The rapid shift to virtual services across all sectors during the pandemic highlighted the necessity of reliable access to the internet and to digital devices. This shift also revealed the existence of a digital divide in our communities: the gap between those who can access and use information and communication technologies in their daily lives and people who cannot. With essential supports such as medical appointments, court hearings, and training programmes shifting to hybrid or virtual delivery, the need to address digital equity in our communities has become a clear imperative. Digital equity is described as a state where individuals can readily and effectively access and use technology to participate in society. For those in our communities who are unsheltered, living in poverty, and facing complex challenges, the pandemic closures of public spaces such as libraries further reduced access to computers, Wi-Fi, and other digital devices critical to accessing healthcare and social supports. Accessing essential services and supports online also poses challenges to residents of northern and rural areas, where high-speed, reliable, and affordable internet access may not be readily available. TBDSSAB and County of Wellington Ontario Works were amongst the first service managers to undertake direct initiatives to address the digital divide for residents in their respective urban and rural areas. Our experiences delivering these programs can be shared so that digital equity programs can be scaled and implemented across other CMSMs in Ontario.

Presenters:

• Dunja Lukic, Social Planning and Policy Analyst, Ontario Works, County of Wellington
• Michelle Wojciechowski, Manager Intake & Eligibility, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board

Working cross-departmentally within the municipal structure, the City of Ottawa has committed to creating innovative and sustainable solutions to persistent and complex needs of its equity deserving residents across multiple areas of focus. Recognizing entrenched barriers to digital connectivity and the widening gap of the digital divide exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, intrinsic partnerships between internal and external stakeholders has allowed the City of Ottawa to work collaboratively to develop innovative pilot and distribution programs. These initiatives have resulted in the facilitation of $1.3M in funding for free public access Wi-Fi, a change in bylaws to allow the sole source sale of City hardware, and a robust digital lending initiative, all of which have worked to counter hardware and connectivity barriers.

Presenters:

• Jennifer McCabe, Strategic Procurement Advisor, Supply Services, City of Ottawa
• Chris Simmons, Program Manager, Technology Services, Ottawa Public Library 
• Connor Bell, Program Coordinator, Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team, City of Ottawa

Andrea Personnic and Christopher Kindy both work as Case Managers for Haldimand & Norfolk Social Services. In their presentation they will outline how, since the start of the pandemic and the arrival of the Employment Services Transformation, the role of the caseworker has changed drastically from an employment coach to an integrated caseworker, navigating challenges like housing, homeless, mental health, and addiction. Drawing on their experiences as Case Managers and mental health workers, Andrea and Christopher will provide insight on what worked for Haldimand & Norfolk, as a pilot site for EST, and what were some of the challenges that frontline staff faced. They will reveal what training helped in their work and will provide tips and suggestions for improving actions plans, as outcome measures shift towards being based on achieving goals with the client. 

Presenters:

• Chris Kindy, Case Manager, Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit Health and Social Services Division, Norfolk County and Mental Health Worker, Canadian Mental Health Association 
  
• Andrea Personnic, Case Manager, Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit Health and Social Services Division, Norfolk County and Mental Health Worker, Canadian Mental Health Association 
  

Developing the Transitional Support Team (TSP) in Durham was a direct response to our homeless crisis, which was both highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Creating a team of frontline Ontario Works staff to provide intensive case management support to those in need, regardless of their income source, was something new and innovative to Durham Region. The TSP built their caseload through a Coordinated Access and By-name list, and work with those who have been homeless the longest and have highest acuity. Following a housing first methodology, they also work from a stages of change perspective and a trauma-informed approach to remain client-centered and mindful of needs.  This team has built relationships and pathways with community partners such as mental health agencies, addiction support programs, community medical programs, and other housing-first-focused teams.  We developed a working relationship with our local ODSP office to support our now mutual clients and their specific needs and generate quick and efficient responses to requests. This holistic approach allows the setting and meeting of goals, securing and maintaining safe housing, along with building local community relationships, all of which are pivotal for success. 

