pour les services à l’enfance et à l’adaptation
140 King Street East, Suite 4, Hamilton, ON L8N 1B2
Tel.: (905) 570-8888 Email: [email protected]
www.CONTACThamilton.ca
ANNUAL
ANNUAL
REPORT
REPORT
SPECIAL ISSUE / SUMMER 2002
Making a Difference
A Message from the 2001/2002
Board of Directors
As we look back upon another year of rapid growth and
look ahead to exciting future challenges, the Board of
Directors is proud to present CONTACT Hamilton’s
2001/2002 Annual Report.
This report presents highlights of our accomplishments
over the past year, together with some brief accounts of
our day-to-day work. These notes and vignettes provide a
glimpse of some of the situations that individuals and
families face, a description of what we do and a hint of the
challenges and promises that lie ahead. They tell the story
of individuals and families coping with difficult situations. It is also the story of a dedicated staff working hard
to serve individuals and continually improve services.
And it is the story of agencies committed to offering the
best services they can and their concern about their inability to do more. Finally, it is the story of agencies, community members, families and individuals working together
with CONTACT staff and volunteers to make sure that
Hamilton is well served by its children’s and developmental services.
CONTACT Hamilton remains committed to conducting
our interactions with individuals, families, staff and community partners according to our values- accountable,
responsive, respect, teamwork and continuous improvement. We are an agency determined to make a difference.
A Key Resource
for the Community
Coordinated information
A couple is worried about changes in their 11-year old daughter’s behaviour. She has become very withdrawn at
home and school and the family is unsure of how to respond.
A call to CONTACT Hamilton helps them focus on seeking help. After briefly listening to their concerns, CONTACT
intake coordinator Deb Alexander confirms that community programs are available. The family is interested in pursuing these options, so Deb schedules an intake interview to gather more in-depth information.
Accurate and timely information about community services can be a crucial first step for anyone seeking help. A single source of information about children’s services and developmental services is also a key resource for the entire
community. This is the role of the coordinated information service that Deb and fellow intake coordinator Trina
Tingley are responsible for providing.
Many different people call CONTACT Hamilton for information about services for children and individuals with
developmental disabilities. This includes parents, physicians, school personnel and other professionals. Callers may
want general information or call with specific questions and requests for service. Sometimes, people are in crisis, distraught and unsure about what kind of help they need or even what questions to ask. Deb and Trina calmly assess
each situation, asking about the individual’s or family’s needs and checking to see whether there is any immediate
need for assistance.
Deb and Trina have many answers at their fingertips. They have up-to-date information on all the Ministry of
Community Family and Children’s funded programs that CONTACT works with directly, as well as other relevant
community programs and services. This involves collecting and absorbing a large body of information. Occasionally
they may be stumped by an extraordinary question or a query about services that do not fall within CONTACT’s area
of expertise. In those circumstances, their goal is to find the answers quickly or tell the caller whom to contact for
further information. They urge callers to phone back if they don’t get the answers they need or want further help.
Over the past year, we reorganized our staff and internal processes to provide a quicker and more direct response
to information and consultation requests. Our goal is to respond to callers within the same day, wherever possible.
Number of Inquiries (7 months from September 2001- March 2002) - 1,538
Service System that the Inquiry Was Related To
Other systems (14%)
Profile of Callers
Family/Friend (51%)
Person (5%)
Adult developmental services (11%)
School (3%)
Physician (5%)
Children’s developmental services (5%)
Children’s mental health services (70%)
Other (3%)
Child Welfare (12%)
Community (21%)
Matching people’s needs
to services
Single Point of Access
There is silence on the other end of the phone line, as Martha Harvie asks some intake questions. The CONTACT resource coordinator is trying to get information from a sullen 15-year
old about the drug and anger management problems that got her suspended from school. The girl’s mother called CONTACT looking for help and it is now Martha’s job to gather information from the family, teachers, other professionals and the teenager herself – a task complicated by the fact that the girl does not believe she needs any help. Once she has got an
understanding of the girl’s needs and how urgent they are, Martha will work with the family to determine what services might be appropriate, then make a referral to a service provider.
