Northern Regional Consultant Keewatin Yatthe Health Region Jordyn Burnouf

Framework  The Cognitive Disability Strategy is a framework for supporting individuals with cognitive disabilities who have significant behavioral and developmental challenges.  One goal of the strategy is to increase family, community and professional ability to support individuals;  A second goal is to assist individuals to become independent and self sufficient to the maximum of their capabilities

Qualifying Criteria  Significant limitations in learning and processing information  Behavior challenges  Developmental challenges  Limitations must be persistent and long-term  Unmet needs  Not limited to diagnosis  Target age range is 6-24 years

Ages served by the CDS

Goals  Goals of the strategy are for children/adults with cognitive disabilities to: Remain at home and in their communities Stay in school and experience success in school Find and keep a job Live as independently as possible in the community as adults Be understood by those around them

Supports Provided  Cognitive disability strategy flexible funding  Consultant services Provide increased awareness of the CDS within the community Behaviour assessment and support Consultation to planning Provide training in the community

Behaviour Assessment & Support  Design behavioral support strategies/techniques that can be used in the home, school and community

Consultation to Planning Help develop a team of support when one does not exist Support to teams once in place Support to families, to the individuals themselves, and to the service providers

Provide Training Can be on any topic that a team or community requires;  Sign language lessons to those who have hearing impaired clients  Parenting classes  Inservice on CPS (Collaborative Problem Solving); useful when working with clients whose behaviour we find challenging  Design, initiate and conduct in-service training on disabilities, behavior support strategies, and effective intervention planning

Process - Identification  Triggered by observed characteristics of cognitive disability and unresolved difficulties. Initiated by:  Families  Caregivers  General Practitioners  Teachers  Child protection  Mental health  Social services  Community agency staff, etc

Process – Impairments  May include: Difficulty forming relationships; Inability to understand the limits of personal space of others; Poor judgment when making decisions; Impulsive behaviour; Incomplete appreciation of right or wrong; Reduced ability to transfer learned skills from one situation to another

Process  Team meting to discuss needs and roles  Identify an unmet need  Complete and submit the application form  Required information: Consent from individual/family Eligibility criteria Goal setting worksheet Budget proposal Identification of a primary community services planning person Notice of Assessment (for funding applications)

Process (con’t)  A request for the Daily Living Support Assessment (DLSA) to be completed will be made if required by CDS  The new application package will be reviewed by the regional intake table who will make a recommendation regarding the request  If the request receives support at the regional level, the completed new application package will be forwarded to Regina for final decision making and payment set up

Intake Committee Representatives from :  Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing  Ministry of Social Services  Ministry of Health  Ministry of Education  NHSP  Cognitive Disability Consultants  Provincial CDS Representatives  Host Agencies  Community Based Organizations

Thanks for your interest ! Any questions? Comments?