What is Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS)?
Formerly known as the LHIN (Local Health Integration Network), HCCSS is a publicly funded group of 14 agencies located across Ontario which provides various health care supports and services to people of all ages in both their homes and communities. Funding is provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
One health care service offered is funding (given in an allotment of hours either on a weekly or monthly basis) to hire a support person to provide assistance in your home.
Types of support are based on what the person needs and may include basic personal care, assistance with medications, support at meal times, g-tube care, exercise or short walks.
HCCSS contracts these services to approved service providers in your local community. These service providers are then responsible for hiring a support person for you or your family member.
You can choose EAFWR as your Service Provider for HCCSS funding
Have you been approved for HCCSS hours of support? Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region (EAFWR) is one of the approved Service Providers that you can choose! At this time, we are able to provide support for children or adults with a developmental and/or physical disability.
If you already have an EAFWR Support Coordinator and are approved for HCCSS funding, please ask them for more details.
If you are new to EAFWR, and would like us to administer your HCCSS funding, please contact the following team members:
Child inquiries: Kimberly Little – kimberly.little@eafwr.on.ca, 519-741-0190 ext. 234
Adult inquiries: Katie Hagedorn – katie.hagedorn@eafwr.on.ca, 519-741-0190 ext. 248
Why Choose EAFWR as your HCCSS Service Provider?
You have total control over choosing your Direct Support Person (DSP).
Already have a DSP?
If you have an EAFWR DSP for Passport, SIL, SSAH, OAP, Enhanced Respite/MFTD, EAFWR Respite or FamilyHome and would like them to also work with you for your HCCSS hours.
Looking for a DSP?
We also have many DSP’s already hired and can introduce them to you to see if they are a match for you. If not, we can recruit and hire someone brand new. You can also bring your own DSP to EAFWR. We are able to screen people, for example a friend or family member, and hire them as an employee to work with you for your HCCSS hours. There are many options!
Looking for consistent support?
Hiring one or two people means stable, consistent support. No “revolving doors” of different people coming to your home, or not knowing the person offering the service. It means you can develop a trusting relationship with one person (or more if you want) and there is no need to train new people over and over again.
Who are EAFWR Direct Support People?
Our Direct Support People have experience and/or interest in supporting people with developmental disabilities. This may also include education and training with managing behaviours or personal care or medically-related care. They are considered to be non-regulated direct support people, who may not have experience with PSW or complex medical care upon hiring. Training is offered for all types of support that we can offer.
Interested in joining us as a Direct Support Provider for HCCSS? Click here to learn more!
How do I apply for HCCSS funding?
If you don’t have HCCSS funding, but interested in learning more, please contact HCCSS at 519-748-2222 and they will determine if you are eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About HCCSS Tip Sheet
Types of Support
- All types of personal care (e.g. support with bathing, nail care, using the bathroom, etc.)
- Assistance with daily living (e.g. help with meals, support with dressing etc.)
- Exercise and other needed physical activities (i.e. physio exercises)
- Lifts and transfers (up to 50lbs per 1 person)
- Behavioural support (Safe Management training)
- Medication administration (with administration procedures)
- Assistance with Controlled Acts: such as oxygen administration, Masking/Ventolin and Suppositories/enemas (if routine) – all with training/sign off, written protocol and review
- G, J, GJ tube feeding/cleaning – treated as a controlled act
- Light/oral suctioning (with administration procedures)
- Catheter use and cleaning
- Short walks close to home
Hiring a Direct Support Provider through EAFWR
This model of support we offer works well for someone who would like one (or two) consistent Direct Support Providers (DSPs).
It also works well for someone who is okay with not having support due to their DSP being ill or taking a vacation as EAFWR is not able to fill shifts. Longer shifts, over 2 hours typically work best.
If you do not already have a DSP in mind, it may take some time to make a match. We take time to ensure that the right match is made. Sometimes, this means meeting a couple of different people!
It’s important to know that when a DSP leaves a match, it may take some time to find a replacement, due to our matching process. We ask that you keep this in mind if you are interested in direct support through EAFWR.
Limitations
Although we can offer greater flexibility than some agencies we still do have to follow the parameters outlined by HCCSS for how the funding is used.
The hours approved by HCCSS either per month/week cannot be exceeded. There are no ‘extra’ hours allowed. If you do go over the hours allotted by HCCSS, the additional hours used need to be reimbursed either through a different contract or source such as Passport or SSAH or other means.
Filling Shifts
EAFWR does not ‘fill shifts’ when a DSP is unable to commit to a scheduled time or cancel a visit such as for a vacation or being sick.
No last minute support and/or ‘short shifts’ – (e.g. under 2 hours at a time, or before school care etc.)
If you do not already have a DSP in mind, it may take some time to make a match. We take time to ensure that the right match is made. Sometimes this means meeting a couple of different people. When a DSP leaves a match, it can sometimes take time to find a replacement, due to our matching process.