As soon as she gets off the phone, Martha has to shift gears and focus on an entirely different situation. She has an intake appointment with a developmentally disabled man and his family. She meets him in his home to get a complete view of his situation and involve him personally in the intake and planning process.
Figuring out what individuals and families need and matching them to the right services is the essence of Martha’s job and that
of the other resource coordinators, who carry out the duties associated with CONTACT Hamilton’s role as a single point of
access for MCFCS-funded children’s services or developmental services. Martha assesses the urgency of each person’s needs
and identifies what community resources are available, talking to service providers and making referrals where appropriate. In
many cases, there is a waiting list for services and Martha must keep track of referrals, respond to any changes in the person’s
situation – a change in health or a change in the family situation, for example – that might suddenly make the need for service more urgent.
Number of Registered Clients (as of March 31, 2002)
Children’s Mental Health Services
Children’s Developmental Services
Adult Developmental Services
Total
1,545
152
577
2,274
Families have repeatedly told us that they value CONTACT’s role in helping them connect with the services in the community. Not only can they find out about the many services through a single agency, but they also avoid having to tell their
story over and over again to several different service providers. Nevertheless, some people looking for help are often overwhelmed by their needs and frustrated in a system whose
resources are often stretched to the limit. Martha’s job is to stay focused on making sure that people’s needs are met, as soon
and as appropriately as possible.
Looking Back
Responding to urgent
and complex situations
Highlights of 2001/2002
Resolution Process
A group of people gather in CONTACT Hamilton’s boardroom, listening to a mother’s tearful account of how she can no
longer cope with the increasingly complex needs of her child.
Present at the meeting are people who want to help. They represent agencies dedicated to providing services to children, but
their programs are full, they have waiting lists and their staff are stretched to the limit. Some don’t have the expertise to
respond to the child’s unique needs.
Bringing both sides together in a determined effort to forge a solution is the Resolution Team consisting of client services
manager Lea Pollard and three community members. The meeting is the culmination of a formal process for dealing with
urgent and exceptional situations where the person has not been able to access the services they require.
Resolution Meetings (April 2001-2002)
Children’s services
Developmental services
3
4
Total
7
The participants weigh the child’s needs with what is available and possible in
the system of children’s services. Agencies consider how they can contribute
to a solution. These meetings can be emotionally draining for all, as family
members vent their frustration and service providers agonize over whether
they can respond. Yet no one is likely to leave until some solution has been
reached.
CONTACT Hamilton facilitates the Resolution process. It is a community
process and a formal response to a critical and complex situation. Before a situation reaches this stage, resource coordinators and service providers have pursued every other option to connect people with the services they need.
Over the past year, CONTACT revised the resolution process in order to make it more comfortable for all parties and to
clarify expectations. Participants have responded positively to the adjustments made.
The Resolution Process requires service provider and community participation. We would like to thank the following
members of the Hamilton community who dedicated their time and expertise as ResolutionTeam members: Anne Marie
Crustolo, Heather Elbard, Gord Greenway, Anne Hughes, Catherine MacPherson-Doe, Shelley McCarthy, Terry McGurk,
Martha McLaughlin, Ruth Pickering, Irene Perro, Kamille TenBrinke, Valine Vaillancourt.
Looking Ahead
Making sure children’s
needs are met
2002/3 Initiatives
Residential Placement Advisory Committee
It is about three months since CONTACT resource coordinator Gary Winship helped a 12-year-old boy and his family get
connected with a residential treatment program to get help with an anger management problem that made him disruptive
at home and unable to fit in at school. Now Gary is meeting the boy again in a different context – at a committee meeting
that will review the boy’s placement to make sure it continues to meets his needs.
To ensure the child’s best interest are met, the Child and Family Services Act requires that a Residential Placement Advisory
Committee (RPAC) conduct a review whenever a child is placed for three months or more in a residential facility. CONTACT Hamilton hosts and coordinates this committee, which includes a community citizen, a service provider and a representative from the Ministry of Community Family and Children’s Services.
