Government confirms transfer of funding for School Health Support Services from LHINs to Children's Treatment Centres

An August 31st memo from the Ministry of Children, Community & Social Services confirms that the transfer of responsibility for school-based rehabilitation service contracts under the School Health Professional Service Program from LHINs to Children's Treatment Centres (CTCs) will occur in a phased approach between November 2018 and January 2019.  The date of transfer will be dependent upon local readiness, however, after the transfer in each LHIN, CTCs will be responsible for the delivery of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech language pathology services previously delivered by the LHINs in Ontario's public schools.

It is the Ministry's expectation that this will not impact service delivery to students currently in service or families' experience of access to services during the 2018 - 19 school year.

View the Ministry memorandum.

Implications for Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists who provide school-health support services in public schools will be affected by this initiative in that contracts of service provider agencies providing these services will be transferred to Children's Treatment Centres.  That said, the structure and nature of contracts is not changing in the 2018 - 19 school year and the Ministry expects that service delivery and access to services will not be affected.

OSOT's School-Based OT Team has been actively engaged with the previous government in consultation re implementation of the Special Needs Strategy and is currently establishing relationship with the new government and Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.  The Team is keen to monitor any impacts on occupational therapy service delivery or practice.  Please help keep them informed and share your views and experiences with Team Chair, Debra Kennedy.