Independence through

When DeafBlind Ontario Services set out on a journey in June of 2005, it had one clear objective in mind: to raise the bar on life planning by placing the people we support at the centre of its service.  A simple goal one may assume since individually- tailored planning has been a mainstay of the agency since its inception in April 1989.  But nothing could be further from the truth!

This lofty project has come around full-circle and involved the coordinated effort of countless staff, volunteers and community resources that share information, sat on committees, participated in pilots and put in extended hours, well beyond “normal” requirements, to see this project to fruition.  Beyond that, the agency also put in place a full-time position not only for the development of the project, but also to supervise the implementation, and provide follow-up, support and guidance to the Intervenors that were executing this service model.

A New Service Model:
Why the new model? We wanted a service model that was flexible enough to meet the needs of the people we support as they aged, or when their needs or desires changed. More importantly, we wanted to reflect the individual’s wishes, as much as possible, in the individually-tailored programs we develop. This will be facilitated through “Focusing on the Fundamentals”.

Raising the bar on our service delivery by “Focusing on the Fundamentals” means our programs will further open the possibilities to:

Imagination – A Person-Centred Approach to programming encourages individuals to dream and imagine possibilities.

Intervention – Trained Intervenors will support the individuals to make it happen!

Independence – Imagination and intervention together encourage clients to reach their fullest potential as they move toward greater independence.

To ensure a Person-Centered Approach to goal-setting – which means that the individual’s preferences, desires and strengths are the main focus – a Multi-Disciplinary Program Team is now involved in the process. This team meets every 18 months and is comprised of a number of people and groups that are linked to each person supported, including: family and friends, advocates, community and vocational resources, physical and occupational therapists, medical specialists and DeafBlind Ontario Services service.  The input from this meeting will lead to the development of the Resident Program Plans (goals).

Ideally, the individual is supported and encouraged to participate in this meeting; however, if this is not possible, the team works together to represent him or her. We have also introduced a new role where a Regional Resident Services Coordinator is responsible for the case management of the individuals supported.  This position is instrumental in the coordinating, development and monitoring of the Resident Program Plans along with the input of Intervenors and the Regional Operations Manager.

The Program Module:
The module is a resource and guide for DeafBlind Ontario Services staff, including Intervenors who work directly with clients. There are three components to the module: Click here for Program Module poster

• Resident Program Portfolio – contains detailed information about the various tools used to assess, monitor and review client activities, progress, goals, achievements and challenges. This ensures that our programming is consistent and uniquely tailored to each Resident.

• Service Tracking – tracks the service provided, and in turn, ensures that the activities and programs undertaken enhance the quality of life for our clients and gives evidence of services to funding agencies.

• Service Evaluation – indicates whether program requirements are met and whether the goals are meeting the needs of the clients.  This then provides data to the organization, which allows for future recommendations on the service delivery model.

The Future Looks Bright:
By building upon the concept of individually tailored programming, through the facilitation of the new DeafBlind Ontario Services Service Model, we are confident that we will provide the highest level of service to the individuals we support and, further, reinforce the Agency’s mission, vision and values.

We are passionate that people who are deafblind should be given every opportunity to reach their full potential, and we hold this belief at the core of everything we do. We also believe that every deafblind person is unique and so are their needs, goals and desires.