The boy, along with his parents and a worker from the residence, attend the meeting. The committee can hear from all parties about what progress is being made and whether the residential program is still meeting the boy’s needs. The committee
asks questions and considers all points of view, before determining whether the placement is appropriate and whether any
other recommendations should be pursued.
We would like to thank the following members of the Hamilton community who dedicated their time and expertise as
RPAC committee members: Pat Anderchuk, Jody Brimer, Ron Burwell, Steve Cook, Deb Ertsinian, Shawn Flaherty,
Tracy Gorka, Paula Linger, Pat McNab, Gabe Minor, Tracy Newton, Carm Pacenza, Irene Perro, Donna Rackoczy, Paul
Ricketts, Wanda St. Francois, Linda Stumpf, Gina Tarantino, Nancy Trebilcock, Wilma VanStaalduinen, Lloyd Williams,
Joyce Zemble, Mark Zivolak
# of RPAC meetings (April 2001- March 2002)
• Implemented the Performance Measurement
System – a province-wide tool for evaluating
access mechanisms for children’s and developmental services
• Created opportunities for community members to
join the organization
• Redesigned the intake process to be more responsive and efficient, incorporating the Brief Child
and Family Phone Interview into the children’s
services intake process
• Established regular forums with children’s and
developmental services agencies
• Facilitated the community planning process for
the Mental Health Services for Children 0-6 Years
Initiative
• Submitted a funding proposal on behalf of the
community that resulted in the Regional Office
allocating a further $91,300 a year for accommodation supports and $54,00 a year for day supports
within the developmental services system
• Compiled waiting list information for the MCFCS
Regional Office that identified that 283 individuals
with developmental disabilities require accommodation supports
• Partnered with CONTACT Brant, CONTACT
Niagara and CONTACT Haldimand-Norfolk to
select a vendor for a joint information management system
• Initiated the planning for the transition of
Chedoke Child and Family Centre’s intake functions
• Initiated the consultation process regarding the
development of the community service plan
101
• Assume responsibility for access for MCFCS funded respite services (June 2002)
• Assume responsibility for access to Chedoke Child
and Family Centre’s children’s mental health programs (October 2002)
• Increase the community’s awareness of CONTACT
Hamilton’s role
• Continue the development of the Community
Service Plan
• Implement a joint information system with our
partners in CONTACT Brant, CONTACT Niagara
and CONTACT Haldimand-Norfolk
2001-2002 Board of
Directors
Patrick Fernando, Chair
Rick Helm, Vice Chair
Leila Ryan, Past Chair
Brian Guest
Leslea Peirson
Shirley Mitchell
Dirk VanderBent
Beverley Wasmund
Madina Wasuge
Oksana Plawiuk Fisher, Executive Director
CONTACT
Our Mission,
Vision and Values
Statement of Revenue and Expenses
CONTACT Hamilton for Children’s and Developmental Services
Revenue
Period ended
March 31, 2002
Period ended
March 31, 2001
(6 months)
$921,104
0
554
$285,693
70,937
204
921,658
356,834
693,260
213,994
278,473
212,502
907,254
490,975
$14,404
$(134,141)
Grants
Ministry of Community, Family and Children’s Services
Other Income
Interest Income
Expenses
Salaries and Benefits
Other
NET EXCESS OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES
(EXPENSES OVER REVENUE)
A copy of the audited financial statement is available upon request.
Mission
CONTACT Hamilton exists for children, youth, people with developmental
disabilities, and their families. We act to ensure their access to a quality
system of services and supports.
Vision
CONTACT Hamilton will be known by the community as the pathway to a
coordinated system of services.
Values
The following values will collectively guide our actions as a service coordinating and planning agency, community partner and employer.
• We recognize and respect the individuality and dignity of all people
• We will challenge ourselves to be the best that we can be
• We will listen and respond appropriately
• We hold ourselves accountable to all our stakeholders to be effective
and efficient
• We can achieve more through teamwork and will invest honesty, openness and trust in our relationships
• We will make a difference