Children’s Treatment Network is a new, not-for-profit service delivery model for children and youth (birth to 19 years of age) in Simcoe and York with multiple disabilities. For the first time, kids with special needs and their families will get a single plan of care through one point of contact through all phases of a child’s development.

The Network is the only model of its kind to link and coordinate services from healthcare, education, recreation and community organizations and agencies so they can take a team approach to each child’s care. Through this approach, the Network will bring more services to the community, help shorten waitlists, and reduce the need to travel long distances to get specialized treatment.

Simcoe and York were the only areas in the province without a children’s treatment centre to provide rehabilitation services for children and youth with disabilities. The Network represents a new ay to provide better access and expand services that are desperately needed in the community.

The Network will support the more than 4,200 children in the area with multiple disabilities whose parents are struggling with long waitlists and extensive travel for services. It will do this by coordinating services from multiple agencies and expanding services available locally to provide the range of care needed for these children to participate in daily living, school and play.

Having 1-800 access to coordinated services makes it easier for families to access local services. They will no longer need to navigate different systems to obtain the range of care needed for their child. Through the Network, service providers will work together with families to coordinate assessments and develop a single and integrated plan of care.

The Network will bring badly needed services “closer to home” for these families and expand access to more specialized rehabilitation services. It also will provide a continuum of care for children with disabilities that will be adapted throughout their developmental years to the age of 19.

In addition to the services already provided by Network partners (e.g. infant development, early intervention, consultative/mediator model therapy services, special education, family support, inclusive recreation), the Network will provide and coordinate the following services:

• Occupational Therapy
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Recreation Therapy
• Social Work
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Orthotics
• Audiology
• Seating and Mobility
• Augmentative Communications
• Additional medical and child development services

It is estimated that there is between 4,000 to 4,500 children with disabilities in Simcoe and York who require enhanced rehabilitation services. This includes children with physical, developmental and/or communication needs who may already be served by some of the Network partners, but need more ongoing, intensive or specialized rehabilitation treatment or services.

The Network serves children from birth to 19 years of age. This includes focus on coordinating a successful transition from the child to adult systems.

No, services are publicly funded, and free to families. However, there may be costs associated with provision of special equipment, materials or supplies needed by some children.

The organization you are involved with will automatically review your child’s situation to determine if your child could benefit from additional services through the Network. If you require services from several Network partners, an electronic file will be opened and a Team will be formed to develop a single plan of care. Please discuss any questions you have with your service provider or call the Network at 1-866-377-0286.

You can contact Network Access directly at 1-866-377-0286. Your physician or service provider can also refer you for Network services.

The Children’s Treatment Network coordinates services from multiple agencies to create teams in each local area that are focused on each child’s development and care. This team approach will reduce the burden on families who currently have to coordinate services from many different agencies. The Network will provide a single point of access to a range of services, which will be consolidated into a single, coordinated service plan. It will also work with organizations such as Sick Kids Hospital and Bloorview Kids Rehab to improve regional access to specialized services.

By 2007, the Network will also have established two resource centres – one in Simcoe and one in York – that will further support families by providing information and education, peer support and specialized resources.

A coordinator will speak with you to establish the type and urgency of the child’s needs. They will then open an electronic client record for services provided within the Network.  If Network services aren’t required, the coordinator will connect you to the appropriate children’s services provider who can serve the child’s need.

If several network members will be needed on the child/family team, the coordinator will arrange a visit with the family for an intake assessment, and connect the family to the local team that will be working with the child. The local team will develop and integrated plan of care that specifically addresses the child’s needs. This plan will be adapted as the child’s needs change and/or they enter a transition phase (e.g. starting school).

The network became operational in April with the activation of the 1-800 access to coordinated service. The Network works with over 20 member agencies and organizations in Simcoe and York. Services are provided by 4 Local Teams made up of professionals from these member organizations.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, the Network will be recruiting more professionals and specialists, adding new services, and expanding the number of Network members. By the end of 2007, there will be 10 Local Teams in both Simcoe and York serving kids with special needs.

