1. Brant Community Protocols, Processes and Resources
Welcome to the Brant community
electronic orientation package on
community protocols, processes, and community resources Revised July 2018
In-service is available to staff teams to provide clarification about community protocols. Call Contact Brant to help you with information on community protocols and processes, including forms and templates, or to arrange an in-service by members of the Children and Youth Services Committee: (519)

2. Background
The Children and Youth Services Committee, represented by numerous community organizations, approved these community protocols
This electronic tool was developed to support each organization in orienting their staff
These community Protocols have been developed and supported through the Brant Children and Youth Services Committee that has senior representatives from all sectors, including children and youth mental health, children and youth developmental services, Autism services, education, health, justice, addictions, Indigenous services, adult developmental services, adult mental health, etc.

3. Communication, Coordination, Collaboration
The Brant community protocols guide our daily practice in serving people -
Communication, coordination, collaboration help us:
Best meet the needs of people we serve
Most in Need are addressed collectively
Avoid duplication and contradiction
The goal of all the protocols is to support a seamless service system for the Brant community through collectively working together for the people we serve. This enables service providers to best meet the needs of clients, collectively address those that are most in need of services as well as coordination of services, and avoid duplication or contradiction in the supports we each provide.
All it takes is a phone call, or meeting to ensure communication, coordination and collaboration.
The Thesaurus definitions of these key words is useful to consider why these are important:
Communicate – talk, exchange a few words, be in touch, correspond
Coordinate – organize, manage, synchronize, harmonize, match up
Collaborate – work together, join forces, team up, pool resources, act as a team

4. Guiding Principles Family/person-centered service Work collaboratively
Address ‘Most in Need’
Least intrusive services
Utilize best practice
Confidentiality
Community Protocols and processes are based on several key values:
Services should be offered and coordinated in a family-centered/person-centered way. Family-centered service respects that each family is unique, the family is the constant in their child’s life, and the family has the expertise on their child’s abilities and needs. The strengths of the child/youth and family are always considered, and strengthening the capacity of families rather than “fixing” them is the approach. The province expects that the way we work together reduces the need for families to have to repeat their story to each service – for example, sharing intake information so that a family doesn’t have to repeatedly tell their story, or coordinating services.
Service providers work collaboratively in their work with children, youth and their families. Clients have greater satisfaction with services, and agencies can provide more effective and efficient services, when staff coordinate and collaborate on behalf of each client.
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services and Ministry of Community and Social Services expect agencies to service the people that are most in need of services. By working together, we can provide the needed supports to children and youth with the most complex needs, Often there are wait lists, and it is expected that there is a prioritization for those considered most at risk. Call Contact Brant to identify those that should be prioritized for MCYS and MCSS-funded services.
The least intrusive services to meet the support needs of an individual should always be accessed first. Example: The community would not consider a residential placement as the first option; rather wrapping services and supports and referring to new needed services would be addressed first to meet the child/youth’s needs. Maximizing utilization of local community resources is also required, considering flexible and creative service approaches to meet needs.
Research has proven that certain supports are more effective for certain types of issues – the Brant community wants to use ‘best practices’ in supporting people and when considering access to services.
All organizations set standards for Privacy and Confidentiality, in accordance with various legislation. The community stakeholders are committed to each staff safeguarding the privacy of clients and their families by treating all information confidentially. This means that a staff must secure informed consent from a client for communication with other service providers; additionally, staff must be respectful about what information is shared with other agencies, or even with staff within your own agency – information sharing should be restricted to what was defined in the consent and limited to the information needed for coordination.

5. Definition
Service Coordinator = The community staff that is identified as the key contact for a family
All professionals fulfill the service coordinator role within their job responsibilities
In many of the Protocols, the term Service Coordinator or Case Manager is used to define the community staff that leads the service planning process for a child/youth and family.
Any staff in their professional role may be the identified service coordinator. There are also 6 agencies with dedicated service coordinators for children and youth with complex multiple needs, available through Service Coordination Brant.
For more information on supporting a professional in their service coordination role and about the protocols and processes outlined in this orientation tool, call Contact Brant at Contact Brant is also the referral point for Service Coordination Brant.

6. 6 Community Protocols Coordinated Service Planning Protocol
Case Resolution Protocol
Infants and Toddlers Living in At Risk Environments Protocol
Safety Plan Protocol
Suicide Prevention Protocol
Transition Planning Protocol & Procedures for Young People with Developmental Disabilities
There are 7 community protocols developed by the Children and Youth Services Committee that all staff serving the child and youth sector should be aware of.
All Protocols and associated documents are available at: in the ‘Professionals’ tab.

