The Ministry of Community and Social Services has announced changes to the PASSPORT program

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has announced changes to the PASSPORT program effective July 2013.  

The main highlights of the changes are:

Indirect Respite

Indirect respite services and supports, known as indirect assistance under the Special Services at Home program, are not admissible expenses under Passport except in extenuating circumstances.
Indirect respite services and supports are short-term arrangements that help the primary caregiver manage household and family responsibilities that are not directly related to caring for a person with a developmental disability. Indirect respite is intended to support primary caregivers in situations where extraordinary demands on their time and/or physical, mental, or emotional resources would compromise their well-being or that of the person(s) they are caring for.

Indirect respite services and supports may include the following:

• House cleaning
• Meal preparation
• Snow removal
• Care of other family members

Adults who transitioned to Passport from the Special Services at Home program before April 1, 2013 and who have been using their funding for indirect respite services and supports, may continue to do so until March 31, 2014 to enable them to make alternative support arrangements by April 1, 2014. After April 1, 2014, indirect respite services and supports will be inadmissible expenses under Passport and Passport agencies will no longer approve and/or reimburse indirect respite-related expenses except in extenuating circumstances and with prior approval from the Passport agency (DSO).

Passport Participation 

Effective July 1, 2013, restrictions on Passport participation have been removed so that individuals who are 18 years of age or older and are eligible for adult developmental services may apply and be considered for Passport if they are:

• still in school;
• eligible to receive or receiving Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports; and/or
• participating in a Ministry-funded day program.

Funding 

• The maximum annual amount of funding an individual could receive through the Passport program is $35,000.

For more details on all of the changes that are now in effect please follow the link below. If you wish to receive the changes in hard copy please contact your Family Support Coordinator to request this. 

http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/publications/developmentalServices/passportGuidlines/addendum.aspx

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