Presenters:

• Jocelyn Siciliano, Supervisor, Social Services, Regional Municipality of Durham 
• Katie Hill, Supervisor, Social Services, Regional Municipality of Durham 
• Erin Valant, Area Manager, Income and Employment Support Division, Social Services, Regional Municipality of Durham

#ITSTARTS is a community public education campaign to reduce racism and discrimination. The initiative takes place annually during the month of March, and includes specific activities to commemorate March 21st, the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination. The initiative is a low cost, high impact community based planning that relies heavily on community partnerships. #ITSTARTS was launched by the Simcoe County Local Immigration Partnership in 2017 in response to the recommendation in the Community Settlement Strategy (published in 2012) for a public education campaign to reduce racism and discrimination. The initiative has evolved over time, and now hinges on two key elements: 

• Community Champions - local agencies that commit to supporting one week of the campaign with social media posts and activities internal to their organization. Community Champions work together annually to plan activities for the month of March; and 
• #ITSTARTS Ambassadors - individuals interested in sharing campaign information within their community of practice, and committed to advancing principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

The annual campaign takes place in public spaces such as schools, post-secondary institutions, and public libraries. In addition, messages are shared on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Twitter. The presentation will showcase #ITSTARTS as a promising practice to raise awareness and start community dialogues, discuss the evolution of the campaign, with a focus on key community partnerships. In addition, evaluation techniques will be analyzed in their role in assessing and building the campaign.

Presenters:

• Sandra Lee, Manager, Community Services, County of Simcoe

As EarlyON programs recover from the pandemic, the need for continued innovative and inclusive programming was recognized. Through collaborations with community partners, York Region has developed is delivering new innovative and inclusive programming to expand programming and meet community needs. This presentation will highlight the initiatives, outcomes achieved, lessons learned, and best practices from three unique partnerships.

• Partnership with Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) recognizing the importance of adapting service delivery to include four seasons outdoor programming from an Indigenous land-based learning and Ojibwe pedagogy.
• Partnership with Triple P Canada to support families with children’s mental health by piloting and adapting the Fear-Less Triple P Parenting program for families with young children from 2-6 years. This ground-breaking pilot collaboration supports increased mental health supports for very young children.
• Partnership with Seneca College to increase the knowledge of Early Childhood Educators about EarlyON programs and the supports they can provide to families. York Region staff provide presentations with the goal of increased collaboration amongst service providers and expanded employment options for graduates.

Presenters:

• Kathy Lucky, Manager EarlyON Programs, Regional Municipality of York 
• Lisa Whitney, Community Program Coordinator, EarlyON Programs, Regional Municipality of York   

In April 2022, the York Region Ontario Child Care Management System (OCCMS) team in partnership with the York Region EarlyON Child and Family programs team implemented a system-wide, centralized online registration platform for EarlyON programs. The platform was developed in collaboration with EarlyON agencies and other Consolidated Municipal Service Managers/District Social Service Administration Boards (CMSMs/DSSABs), to increase access to available programs, make it easier for families to find and register for programs across the Region (which expanded parent choice), and enable data collection and integration, which will support future program planning. The platform was first launched in the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) and is now being used by seven CMSMs/DSSABs across the province. From April 1 to October 30, 2022, a total of 6,913 families have used the registration portal in York Region.

Presenter:

• Nadia Boismier, Supervisor – Child Care Services, Social Services, Community and Health Services, Regional Municipality of York
  

Lifetime Achievement Award - Greg Bishop, County of Simcoe & Debbie Cercone, City of Windsor

Greg Bishop has been the General Manager, Social and Community Services Division at the County of Simcoe since 2015. This role includes leadership and oversight to the Social Housing, Community Services, Ontario Works and Children Services Departments. 

Debbie began her career in 1990 with the Ministry of Community and Social Services where she held the positions of Team Social Worker, Program Analyst, Project Manager and Program Supervisor supporting individuals and families with disabilities, child and youth mental health, young offenders violence against women and children’s treatment centres.

Young Leader Award - Joseph Friedman Burley, City of Toronto

Joseph Friedman Burley is a public health professional with a background in 2SLGBTQI+ health research and policy, specifically in the areas of sexual health, harm reduction, and anti-violence. 

