disability now deal with two Ministries. Until age 18, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services(MCYS) and after 18 the Ministry of Community and Social Services(MCSS)
July 2011, Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) came into being as the single point of access for adult developmental services.
The DSO will be the liaison for the Passport Program. (This role was formerly held by Developmental Services Resource (Access) Centre, DSRC.)

In 2000 EAF was selected as the sole provider for SSAH (for both children and adults) for the Region of Waterloo
EAF received Ministry funding to support families in relation to recruiting, training, tracking, matching, paying of their SSAH workers etc. As of April 1, 2012, EAF will no longer receive this funding. Only Trellis in Guelph and EAF received this funding. No other families were supported in this way.

Expenses related to staff time dedicated to recruitment, training, payroll, coordinating, screening
Costs related to supplies, accounting, postage, website etc.

Ministry of Community & Social Services has advised that the SSAH Program for adults will end March 31, 2012
Effective April 1, 2012 - Funding for SSAH Program will be transferred to the Passport Program
YOUR FUNDING WILL CONTINUE AND WILL NOT CHANGe FOR THE 2012-13 FUNDING YEAR
If you are receiving both SSAH and Passport funding, they will be combined and now be Passport funding.
There will, for this year, be two streams of Passport. Funds currently received under Passport (prior to April 1, 2012) will continue to fall under the current Passport Guidelines.
The Passport funding (which was formerly SSAH funding)vwill continue for this year to follow the SSAH guidelines.
Thus if today you receive $5,000 under Passport and $2,000 under SSAH, even though starting April l, 2012 they will both be called Passport, they will continue under their current guidelines until the final Passport Guidelines are in place

Funding for Passport will not include the previous funding that was allocated to the SSAH Program to support EAF's running of the program
Financial/staffing impact on the agency
The family completed survey indicated that families would like EAF to continue the services offered previously through SSAH, via the Passport Program
Therefore EAF has further developed its program offering for Passport through ProgramPLUS

Self-administer (Direct Fund) Passport funding
Use EAF Services through ProgramPLUS for Passport-managing/tracking funds, contracting, screening, training and paying support workers (similar to their contracts now)
Re-hire current SSAH worker(s) under Passport, based on a plan for funding
Choose another agency to hold your funds

Continue with their current family through Passport at EAF, if the family chooses this option
Pursue other employment opportunities at EAF
Work independently, i.e. work privately for families

EAF currently supports 40 individuals through the Passport Program
Takes a different approach when working with adults
Reflects the nature of the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act and emphasizes respect of the rights and responsibilities of adults
Focuses on community participation, and how individuals are involved as citizens in their own right

If families choose to use this service it means we take care of all the details so you don't have to.

Provide the support and guidance of an experienced SupportCoordinator assigned to you and your family member
Support your family member in making a plan of how they want to use their Passport funds and what they want to do
Match, screen, contract, train, pay and support workers so you have the most qualified team working with you
Manage and track your funds so you can plan effectively
Make sure prompt bi-weekly reimbursement of invoices, receipts and payment of workers so that budgeting is easier (compared to monthly reimbursements when you self-administer or Direct Fund through the Ministry)
Make sure government rules, policies, procedures and insurances are followed and in place

From your funding allocation, there will be a fee for ProgramPLUS for Passport services
The amount you pay will vary, dependent upon the services provided
This is a step we are forced to take to continue to offer the services we have in the past
As a not-for-profit agency, we are committed to keeping the cost to you as low and fair as possible. Our purpose is to cover EAF's costs of providing these services to you
Currently, EAF is working on the best possible pricing model to ensure affordable, quality support services for individuals and their families
Established 'base starting level', for one year:
- $18 per hour for worker support
- 6% brokerage fee or invoicing
- May be further variations (dependent on wage rate)

Support Coordinators are contacting families and individuals to share information and discuss options and choices
If you want information sooner rather than later and haven't heard from your Support Coordinator, please contact them directly
EAF has established a process to assist in the transfer of families choosing to use EAF's ProgramPLUS for Passport

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