Ontario’s government needs to hear from you about the importance of Independent Facilitation. Contact them today.
FIND AND EMAIL YOUR MPP BELOW
AND SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTARY TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
Funding ends March 2019. If no action is taken immediately, this support ends and all momentum is lost. People lose services they have come to rely on and no new people can benefit from this innovative offering without incurring significant personal expense.
Here are some talking points to get you started, but feel free to add your own:
1. Start with an intro of who you are and why you care about Independent Facilitation. Make sure to mention you are a constituent, since politicians are elected foremost to represent you as someone who lives in their riding.
2. Talk about what you know about Independent Facilitation!
3. Ask for a meeting. Ensure you ask not only for the MPP to read your concerns and become informed about this topic, but ask if you can talk in person about this issue.
Your MPP represents you and so should find time to meet with you in person.
4. Tell the Ministry that for Independent Facilitation to be stable, it needs to be funded as a part of the Ministry’s budget for service and support offerings, not solely through a fee-for-service model, where people and families purchase supports with Passport or personal funds.
This will ensure Independent Facilitation will remain for generations to come.
Thank you!
The IFM Coalition
Here are some talking points to get you started, but feel free to add your own:
1. Start with an intro of who you are and why you care about Independent Facilitation. Make sure to mention you are a constituent, since politicians are elected foremost to represent you as someone who lives in their riding.
- I am a parent of an adult with developmental disabilities for whom life is not a straightforward path of school, job, family, OR
- I am an adult with developmental disabilities who works hard all the time to ensure I have all the opportunities to fulfill my hopes and dreams for how I want to live the most meaningful life, OR
- I am a parent of a child with developmental disabilities and am concerned about what the future holds for my child, OR
- I am a family member, community member, or ally who supports the opportunities independent facilitation provides to help people enjoy full citizenship in their communities
2. Talk about what you know about Independent Facilitation!
- Include the fact that it has shown to provide better outcomes, it is only available to a select few people, and even that funding is at risk.
- Talk about how the current supports would be improved from a more personalized approach, each individual needs to pursue a different path, all people cannot follow a prescribed path, it doesn’t work!
- Point out the Ministry has already invested significantly in this initiative; by ending funding, a lot of good work will be lost and derailed.
- The Ministry’s own assessments have determined this is a valuable, innovative, and efficient method for supporting people.
3. Ask for a meeting. Ensure you ask not only for the MPP to read your concerns and become informed about this topic, but ask if you can talk in person about this issue.
Your MPP represents you and so should find time to meet with you in person.
4. Tell the Ministry that for Independent Facilitation to be stable, it needs to be funded as a part of the Ministry’s budget for service and support offerings, not solely through a fee-for-service model, where people and families purchase supports with Passport or personal funds.
This will ensure Independent Facilitation will remain for generations to come.
Thank you!
The IFM Coalition
One more thing...
If you submit a note to your MPP for public comment and would be willing to share it with us, please email IFMCoalition@gmail.com so we can post it and spread the word. Your voice is essential!
If you submit a note to your MPP for public comment and would be willing to share it with us, please email IFMCoalition@gmail.com so we can post it and spread the word. Your voice is essential!