Willson Family of Turkey Point
Thousands of people with developmental disabilities in Ontario are waiting for vital support services, and the waitlist keeps growing. The Waiting to Belong campaign is raising awareness about the 52,000 people still waiting for help, while only 35,000 currently receive services.
Trisha Morris, executive director of Community Living Access, says the sector is in crisis. Inflation has risen nearly 70% over the past 30 years, and base funding has not kept up.
Families often wait between 8 to 30 years for services, leaving many struggling without support during that interim.
Anna and Shawn Willson, from Turkey Point, shared their struggle with waiting for support for their daughter Brittny, who has OHDO Syndrome. After turning 18, Brittny waited a year and a half for services. During those 18 months, Anna ended up going off on stress leave from work. Anna and Shawn tried to manage Brittny’s care themselves, but the lack of support and services impacted their entire family.
When children with developmental disabilities turn 18, their services are gone and they are put back on a wait list. Morris explains that didn’t change the fact that they needed these services.
In Haldimand-Norfolk, about 216 people are on the waitlist. Many of them need help with the daily tasks Morris mentioned. Additionally being in a rural community means some must travel over an hour to get these services.
Morris is asking those that wish to support the Waiting to Belong campaign to follow her call for action.
Community Living Access and the rest of the developmental services sector are calling on the Ontario Government to act now and provide sustainable funding. People with intellectual/developmental disabilities are waiting for the opportunity to belong — not to a service system, but to vibrant communities where they can contribute and be valued.
Written by Jeremy Hall