Family Support Options

Special Services At Home

The Special Services at Home (SSAH) program is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Family Support Options (FSO) Coordinators assist families to apply for SSAH funding which provides one-to-one support in the home or in the person’s community to meet personal development and growth goals. SSAH provides funding for parent relief and related supports to help the family meet their identified needs.

CMHA provides support to families that choose to have their funds agency administered.

The FSO Program has options for funding. Please talk with your Coordinator for more information. This program provides financial support to all families to make use of the flexibilities attached to SSAH funding for assistance with camp costs, recreation, other respite options and/or temporary assistance with homemaking tasks.

Ministry SSAH Guidelines 

To review the Ministry’s guidelines for Special Services At Home funding, please click here

Please click here to view the “Funding Management Chart”.  This helps families understand the difference between Self-Administration versus Agency Administered funds.

Support for children who are medically fragile / technology dependent (MFTD)

FSO Coordinators also manage “MFTD” supports which are geared towards providing individualized respite options for children who are medically fragile and technology dependent. This extra funding is intended to provide them with opportunities to participate in programs and activities that will enhance their socialization, learning, and enjoyment of seasonal recreation, as well as to provide their parents with needed respite from caregiving.

CMHA provides support to families that choose to have their funds agency administered.

Seasonal Supports

Seasonal support funding may be available to children with the MFTD designation. Please contact your FSO Coordinator for more information.

Are you a parent/legal guardian or service partner interested in determining if your child (ages birth to 17 years of age) is eligible for any of these funding programs offered through FSO at CMHA WW? If your child lives in Guelph and/or Wellington County, please review and follow the referral directions included in the documents below.

For Parents/Legal Guardians

Referral process for FSO – Family Version 

For Service Partners

Referral process for FSO – Service Partners

 FSO F 024 Referral to FSO – Fillable.docx

 FSO F 024 Referral to FSO – Printable.docx

Form Submission Instructions

To submit the form via mail or electronically please make sure you also upload and or print the additional documents to submit with the form:

• • Supporting documentation confirming diagnosis of a developmental and/or physical disability
  • Proof of birth
  • Proof of residency

Submitting Electronically:

1. Once the form is complete save the document on your device
2. Use the secure submit file link here: TitanFile Secure Submit
3. Once you have uploaded the form in the upload box make sure to also add the other attachments listed above

Submitting via Mail:

1. Use the FSO 0 24 Referral to FSO – Printable document linked above
2. Once you have printed and filled out the form, make sure you also have the items listed above to mail with it
3. Mail To:
   234 St Patrick St E, Fergus, ON, N1M 1M6
   ATTN: Lisa Miller, Children’s Services Manager

Special Services at Home (SSAH) Application

Please click on this link for some helpful information about completing the SSAH application, if you are choosing to self-administer your funding.

Special Services at Home Tip Sheet – Surrey Place

“This article was originally published on SurreyPlace.ca. Surrey Place provides specialized clinical services to individuals with developmental disabilities in the Toronto region and Northern Ontario.”

*Once received, all referrals will be reviewed monthly by the FSO Coordination Team. Once assigned, an FSO Coordinator will reach out to the family to set up an intake appointment.*

For families who have just completed an SSAH application and are waiting for funding please click here.

For families who have recently been approved for funding please click here.

Families have several other options to submit an invoice, that include the following **Please address all correspondence to SSAH:

• You can submit your SSAH Invoice by email to: ssahinvoices@cmhaww.ca.

  The invoice for services provided can be found here:

Invoice for Services Provided- Fillable version 

Invoice for Services Provided – Printable version

Please ensure invoices and receipts are sent as PDF attachments.

• • How to Create a PDF From Your Cell Phone
• Drop off in person at the following CMHA WW offices: 80 Waterloo Ave., Guelph; 234 St. Patrick St. E., Fergus; 392 Main St., Suite 1, Mount Forest. Mailboxes labeled “SSAH Invoices” are available near the main entrances of the buildings.
• Families can also mail their SSAH invoices to CMHA WW Attention: SSAH. 80 Waterloo Ave, Guelph, ON, N1H 0A1.

Click below to view invoice samples:

• Paying a one-to-one worker
• Paying for a service (housekeeping)
• Submitting for temporary exceptions

Click here for the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services guide to learn more about the permanent changes to eligible exceptions.

Click here to view more information about the invoicing process at CMHA WW.

Click here to view About Invoices – Tigrinya Version.

Click here to view about Invoices – Vietnamese Version.

• Winter 2024
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• Fall 2021
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• Winter 2021

• AIR – Access, Information & Referral: http://accessinformation.ca/
• Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD): Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Tip Sheet – Surrey Place “This article was originally published on SurreyPlace.ca. Surrey Place provides specialized clinical services to individuals with developmental disabilities in the Toronto region and Northern Ontario.”
• CMHA WW Here 24/7: https://here247.ca/
• CMHA WW Here4Kids: https://cmhaww.ca/news/here4kids-launches-to-support-families-in-guelph-wellington-dufferin/
• Community Living Guelph: https://clgw.ca/
• Compass Community Services (formerly Family Counselling & Support Services): https://compasscs.org/
• DSO – Developmental Services Ontario: https://www.dsontario.ca/
• Disability Tax Credit (DTC): Disability tax credit (DTC) – Canada.ca
• Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington: https://www.fcsgw.org/
• Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington: https://www.is-gw.ca/
• Hopewell Children’s Homes, Stephanie Home: https://www.hopewellchildrenshomes.org/
• Independent Living Guelph: https://guelphindependentliving.org/
• Kerry’s Place Autism Services: https://www.kerrysplace.org/
• KidsAbility Centre for Child Development: https://www.kidsability.ca/
• Kids Country Club: https://www.kidscountryclub.org/
• Ministry of Children, Community & Social Services (MCCSS): https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/
• OAP – Ontario Autism Program: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-autism-program
• ODSP – Ontario Disability Support Program: https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/EN/MCSS/programs/social/odsp/index.aspx
• Respite Services / CHAP Program (Community Helpers for Active Participation) (Wellington): https://www.supportyourway.ca/Wellington/respiteservices
• Surrey Place: https://www.surreyplace.ca/