Local Municipal Champions Award

We will recognize outstanding teams who have advanced excellence in service integration and service system management:

• City of Ottawa: Outreach and Mobile Services Team
• City of Windsor: Housing Hub
• County of Lambton: Integrated Homelessness Prevention
• Halton Region, Region of Peel, Durham Region, City of Toronto: GTA ECE Recruitment and Retention
• Region of Peel: Youth Caseworker Teams
• County of Simcoe: Community Services Department
• Stratford-Bruce Peninsula: Employment Service System Manager
• The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board: Community Resource Centres
• York Region: Children Services Portal

In the fall of 2020, as non-essential services were being scaled back, essential human services were needed more than ever; COVID-19 was creating new and exacerbating existing inequities in our community.  A team of Employment and Social Services staff at the City of Ottawa developed an innovative solution to bring wholistic, wraparound services and supports directly to residents who were living in poverty, socially isolated, experiencing homelessness or precariously housed and at greatest risk during the pandemic. The Outreach and Mobile Services Team (OMST) initiated their outreach services to individuals and families accessing the City of Ottawa’s COVID-19 Physical Distancing and Respite Centres. Not only did the team provide streamlined and simplified access to employment, financial, childcare and stability supports, they provided system navigation by leveraging their experience, knowledge, and relationships with community partners to connect residents to other needed services and supports. In their work the OMST fosters a sense of safety, inclusion, and respect for the diversity and worth of every individual. Their client-centric approach and unwavering commitment to working together across programs and services is breaking down barriers and helping people when and where it is needed the most. Positive feedback from residents, community partners and the team themselves has resulted in the OMST’s continued expansion and effective work into our community.

Presenter:

• Kristine Haines-Chiarello, Manager (A), Employment and Social Services Central, Community and Social Services, City of Ottawa

To support integration efforts and meet the needs of the increasing number of Individuals and Families experiencing homelessness due to the Pandemic, the County of Lambton developed an Integrated Homelessness Prevention Team. Made up of staff from both the Ontario Works and Homelessness Prevention Departments, the integrated team utilizes an intensive case management model to assist people in exiting the emergency shelter system, provide stability supports and secure housing. Individuals and Families are being linked to numerous support services within the community including but not limited to primary health care, harm reduction services and mental health supports. The Integrated team has been successful at developing a quality By-Name List using HIFIS and in supporting Community Partners in using these valuable tools as well. Relationships and communications were enhanced both internally and with key Community Partners, and the integrated team was successful in transitioning over 230 people into safe, affordable, and permanent housing.  The creation of this integrated team not only resulted in a significant reduction in those experiencing homelessness but was part of a catalyst in working to make tremendous gains in the service system that supports the homelessness sector. This successful initiative has demonstrated that an integrated approach to Service System Management can improve the lives of the Individuals and Families we provide services to within our communities.

Presenter:

• Valerie Colasanti, General Manager, Social Services Division, County of Lambton

At the beginning of COVID, the closure (for day programming and limited numbers) at local homeless shelters, created a situation whereby the City of Windsor's Homelessness team created in very short order the H4 Centre (Housing and Homelessness Help Hub). The purpose of this program was to create a safe, low barrier place for the homelessness population to access multiple support services in one location during daytime hours.  Partnerships included CMHA, Income Supports (OW/ODSP), Housing First support, justice involvement and addiction resources. The H4 Centre was able to build trust with the population being served which has led to positive outcomes in housing, health, addictions, and mental health. Even with the lifting of many Covid restrictions, the H4 Centre has still been seeing a significant amount of clients on a daily basis, 7 days per week. H4 has seen a steady increase in the volume of program participants accessing the service. As of June 2022, H4 has welcomed over 2,200 unique clients, with 59,654 visits. The program averages attendance between 110-150 unique visitors per day on most days, and often reaches capacity shortly after opening the doors. The Housing Hub model is rooted in best practices for reducing community homelessness by focusing on both housing loss prevention, creating pathways to housing and other support services, and serving those that are actively experiencing homelessness. As new people use the service, it helps to inform and validate the region's By Name List for homeless individuals. Due to the success achieved in providing this ad hoc model, Windsor City Council has authorized the exploration of creating a new permanent Housing Hub model, that will include permanent supportive housing, and the support services identified in the H4 model.  If a permanent center is created, this will become a regional asset that will help support homelessness efforts in our community.

Presenters:

• Kelly Goz, Coordinator, Housing Admin & Development, City of Windsor
  
• Whitney Kitchen, Coordinator - Housing Administration & Development, City of Windsor

Over the past five years TBDSSAB has worked to create community resource centres for tenant and clients, creating centralized access for neighbourhood enhancement. The resource centre is a dedicated unit within the neighbourhood that provides a variety of services and supports to the households in the area. On a scheduled basis, staff from the Integrated Social Services team--including Social Assistance, Housing, and Child Care--attend at the resource centres and meet with clients/tenants with the goal of delivering integrated supports to tenants close to home. Additional services include life skills sessions, community kitchens, community gardens, access to computers, printers and the internet, and provision of space for community partner organizations to offer services. Other services offered through community partners include medical access via a nurse practitioner, local health unit support, healthy kids sites, harm reduction supplies and support referrals for mental health and addictions programming, cultural programming opportunities and employment supports. Feedback from individuals accessing the resource centres has been overwhelmingly positive, with many stating they appreciate the convenience of being able to access supports without needing to travel to the TBDSSAB office.

