Planned Out of Home Respite for Children with High Multiple Special Needs

Community Living Wallaceburg (CLW) receives limited funding from the Ministry of Community & Social Services, in order for families to purchase planned and coordinated respite supports for their child with high needs; multiple special needs.  Out of Home Respite is a respite service provided in any location outside the family's home.

To be eligible for the Out of Home funding a child must meet the following Ministry criteria:

1. Be under 18yrs of age and living at home.
2. Those who have more than one disability related need resulting from a physical and/or developmental disability that requires support for participation in activities of daily living, school & play;  and
3. that a healthy family life is dependent on regular respite periods occurring.

In order for Community Living Wallaceburg to effectively manage the OHR program the following procedures have been established:

1. A family is asked to complete a Checklist to establish eligibility.
2. When an eligible family wishes to plan a respite period, they are asked to contact CLW.  A Request for Funding and PLAN for Use FORM will be mailed (or faxed) to the family.  The family is asked to complete this form which asks several questions relating to the planned respite - where the respite period will occur, who the respite provider is, and the cost to purchase respite supports.  We ask that a minimum of one week notice is given when a family requests funding to ensure that the planning be done in a coordinated way.
3. CLW will review the plan and if the available resources can accommodate the request the family will be notified if an approval can be made.
4.  A letter will be sent to the family confirming the approval, along with an Out of Home Respite Proof of Service Invoice.  Once the respite period has occurred, families are asked to complete the Invoice and forward it to CLW for payment.  It is important for families to know that the respite provider will be paid directly for the respite supports.

CLW is committed to assisting as many families as possible with the OHR funding it receives from the Ministry.  Because the funding is limited, approvals are made at the time the request is received and based on the available resources.

If a family is interested in planning a respite period for themselves and their child, the Individual and Family Directed Supports team would be pleased to assist with the completion of the paperwork, or answer any questions a family might have.