All posts by Mackenzie Braithwaite

Check out the Student Links Initiative offered by Community Living Ontario 👥✨🌍

Community, Employment, Volunteer
Student Links is a mentorship initiative that works with high school students between the ages of 14 and 21, who identify as having an intellectual disability. This initiative helps them explore their interests in the community and possible roles for themselves after high school.
Community Living Ontario does this through one time community meetings and longer-term mentorship opportunities. These opportunities are created by connecting students with volunteer mentors who share their interest(s) and who have expertise and/or job experience in an area the student wishes to explore.

Province exempting Canada Disability Benefit as income to protect recipients from benefit reductions

Funding, News, Ontario

The Ontario government intends to exempt the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) as income so that social assistance recipients would receive the benefit without seeing a reduction in their provincial social assistance payments or entitlements. The changes would help recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works and the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) program receive their maximum entitlements.

Read the news:
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005959/ontario-supporting-recipients-of-disability-benefits

Two New Tipsheets Available on passportfunding.ca

Funding, News, Resources, Services and Programs

In case you missed it, Passport Program have two new tipsheets available on passportfunding.ca.

1. Understand how DSO and the Passport program work with a useful chart showing the application processes
2. Understand when to contact the Passport program or DSO with the “Who to contact” chart

Find these new resources here: https://passportfunding.ca/resources

Ontario government, CHEO break ground on new integrated treatment centre

Children, Community, Health, Services and Programs

A ceremony was held at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Thursday morning to break ground on a new integrated treatment centre.

The new, fully accessible, state-of-the-art children’s treatment centre will provide integrated and coordinated care under one roof to better serve children and youth living with complex medical, developmental and behavioural needs, connecting them to the care they need, closer to home, the Ontario government said in a news release Thursday.

Read the news here:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/ontario-government-cheo-break-ground-on-new-integrated-treatment-centre/

Check out the Ottawa Family Support Network

Community, Networking, Resources

A family network can be a pathway to discovering and building upon resources already present within ‘your own backyard’. The Family Network Directory is a great place to find a network in your area!

P4P Planning Network is excited to introduce the Ottawa Family Support Network. This family network connects unpaid caregivers—especially parents—with a supportive network of peers who understand their journey. Through education, advocacy, and shared experiences, they empower caregivers with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate the challenges ahead. By fostering a compassionate and inclusive community, they help caregivers feel heard, supported, and prepared for the road ahead.

Check out the Planning Network’s Family Network Directory and find a network near you! https://www.planningnetwork.ca/get-connected/family-networks

New! DSO Housing Modules

Housing, News, Ontario, Resources

The DSO Housing Navigators have created a series of self-guided e-learning videos (modules) that users can progress through on their own. You or your loved one can return to the videos whenever you like, as many times as you like. Find information culminated form their housing webcast series and the DSO Housing Toolkit to start your housing journey at your own pace.

For help with accessing the videos, please contact dsotr.hn@surreyplace.ca. For further about questions about housing navigation services and resources in your area, please contact your local DSO Housing Navigator. Visit the DSO website today! https://www.dsontario.ca/resources/webcasts

CHEO’s Navigator Program New Virtual Series: Graduation to Adult Care

Community, Health, Services and Programs, Transition

They have heard from families over the years how getting ready to graduate from CHEO to adult care can be scary, and overwhelming. They are really excited to be starting a new group for caregivers with a focus on graduating to adult care. This group will be best suited for families with children in the complex care program who are 14 +.
Send an email to Parent Navigator Lilian at l.kitcher@pqchc.com to register.