A Reference Guide  

Collaborative Work in Progress

 

 

 

November 2006

 

1.  Overview of Children’s Treatment Network

 

                                 i.             Backgrounder

 

Children’s Treatment Network of Simcoe York is a new not-for-profit service delivery model for children with multiple disabilities in Simcoe County and York Region. This unique integrated network model builds on the strengths of existing service providers, including healthcare, recreation, education, social and community resources, to create a revolutionary system that provides a single point of contact and a single plan of care for children and youth from birth to 19 who have special physical, developmental, and communication needs.

 

The Network model is an entirely new approach that is based on service providers from different agencies and organizations collaborating and taking a team approach to each child's rehabilitation and habilitation needs.  The ultimate goal of Children’s Treatment Network is to expand services available in the community and link all regional resources to create a comprehensive rehabilitation system that is easily accessed. The Network will coordinate services from many agencies throughout all stages of a child’s development. 

 

Network services are available to children and youth with a wide range of multiple disabilities and complex conditions that require intensive therapy, specialized equipment or travel to treatment centers outside of the community including: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, brain injury, developmental and learning difficulties, spina bifida, autism or pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and other long-term medical conditions.

Services provided through Network members to these children and youth include: Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Recreation Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Orthotics, Audiology, Seating and Mobility, Feeding and Swallowing, Augmentative Communication, as well as additional medical and child development services.

As part of the publicly funded system under the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Children's Treatment Network services are free.

1-866-377-0286 to access Coordinated Services and Local Teams - Parents of children with multiple disabilities can access the Network through a toll free number.  The Network comprises over 25 agencies and organizations working together.  Services will be provided through Local Teams that are made up of a range of professionals from member agencies. These Local Teams will ensure families have smooth, easy access to coordinated care plans and seamless provision of services. The Network will also work closely with organizations such as Sick Kids and Bloorview Kids Rehab to coordinate specialized services and care, where needed.

Reducing Waitlists and Meeting Service Gaps - Over the next two years, Children's Treatment Network will continue to enhance and expand critically needed services available in the community. Initiatives include local access to specialty clinics, equipment and therapies as well as provision of training programs to broaden the range of services available in Simcoe and York.  By the end of 2007 a total of 10 Local Teams will be on the ground.  Two Resource Centers will further enhance support for children, families and service providers.

 

Resource Centers provide more access to a full range of integrated services closer to home - The first Resource Centre located in The Common Roof in Barrie opened in September 2006 and will bring expanded rehabilitation services and four critically needed specialty services to the area.  The specialty services include Augmentative Communication, Feeding and Swallowing, Seating and Mobility and Orthotics. For the first time, over 1700 kids with multiple disabilities in Simcoe County will have another point of access to a full range of enhanced and integrated rehabilitation and child development services, equipment and professionals in one location.  The Centre is also home to the first dedicated Pediatric Therapy Gym in Simcoe. 

 

A second Resource Centre located in York Region will begin operations early in 2007 to serve over 2800 York Region kids with special needs.

 

 

                               ii.             General Key Messages about CTN

 

·         Children’s Treatment Network of Simcoe York represents a giant step forward for kids with multiple disabilities and their families

 

·         Through one point of contact, the Network will provide a single plan of care and coordinate services from many agencies for children and youth from birth to 19 who have special physical, developmental and communication needs

 

·         For the first time, children with special needs and their families have access to a network of coordinated, integrated care that includes the full spectrum of rehabilitation and support services

 

·         The Network is a new service delivery model that links existing services and service providers so they can take a team approach to each child’s care

 

·         The Network will expand and add services that are critically needed in the community to help reduce waitlists and meet gaps in “closer to home” services

 

·         The Network serves children and youth with a wide range of disabilities and conditions who require specialized services and supports to participate in activities of daily living, school, and play

 

·         The Network is about removing barriers for families and focusing on the needs of the child. It’s not just about health care.  It’s about connecting to the network of health, education, recreation and social services and creating a coordinated care plan that supports each child through all the phases of their development

 

·         Network members include over 25 agencies and organizations serving kids with special needs. Each child is assessed and assigned a Local Team. Care plan is developed for each child; services are coordinated and provided through Local Teams made up of professionals from member agencies.  Care plan is updated and revised as child grows and needs evolve

 

·         Over next 2 years, Network will continue to add and enhance services needed in community. By the end of 2007, 10 Local Teams will be on the ground.  2 Resource Centers - 1 in Simcoe and 1 in York - will further enhance services and support for kids and families

 

·         Simcoe Resource Centre in Barrie opened on Sept. 12, 2006.  Centre brings 4 critically needed specialty services to the area and expands access to a wide range of rehabilitation and child development services for over 1700 kids with multiple disabilities in Simcoe

 

·         Another Resource Centre located in York will begin operations early in 2007. It will bring more critically needed services closer to home for over 2800 York Region kids with special needs

 

·         This is the only model of its kind, created specifically for children in Simcoe County and York Region. Services are free.

 

·         Leading international researchers from McMaster University are using the Network model for a research project that examines the effectiveness of an integrated approach on both the system and kids and families

 

·         1-866-377-0286 Toll Free number to access Network services.  For more info visit website at www.ctn-simcoeyork.ca

 

 

                            iii.             Population Served

 

The broad population seeking access to children’s services in Simcoe and York is welcome to call the CTN single point of Access and be directed through a robust Service Navigation process, to the appropriate program or service. A child becomes a ‘CTN’ child when they are identified as a child with multiple needs and disabilities requiring a coordinated response on the part of a multi-member Child and Family Team.

 

The population for service coordination is characterized as children or youth with multiple special needs (e.g. mobility, communication, developmental, behaviour, social-emotional) and their families who have intensive or complex needs for service coordination not able to be met by existing levels of case management or service coordination.  These children may or may not need enhanced rehabilitation services.

Generally, eligibility for CTN-funded rehabilitation services at the local team or specialized services will be children and youth with significant multiple disabilities in the moderate to severe/very severe range, requiring the linking of multiple services, as characterized below.  The determination for enhanced rehabilitation services will occur at the Child and Family Team, and clarity will evolve as CTN gains experience with the population profile and the new model of service delivery. 

Specialty Clinics will develop a specific target population as they evolve over the first year of operation. Access to enhanced rehabilitation services may be somewhat different for basic therapy and specialized services.  In the early stages of implementation, the CTN Clinical Directors will work closely with network partners to clarify access to these services.

§         Aged birth to 19 in Simcoe County or York Region

§         Significant impairment in the following domains, requiring therapy services: mobility, communication, primarily augmentative, cognitive, ADL, requiring equipment, Acquired brain injury

 

                            iv.             Decision Tree