April 2011

Happy Spring to Everyone! Despite the cold and snowy weather, this winter Community Living Chatham-Kent had several warm celebrations!!

Congratulations to our employees, Board of Directors, volunteers, people supported and especially Charles Dulong as Community Living Chatham-Kent received a three-year accreditation with CARF. This is the highest achievement an agency can obtain through the process. The surveyors from CARF were very impressed with our policy development, governance, support systems, buildings and the enthusiasm of our employees for the great work we do.

I would like to personally thank the Board and employees for a job well done and to Charles for taking the lead on this very important project.

In January, OPSEU hosted an appreciation day for developmental services workers. It too was a celebration of our employees and their dedication.

In January, the Ministry of Community and Social Services announced the new single point of access locations. For our area, the access point is CSCN (the Community Services Coordination Network) in London. We have been assured that they will have a local presence in our community when they become operational July 1, 2011. I have been asked to be a member of the transition committee. CSCN will be renamed to Developmental Services Ontario Southwest Region. After July 1, any person over the age of 18 will have to apply for services through this single point of access. At this time, people who already receive service will not have to reapply.

We will make every attempt to keep you informed of the changes that are coming.