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.

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.

Respiteservices.com

CMHA WW manages the CHAP (Community Helpers for Active Participation) worker database part of the respiteservices.com website.

Community Helpers for Active Participation (CHAP) is a database for families who would like to contract with an Independent Provider. The CHAP Coordinator screens individuals who are interested in supporting people with developmental or physical disabilities. Families who choose an Independent Provider can register and place classified ads so that they can be matched with individuals who are interested in providing support. The CHAP Coordinators search the database for families and send profiles of potential independent providers to registered families.

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.

Seasonal Supports

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

Supporting Kids in Camp

Camp is a great opportunity to have new experiences and make new friends! Supporting Kids in Camp (SKIC) offers children with physical or developmental needs the opportunity to fully participate in the Wellington County based program of their choice – be it art camp, sports camp, computer camp – the possibilities are endless! This participation comes from the paid, trained, one-on-one Supporting Kids in Camp staff (called Support Counsellors) available through the program, all of whom have experience working in camps and with children with special needs, as well as strong support for inclusion programs in community camps through training for camp staff and consultation. All Support Counsellors participate in comprehensive training including sessions on working with children with physical needs, positive approaches to managing challenging behaviours, modifying camp programs and more. Applications for the program are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are available in the Children’s Services: Family Support Options section of the website under Supporting Kids in Camp (www.cmhaww.ca/skic).

Connect with SKIC Coordinator Laura McDonald at 519-821-8089 extension 7055.

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.  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:

1. Paying a one-to-one worker
2. Paying for a service (housekeeping)
3. Submitting for temporary exceptions

Click here for the Ministry of Children Community and Social Services list of temporary exceptions.

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

Please click on the link below for more information:

• SSAH Program Family Information Manual
• Family Support Options Brochure
• Invoice for Services Provided- Fillable version 
• Invoice for Services Provided – Printable version
• SSAH Fact Sheet February 2018
• CHAP Information Package
• Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: It’s Your Duty
• Personal Care Guidelines
• Transition to Adult Resource Sheet
• After Hours & Emergency Protocols
• SSAH Guidelines Feb 2018
• Email/Text Disclaimer

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

Referral to FSO Form – Fillable

Referral to FSO Form – Printable

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.

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.”

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/

Fall 2022

Summer 2022

Winter 2022

Fall 2021

Summer 2021

Winter 2021

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.