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  1. LiveWorkPlay
  2. How We Can Help You
  3. Accessing Supports

Accessing Supports

Navigating the world of Developmental Services, the Ontario Disability Support Program, Developmental Services Ontario, Passport individualized funding, Employment Ontario, and other systems and services people with intellectual disabilities or autistic persons and their families might need can be overwhelming. At LiveWorkPlay we have very little control over how individuals and families experience the above, but we are here to help, and this includes striving for clarity about our own supports and how they are accessed.

As described in How We Can Help You, we have two distinct options (funding mechanism and registration processes are completely different).

  • Employment Supports
  • Community Supports

Employment Supports are provided through Employment Ontario. To get started with LiveWorkPlay Employment Supports contact our Employment Supports intake coordinator Roberta McKenna 343-644-9748 to learn more. You can expect to hear back within two business days. Please note that Employment Supports are a completely separate service (not connected to Community Supports) and are funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Community Supports can be accessed in three different ways, which can also be used in combination (see details below). To get started with LiveWorkPlay Community Supports contact our Community Supports intake coordinator Batoul Auf 613-604-4652 to learn more. You can expect to hear back within two business days. Please note that Community Supports are a completely separate service (not connected to Employment Supports) and Community Supports (with the exception of out-of-pocket fee-for-service) are funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Below are the three different ways that LiveWorkPlay Community Supports can be access. 

  • Funded placement through Developmental Services Ontario – there is no cost to supports accessed through DSO which are funded by MCCSS, but this option requires a registration and placement process which is conducted independently of LiveWorkPlay. Completing the process does not typically lead to immediate access to supports from LiveWorkPlay or any other agency that is eligible to accept DSO referrals. Because the DSO system uses prioritization methods, the passage of time alone does not move people closer to receiving supports and the wait can be long.
  • Passport funding through MCCSS – this is a type of individualized funding provided to the individual and/or their family which can be used according to Passport guidelines for a variety of expenses, including the purchase of Community Supports from LiveWorkPlay. This is a type of “fee-for-service” and can also be purchased “out-of-pocket” without Passport (see below). Our rate is currently $50 per hour and subject to change. This is an average fee for the Ottawa area, and includes not only staff wages, but an allocation for all of the associated training, supervision, and infrastructure costs. Passport may be combined with DSO placement and/or FFS (see below).
  • Out-of-pocket fee-for-service (paid by the individual and/or their family) – this is the same arrangement as Passport (above) but it means that payment is not associated with MCCSS funds, the money is coming directly from the individual or family (or another source of funds they might have at their disposal). The rate is $50 per hour (subject to change) and may be combined with DSO placement and/or Passport funds.

As mentioned, DSO placement can take years and there is no certainty as to how long it might take (there is nothing LiveWorkPlay can do about how long it takes, the process is designed to separate service providers from decision-making on the waiting list). Qualified individuals will not have to wait as long for Passport funds, but LiveWorkPlay is not always able to accept Passport referrals or out-of-pocket fee-for-service right away, because our staff are always fully allocated, vacancies are infrequent, and it takes substantial planning to increase our capacity in order to be able to serve additional individuals.

If you are looking for Community Supports provided by a designated French language service provider, you can contact these agencies directly:

or you may wish to contact Services de l’Ontario pour les personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle to discuss the different services that are available.