Funding for Simcoe County developmental services sector lagging

Empower Simcoe celebrates 70th anniversary in this undated file image.

Seven family support service organizations are advocating for sustainable funding so they can continue to support individuals with developmental disabilities.

Developmental services sector organizations in Simcoe County, including Catulpa Community Support Services, Empower Simcoe, Camphill Communities Ontario for South Simcoe (CLASS), CLH Developmental Support Services, E3 Community Services, Community Living Association and Karis Disability Services, are ringing alarm bells over shortages in funding.

The developmental services sector, funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), is facing critical challenges. Organizations, such as Empower Simcoe, have received less than a 4 per cent increase during the past 30 years.

While costs have increased substantially during this time, organizations have continually been required to do more with less. Since the pandemic alone, costs for necessities such as housing expenses, transportation, and program delivery have increased by over 16%, with no additional funding to offset the added costs.

"Historic funding disparities have led to significant wage discrepancies in developmental services, as compared to health, education and long-term care. Developmental services simply cannot compete with these other sectors, which are offering higher wages and consistently drawing workers away from people, families and agencies in developmental services," said Empower Simcoe CEO Dr. Claudine Cousins.

Cousins is a member of the Strategic Operations Committee (SOC), an organization comprised of the CEOs and executive directors of the developmental services agencies in Simcoe County.

"Our local MPPs have been approached to bring awareness to this issue. We are advocating for an immediate 5% boost to developmental services agencies' core funding and the indexing of future developmental services sector funding to inflation," said Cousins.

Developmental services-funded agencies have been offsetting the cost of service delivery through fundraising and one-time grants, but more is needed to sustain operations on an ongoing basis.

Developmental services agencies across the province are asking the community to share their social media posts with the hashtag #5tosurvive (5 per cent increase) and to tag their local MPP.

"It is important that our politicians know that our community believes in sustainable support for people with developmental disabilities, who are some of our community's most vulnerable citizens," said Cousins.