Free Webinar Series to Help People with Disabilities Learn About Ontario’s Direct Funding Program
PHARA Community Services is partnering with the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) to support more people with disabilities in North Bay and surrounding communities to live independently through a free educational webinar series focused on Ontario’s Direct Funding Program.
The free webinars will take place on February 25, March 4, and March 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and are open to anyone interested in learning more about how Direct Funding works, recent program updates, and whether it may be the right fit for their needs. The sessions will be online and are free to attend.
The Direct Funding Program is a self-managed attendant services model that enables adults with permanent physical disabilities to recruit, hire, schedule, and manage their own attendants. Participants receive funding to directly employ personal support workers or employees of their choosing to assist with activities of daily living, providing greater flexibility, autonomy, and control over personal care.
This approach is especially beneficial for individuals who want services tailored to their lifestyle, cultural preferences, or language needs. The program also helps ease pressure on Ontario Health atHome and other community-based supports by offering an alternative care option for those who are eligible.
“We see these webinars as a win-win-win,” said Mike Van der Vlist, chief executive officer of PHARA Community Services. “They support PHARA’s mission to promote independence, help CILT educate people about their care options, and ensure our community is aware of choices they may not have known existed. Even for those familiar with Direct Funding, there have been important program updates that make these webinars both timely and valuable.”
Since its inception more than 30 years ago, the Direct Funding Program has supported more than 1,900 people across Ontario.
“This program was designed by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities,” said Leisa DeBono, manager of the Direct Funding Program at CILT. “It offers choice, flexibility, and control, and I have personally witnessed how life-changing it can be when individuals are able to select, train, and schedule the staff who support their daily living.”
Applicants receive guidance throughout the process, including support with preparing for eligibility interviews and understanding their employer responsibilities. Once enrolled, individuals also benefit from a peer network where participants can share experiences, strategies, and successes.
“Access should never be limited by geography,” said Van der Vlist. “By hosting meetings locally, PHARA is helping ensure people can fully explore this important program without unnecessary obstacles.”
Program benefits Include:
Control: Receive monthly funds to hire, direct, and manage your own attendants
Choice: Schedule care based on your daily living needs and select workers who best fit your requirements
Flexibility: Improved quality of life, portability across Ontario, and support wherever it’s needed: at home, work, school, or in the community
To register for one of the free webinars, visit www.phara.org.
For more information about the Direct Funding Program, visit www.cilt.ca/directfunding.
Free webinars on Ontario’s Direct Funding Program will help people across North Bay and surrounding communities understand their health care options for a self-managed attendant services model that enables adults with disabilities to recruit, hire, schedule, and manage their own caregivers.