Presenter:

• Jennifer Lible, Manager, Social Assistance Programs, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board

The Pedagogical Mentoring Program made funding available to each Licensed Child Care Agency to support the cost of one full time Pedagogical Leader to provide hands-on pedagogical mentoring and support for supervisors and educators, to strengthen pedagogical practices and improve employee well-being.  This project was built on best practices in the sector and building on innovation practices in our community. The overarching goal of the program is to strengthen the workforce by directly supporting leaders/mentors/companions and indirectly supporting team members to connect with the meaning and value in their work. 

Presenter:

• Laura Urso, Quality Coordinator, Early Years Programs, City of Greater Sudbury 

Recruitment and retention of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) has been a long-standing provincial issue. Staff at the City of Toronto, Region of Peel, Regional Municipality of Durham, and the Regional Municipality of Halton worked together with seven Greater Toronto Area (GTA) post-secondary institutions, George Brown College, Durham College, Centennial College, Sheridan College, Mothercraft College of Early Childhood Education, Seneca College and Humber College, to increase the number of ECEs across the GTA. Through a collaborative effort, staff worked with the colleges to implement a fully funded fast-tracked ECE program for 210 additional graduates by 2023. Staff also worked with the post-secondary institutions to implement stabilization grants to fund additional expenses for almost 1,900 students in the accelerated and existing ECE programs. The partnership also allows for individualized local community characteristics of the post-secondary institutions to ensure the diversity of students is incorporated and respected in the program choices. This will directly address the recruitment and retention issues identified by local child care operators across the four municipalities, and support increased child care spaces, and high-quality care for families. The initiative was based on existing relationships but has sparked further collaboration between municipal partners and post-secondary institutions across the GTA in support of addressing the sector-wide recruitment and retention issues. The relationships can be leveraged to support collaborative opportunities in other sectors e.g. Social Assistance stability supports, employment services, etc.

Presenters:

• Donette Philips, Manager, Direct Children's Services, Regional Municipality of Halton
• Tracy Barclay, Advisor, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Anne Hepditch, Manager, Quality & Capacity Building, City of Toronto
• Olivia Nunes, Acting Director, Early Years and Child Care Services Division, Regional Municipality of Peel

Bruce County (in partnership with Grey County, Huron County, and the City of Stratford serving Perth County) is implementing the Employment Service System Manager model supporting the transformation of Employment Ontario. Bruce County is the first municipal Service System Manager selected in the province and is using this opportunity to take innovative approaches to delivering outcomes for the citizens of the Stratford Bruce Peninsula. Through a co-design approach Bruce County is engaging Social Assistance, Employment Services, Economic Development, and other strategic partners across the four counties to develop an outcome focuses and locally responsive employment system. The approach is intended to develop a client pathway that is client centric, support the nonlinear journey to employment, addresses local employer needs, and strengthen human service integration. This approach builds on the incredible collaboration in the catchment area. This session will explore the structure of the Service System Manager, the co-design approach being used, and early findings based on the work done. 

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Understanding community engagement in system stewardship. 
2. Exploring co-design is human service delivery.  
3. Understanding the municipal approach to employment service system management.

Presenter:

• Aaron Stauch, Regional Manager Employment Services, Planning and Development, Corporation of the County of Bruce

Representatives from the City of Hamilton will share some of the EST experiences and insights they have gathered during the first two years of their EST implementation.

Presenters:

• Meredith Mandryk-Kelly, Manager, Ontario Works – Program Supports, Healthy and Safe Communities, City of Hamilton
• Tim Begin, Human Services Supervisor, Ontario Works, City of Hamilton

This presentation will cover how the Co-Design process with prototype municipalities was used to determine client pathways. We will also describe how we have sought to work collaboratively across ministries. Finally, we will address the lessons that we have learned specifically around improving the onboarding process and the importance of engaging with Service System Managers early and often. We are excited about the opportunity to engage with stakeholders to improve the model.  

Presenter:

• Alissa Savage, Senior Manager, Transformation Secretariat, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development