7. Coordinated Service Planning Protocol
Every staff has a role in establishing and maintaining communication and coordination with other services
Support a single coordinated plan of care
Support coordinated & complementary services; avoid duplication & contradiction
Child/youth & family priorities are at centre of the coordinated plan
Written Coordinated Service Plan
Refer to the Brant Coordinated Service Planning Protocol:
The Protocol identifies that every staff has a role in the effective delivery of integrated services – we just need to communicate with each other!
Individuals and families should receive coordinated support when they receive multiple services. The Protocol outlines the expectation that every staff has a role to establish and maintain communication and coordination with other services. Regular communication between stakeholders ensures service providers are working together in a collaborative manner to meet each client’s needs by establishing a coordinated plan of care.
The Protocol promotes services for children/youth and families are to be coordinated and complementary as well as avoid duplication and contradiction.
The Protocol supports consistently working together towards meeting the child/youth and family goals. The child and family’s priorities should be at the center of the coordinated plan.
A written Coordinated Service Plan should be developed with the child/youth, family and involved service providers, using the Coordinated Service Plan template. This should be kept updated.

8. Coordinated Service Protocol cont’d
More than 1 service involved - staff ensure:
Communication (with consent): All are responsible to initiate communication with other providers
Identify the key contact staff Service Coordinator
Coordinated Service Plan is written
Prioritize coordination for those “most in need”
Every staff will support a coordinated service approach for each child, youth and family:
Every staff will regularly communicate and coordinate about service plans where there is more than 1 service involved. Ensure Consent is received to communicate with others involved, according to your own agency’s policy. The Protocol states that communication should be initiated within 2 weeks of beginning service for each child/youth and family. Communication can include phone calls, s, meetings (remember to record and distribute minutes!) As the single point access service for children and youth services, Contact Brant can assist you with identifying who is involved; Contact Brant’s referral package also identifies current services being provided.
It is important for service providers to clearly identify who is taking the lead for each child/youth and family. Contact Brant can assist community services with this process of identification if needed.
Use the Coordinated Service Plan template to document the plans made together with the child/youth, family and other service providers. The Goals in the Coordinated Service Plan should be based on the family’s priorities. Identify how services are going to help meet those Goals, who is involved in developing each Plan, and any timeframes. Communicate with others about any new services, new staff, new treatment plans and how these are helping meet Goals, or planning for discharge from a service. Keep the written Coordinated Service Plan updated. Ensure all stakeholders involved receive a copy of the Plan, and any revised Plans.
Prioritize coordination for those that are most in need, where the support needs are not easily or fully met. Refer to the Most in Need Tool within the Protocol. Ensure that children and youth considered “emergent” or “at risk” are identified to Contact Brant for wait list prioritization as well as community system planning including Case Resolution. Children and youth with multiple complex needs can also be referred to Service Coordination Brant, through Contact Brant, for a dedicated Service Coordinator. There is also a community Service Coordinator specifically for children and youth with FASD or suspected FASD.

9. Most in Need Tool & Coordination
Tool is used to identify:
Priority, Situation, & Timing of Referrals
Action required for those prioritized as Emergent or At Risk:
Emergent = Stressing service system; support needs not easily met
At Risk = Services exhausted/more supports needed to stabilize
The Most in Need Tool is part of the Coordinated Service Planning Protocol. The Tool describes Priority, Summary of Current Situation, and Timing Priority for Service.:
Priority: (1) Maintaining or Planning = current services meeting needs, or waiting for services is manageable. (2) Percolating = may require more services, and planning to access these services is needed. (3) Emergent = support needs are not easily met and may be stressing the service system – coordination with others is especially required. (4) At Risk = service system appears not able to provide sufficient supports; there is concern of imminent risk for the client or others, a need for stabilization, and potentially specialized supports. These children and youth should be referred to Case Resolution if this has not already happened. Community collaborative action is required when children/youth are prioritized as Emergent or At Risk – the Tool describes the response and action to be taken. Case conferences/case planning meetings are needed when someone is stressing the service system. Planning could involve other service providers not currently involved and/or managers who can make decisions on additional or creative service supports. Case Resolution may also be considered when all appropriate services have been accessed and are working together, but still not able to meet the full support needs of a child or youth.
Current Situation summarizes the profile of the child/youth.
Timing Priority for Services reflects the priority for any new referrals – “Urgent” requests immediate priority for admission to service due to imminent risk of hard to self or others, and “Referral” reflects being wait listed for service is acceptable.
The Most in Need Tool is completed by Contact Brant at intake, and should be used by service providers on-going as needs change. Community staff are responsible to update Contact Brant if they feel a child/youth’s situation has changed that will require prioritized coordinated service planning and/or access to services. This prioritization can be identified at Case Conferences, by phone, , etc.

