HURON TRILLIUM PARTNERSHIP

Participants:

• Bluewater Rest Home, Martha Craig
• Community Care Access Centre in Huron, Darlene Bogie
• Community Living-Central Huron, Rosemary Foran
• Community Living - South Huron, Bruce Shaw (Co-Chair) & Mary Swinkels McLellan
• Community Services Coordinating Network, Brydon McFarlen
• Family Services Perth Huron, Linda Crerar (APSW)
• Grey Bruce Huron Perth District Health Council, Dave Zago
• Huron Respite Network, Lisa Boyd
• Queensway Nursing and Retirement Home, Carol Gascho (Co-Chair)
• Town and Country Support Services, Carrie Salsbury
• Wingham and District Community Living Association, JoAnn Davies
• Family Representative, Yvonne Kitchen
• Coristine & Associates Consulting, Ron W. Coristine M.P.A. (Project Coordination)
  

Origins:
The Huron Trillium Partnership Project evolved from two important events. First, in November 2000 the Board of Directors of the Wingham and District Community Living Association established a Task Force on Aging to determine how the Association should deal with the phenomenon and the many new demands of an aging population. The Task Force Report recommended establishment of a cross sector process that could take advantage of the expertise of those who understand aging and those who understand developmental disabilities. The Wingham Association concurrently applied for funding from the Trillium Foundation to pursue the exploration of a cross sector partnership.

Secondly, the Ontario Partnership on Aging and Developmental Disabilities supported organization of the Southwest Symposium an Aging and Developmental Disabilities held in London on February 14 2001. The symposium provided opportunity for service providers from the long term care and developmental sectors to explore the possibility for cross sector collaboration. Representatives from Huron County made a commitment to build an ongoing process to respond to the aging boom.

Project Description:
The project aims to improve transition planning for older adults with a developmental disability. Some of the project’s activities and accomplishments include:

• Steering Committee meetings to address cross sector planning issues and foster innovation
• Semi-annual meetings held with representatives from MCSS and MoH LTC to exchange ideas and progress on cross sector planning
• Developed principles for transition planning and principles for service providers engaged in cross sector transition planning work
• Training Committee plans semi-annual cross sector training for front line staff and family caregivers
• Developed and published transition planning handbooks (“Aging Just Like Everyone Else, A Handbook for Families and Caregivers” AND “New Challenges, A Handbook for Managers and Planners”)
• Participating service providers contribute time to meetings and planning activities; provide meeting space without charge, assist with secretarial support to the project

Outcomes:
Maintain an ongoing process for cross sector planning related to supporting people with a developmental disability as they age; cross sector planning include families, service providers, planning and coordinating bodies and government funders

Provide opportunities for cross-sector training of front line staff that to ensure competent performance related to aging and developmental disabilities, including dual diagnosis

Promote efficient use of limited funds by supporting people with developmental disabilities to remain at home with support for as long as possible

Build an effective service system that responds easily to the transition of people as they move from one sector to another

Inform planning bodies and funding Ministries: by developing the capacity of the service system to coordinate across sectors and to plan allocations of resources.

Upcoming Events:

Meeting with service providers in Perth County early in 2005 to explore the feasibility of creating a Huron Perth Partnership on Aging and Developmental Disabilities.

Project Reports and Documents:

Two Handbooks on transition planning have been published and are available in pdf format on this site. Click the links below to go directly to the handbooks.

Aging Just Like Everyone Else: Handbook for Families and Caregivers

New Challenges: Aging and Developmental Disabilities in Huron County

Contacts:

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