As the Network recruits and trains new staff, travel outside the area will be reduced. Some specialized assessments and programs (e.g. Cleft Lip and Palate; in-patient rehabilitation) will only be provided at specialty centres, which mean families will still have to travel to Toronto or elsewhere. However, the Children’s Treatment Network Local Teams will continue to work closely with these centres to coordinate services.

For more information about the Network you can call 1-866-377-0286 and speak to a coordinator or email info@ctn-simcoeyork.ca.

For information on other services available in Simcoe County call 211 or visit www.211simcoecounty.ca

For information on other services available in York Region visit www.civc.ca or www.region.york.on.ca/NR/yorklink/search.asp

The Network and our members have already lifted over 500 high priority needs children in Simcoe and York off waitlists by introducing additional rehab services into the community earlier this year.

Over the next two years, the Network will add approximately 90 new rehabilitation staff in Simcoe and York. Some of the staff will be attached to specialty resources serving the whole Network, but most will increase the availability of services at the local level. This will help further reduce wait lists and provide additional services/support to the individual child/family teams.

Families and service providers in York and Simcoe have been actively involved in the development of the new Children’s Treatment Network model. The system was built on work already done in the preschool systems in both York and Simcoe that focused on integrating services from multiple agencies to create a family-centered approach.

All the implementation and planning of the Network has been fully supported by the Children’s Planning Coalitions in Simcoe and York – the Child, Youth and Family Services Coalition of Simcoe County, and the York Region Advisory Forum on Children, Youth and Families.

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services announced funding of the proposal in December 2004. The Network Board was incorporated in June 2005, and received charitable registration in August 2005. The implementation plan was adopted in early November 2005 and the Network launched 1-800 access to coordinated services in April 2006.

Children’s Treatment Network worked closely with existing providers to identify service gaps, assess wait lists and examine the range of services provided by the various children’s treatments centres. We also conducted focus groups with families to determine needs.

The partners choose to participate as a member of the Network and include most of the organizations that are already serving children with special needs in Simcoe and York. They include healthcare, social services, education and recreation services. See Our Partners. In time, the Network will add connections to adult systems into which many of these children will transition.

Early in 2006, the Network worked with the Community Care Access Centres in Simcoe and York and their providers to deliver Speech Language Therapy, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy as well as case management services to about 500 children who would otherwise still be waiting for services.

Network funding has also prevented the closure of the Paediatric Developmental Assessment Clinic at Markham Stouffville Hospital. In addition, the Network has expanded the availability of developmental paediatrician services in Simcoe through Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

The Children’s Treatment Network is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. The annualized funding is $10.5 Million.

Access to coordinated services through the 1-800 number became operational in April 2006 with 4 Local teams providing service in both Simcoe and York. Some specialty services will launch in spring 2006 and expand as staff are recruited and trained (e.g. Feeding and Swallowing, Seating and Mobility, diagnostic assessments, inclusive recreation).

Resource centres will be established in the late spring/early summer of 2006. By the end of 2007, there will be 10 Local Teams serving both communities.

Please contact info@ctn-simcoeyork.ca or call the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Treatment Network at 1-877-719-4795.

Because Simcoe and York are the last areas in the province to establish “Children’s Treatment Centre” services, we have chosen to implement these services using a new integrated treatment model. Our service model is already generating a lot of interest in the healthcare and children’s services community and its impact will be evaluated and assessed by others looking to realize the benefits of service integration.

Children’s Treatment Network is a truly innovative and unique multi-sector service model. There is no existing example or template for creating this kind of model. Since we are breaking new ground – and working with multiple partners in bringing it to reality - it is important that we build the right infrastructure that will allow us bring these critical services to families in the community. Now that we have built that infrastructure, we are well positioned to expand services and capacity in the system and are working as quickly as possible to recruit and train the additional professionals needed.

Work has already begun on training and equipping specialized staff for some specialty services that are not currently available locally, such as feeding and swallowing, augmentative communication and acquired brain injury therapies. Having local access to these types of services will have an enormous impact on kids and families who currently have to travel long distances to get these services.