Response to Ombudsman’s Report
TORONTO (August 24, 2016) — The Ombudsman of Ontario and his Office today released Nowhere to Turn, a special report in response to complaints from Ontario families of adults with developmental disabilities who are in crises situations.
OASIS acknowledges the Ombudsman and his Office for its in-depth research, and demonstrated concern for developmental services in Ontario. We also acknowledge the Ministry of Community and Social Services for its commitment to addressing the report’s recommendations and to collaborating with community agencies.
“For many years, our member agencies have been working hard to deliver frontline services for Ontario’s most vulnerable people and delivering services to meet the transformation agenda. OASIS recognizes the need for longer-term solutions to address waitlists and for adults in crisis situations, but we also recognize that more can, and must be done, in a preventative manner, to anticipate and avoid crises from happening in the first place” said Ann Kenney, President of OASIS.
OASIS, a central support for 190 member agencies, will continue to pull together agencies across the province to provide a consistent transparent solution. We recognize the importance of having accurate and current data for system planning, however feel that more and better analysis needs to be done to identify the catalysts that lead to situations of crisis involving adults with developmental disabilities.
“We live in an age where tremendous amounts of data are available to guide evidence-based decision-making and policy development” added Kenney. “OASIS will continue to collaborate with its partners to develop meaningful data to close the gaps that too many adults with developmental disabilities are falling through.”
OASIS is committed to be a leader and voice for community agencies to provide input that is reflective of the various community needs. We look forward to continuing to work with the Ontario Government as it implements the Ombudsman’s recommendations and to addressing the over 12,000 adults waiting for residential services, and thousands more waiting for other developmental services.
About OASIS
OASIS is a volunteer-run, member-driven organization. Its member agencies serve over 65,000 of Ontario’s most vulnerable citizens and employ 25,000 full and part-time staff. Its 180+ member agencies currently provide more than 85 per cent of all developmental services funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Media contact:
Ann Kenney
President, OASIS
president@oasisonline.ca