The Ontario Community Support Association represents the Home and Community Support sector in Ontario. OCSA Members are community-based, not-for-profit organizations that provide a wide variety of services to help people live at home. To learn more about Home and Community Support services, please visit the Carefinder.
OCSA Responds
OCSA update on Ontario Budget
Toronto, May 15, 2013 - The Government of Ontario released its 2013 Budget last week with positive news for Ontarians depending on home and community support services. The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) was pleased to see the government increase the provincial budget envelope for home and community support by 5% this year, an increase of 1% more than allocated in 2012 and more than the recommended increase in Dr. Samir Sinha’s report on seniors’ health care.
The government will be investing much of this funding to reduce home care wait times for nursing services and improve personal support services for clients with complex care needs. All clients requiring nursing services, including hospital and community referrals, will be targeted to receive service within five days of Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) assessment. For complex care clients in need of personal support services, referred by either community clinics or hospitals, the target will be first service within five days of CCAC assessment.
Previously committed measures such as funding for three million hours of Personal Support Worker care were also included in this budget. Finally, we are pleased to note there is no reference to a mandatory wage freeze for Personal Support Workers, already among the lowest paid workers in our health care system.
While the OCSA welcomes this new funding, further clarity is required as to how this funding will be allocated. Our association will be advocating for a portion of new funds be directed to addressing operational challenges and supporting members in meeting the government’s accountability agenda. Non-profit grassroots organizations working on the ground know what the community needs are and can meet the government's quality and accountability goals but require the tools to be able to do that.
OCSA members want to work with the government to ensure new funding is leveraged most effectively to improve quality and increase access to care. Over the coming weeks the OCSA will be consulting with its members to hear their thoughts on the2013 Ontario Budget, and will then be sharing more comprehensive feedback with the provincial government, the opposition parties, and the general public.
Deborah Simon
CEO, OCSA
The government will be investing much of this funding to reduce home care wait times for nursing services and improve personal support services for clients with complex care needs. All clients requiring nursing services, including hospital and community referrals, will be targeted to receive service within five days of Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) assessment. For complex care clients in need of personal support services, referred by either community clinics or hospitals, the target will be first service within five days of CCAC assessment.
Previously committed measures such as funding for three million hours of Personal Support Worker care were also included in this budget. Finally, we are pleased to note there is no reference to a mandatory wage freeze for Personal Support Workers, already among the lowest paid workers in our health care system.
While the OCSA welcomes this new funding, further clarity is required as to how this funding will be allocated. Our association will be advocating for a portion of new funds be directed to addressing operational challenges and supporting members in meeting the government’s accountability agenda. Non-profit grassroots organizations working on the ground know what the community needs are and can meet the government's quality and accountability goals but require the tools to be able to do that.
OCSA members want to work with the government to ensure new funding is leveraged most effectively to improve quality and increase access to care. Over the coming weeks the OCSA will be consulting with its members to hear their thoughts on the2013 Ontario Budget, and will then be sharing more comprehensive feedback with the provincial government, the opposition parties, and the general public.
Deborah Simon
CEO, OCSA
Ontario Community Support Association applauds a positive direction for the care of seniors in Ontario
Toronto, January 8, 2013 – The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) welcomed a report released today on the future of health care delivery for seniors in the province. Living Longer, Living Well was prepared by Dr. Samir Sinha and includes a number of positive recommendations to inform the provincial government’s Seniors Care Strategy. The OCSA membership were active participants in the consultation process leading to the final report. Please click here to view full press release.
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In the News
News and articles related to health care issues.
March 13, 2013
Full Senior Strategy Report Released
The full Senior Strategy report, which is over 200 pages long
and has 169 recommendations, has been released. The full report provides more details than the key recommendations document which was released earlier and drills down on the evidence leading to the recommendations. OCSA will be distributing a full analysis of the document to members. Dr. Sinha has requested that OCSA work with him on the implementation of the recommendations over the next year. To download a copy of the full seniors strategy document, click here.
and has 169 recommendations, has been released. The full report provides more details than the key recommendations document which was released earlier and drills down on the evidence leading to the recommendations. OCSA will be distributing a full analysis of the document to members. Dr. Sinha has requested that OCSA work with him on the implementation of the recommendations over the next year. To download a copy of the full seniors strategy document, click here.
There are hidden costs of moving care out of hospitals
February 21, 2013 - Connie is a Personal Support Worker (PSW) who cares for seniors and people with dementia in their homes. She is a graduate of George Brown College’s PSW program and has been working in home care for the last 10 years.
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Despite struggling to make ends meet, Connie loves providing home care, and speaks passionately about how she helps her clients live independently. She can’t help but wonder, however, why she has to struggle when her former classmates from George Brown with the same training enjoy higher wages and steady hours working in hospitals and nursing homes.
Click here for full article
...
Despite struggling to make ends meet, Connie loves providing home care, and speaks passionately about how she helps her clients live independently. She can’t help but wonder, however, why she has to struggle when her former classmates from George Brown with the same training enjoy higher wages and steady hours working in hospitals and nursing homes.
Click here for full article
OCSA Projects
Collaboration Coach
Collaboration Coach is a free online resource that helps staff and Boards to explore and build effective collaborations, including strategic alliances, partnerships and service integration. The site holds many practical tools, stories and resources that will be especially helpful to our members in the current environment.
The Collaboration Coach platform is designed to help your not-for-profit organization avoid common pitfalls, use successful strategies and make informed decisions about your collaborative initiatives and opportunities. More than a tool kit, Collaboration Coach aims to be a virtual coach. We invite you to spend some time exploring the various points of entry which guide you to reflective questions, tools and stories. You may be surprised where Collaboration Coach takes you!
Click here to visit Collaboration Coach.
The Collaboration Coach platform is designed to help your not-for-profit organization avoid common pitfalls, use successful strategies and make informed decisions about your collaborative initiatives and opportunities. More than a tool kit, Collaboration Coach aims to be a virtual coach. We invite you to spend some time exploring the various points of entry which guide you to reflective questions, tools and stories. You may be surprised where Collaboration Coach takes you!
Click here to visit Collaboration Coach.
