Did you know there is an Ontario Program called Direct Funding? It is available to enable adults with physical disabilities to become employers of their own attendants. Attendants assist with routine activities of living, such as dressing, grooming and bathing. As employers, Direct Funding recipients are fully responsible for managing their own employees within a budget that is developed on an individual basis.
Direct Funding is intended as an option suited to people with physical disabilities who are willing and able to take on the extra management responsibilities (and possible risks) of the program. Available province wide, the Direct Funding Program enables adults with physical disabilities to receive monthly funds for attendants of their own choosing, to schedule as needed. The program is portable, meaning participants can live and travel anywhere within the province of Ontario, taking their services along with them.
Direct Funding operates within guidelines set by the Ontario government. You can apply if:
- you are age 16 or over
- you are a resident of Ontario
- you require attendant services due to a permanent physical disability
- you are able to complete the written application on your own initiative and in your own words
- you are able to meet with a Selection Panel to discuss your needs and determine your eligibility for the program
- you are able to schedule attendants;
- you are able to hire (and fire, if necessary), train and supervise one or more attendant workers
- you are able to meet all the legal requirements associated with being an employer
- you are capable of managing and accounting for your funding, according to Direct Funding program guidelines.
The Direct Funding Program is administered by the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT), Inc., in partnership with the Ontario Network of Independent Living Centres (ONILC). It is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through Ontario Health.
Learn more about the program and access the application guide here: dfontario.ca/application/application-and-guide.html
Peer-to-peer experiences and understanding is a vital part of our monthly Peer Connections workshops across the province. We gather online informally, sharing insights and solutions to issues related to living with a spinal cord injury. These are free monthly virtual events, all are welcome. To join a Peer Connections event live visit sciontario.org/category/events/