10. CASE CONFERENCES and Coordination
Meeting together enables:
Communication between services and collectively with family
Coordinated planning: Did you know this increases family’s satisfaction!
Clarity of the coordinated service plan
Seamless service system for families
Case conferences/case planning is an effective community process to collaborate on service provision and planning. Meeting together enables communication between services and collectively with the family. Families identify a greater satisfaction with services when there is coordinated planning! Meeting together ensures clarity of the coordinated service plan and supports revisions to the coordinated plan as needed. Case conferences and other regular communication helps create a seamless service system for families.
The purpose for calling a case conference may include planning for more services, communication about current situation/supports, confirmation of a single coordinated service plan, planning together when things are not going well, prevention (things are going well but want to keep things on track), planning for transitions, planning for discharge from a service, etc.
A Case Conference Agenda is important to set prior to any meeting – plan the agenda so the meeting is efficient and purposeful; 1 hour – 1 1/2 hours is the most that people can effectively sit through.
Plan ahead with the youth/family to see if they want to attend, speak, or if they would like you to relay some key message for them. Don’t forget to ensure the child/youth/family provides consent for all participants invited to the meeting.
The majority of the meeting should be spent on coordination of services to meet the needs of the client, and problem solving. Identify clearly what is working well, the strengths of the child/family, what is needed, and if there are any barriers. To reduce taking a lot of time with updates of the current situation, summarize the current situation in a brief write-up to distribute to all participants, or make a brief summary presentation of the current situation and services. Summarize at the end of the meeting to identify any timelines and people responsible for any action items.
The end result of case conferencing or any collaboration is to ensure that there is a single coordinated service plan that identifies who is doing what to help meet the family’s priorities and goals. Planning done at a case conference can assist staff to develop and revise the Coordinated Service Plan.
There are a number of templates available to help staff prepare for a case conference and ensure an effective meeting occurs - Call Contact Brant for these templates or refer to in the ‘Professionals’ tab for some of the community tools and forms.

11. CASE RESOLUTION Protocol
A community mechanism for children and youth:
At Risk Reviews for complex and urgent needs requiring coordinated community response;
Transition Plan Reviews for youth considered “emergent” or “at risk”
Service Coordinator prepares a Case Resolution Client Profile 4 days prior to meeting + Coordinated Service Plan
Addressing supports creatively together
Refer to the Brant Case Resolution Protocol.
MCYS expects that children and youth that are considered ‘at risk’ receive supports to mitigate those risks - communities must develop plans to meet the needs of these children and their families. Managing supports creatively within existing resources must always considered first. Working together, we can often stabilize situations. Case Resolution Team members are senior managers from numerous cross-sectoral organizations who are able to commit their organization’s resources and are accountable as a Team for the service plans developed.
There are 2 types of Case Resolution Reviews:
–At Risk Reviews for those considered at emerging or imminent risk and requiring flexible and creative coordination of Brant resources, or may require a specialized treatment plan that requires additional resources, or
- Transitional Aged Youth Reviews for youth with a developmental disability who are either crown wards, or youth prioritized as emergent or at risk.
Children and youth reviewed at Case Resolution must have an identified Service Coordinator who is facilitating on-going case planning with all current service providers. The coordinated planning must be documented in a Coordinated Service Plan. It is often the Service Coordinator or their agency that requests a Case Resolution review through Contact Brant.
The Service Coordinator must prepare a Case Resolution Client Profile and attach the most recent Coordinated Service Plan and provide this to Contact Brant 4 business days prior to the Case Res. meeting. Templates and assistance with preparations for a Case Resolution review are available through Contact Brant.
Following the Case Res. meeting, the Service Coordinator should provide updated reports (via phone, , etc.) to Contact Brant so the Case Resolution Team is kept aware of how the recommended service plan is progressing.
Contact Brant is mandated by MCYS to facilitate Case Resolution in the Brant community. There is a regular monthly meeting scheduled on the 4th Friday of each month, as well as meetings can be called within a short time period when required due to urgency. Contact Brant must submit a Case Resolution Report including any recommendations to MCYS for each review on behalf of the Brant community.

12. Case Resolution - At Risk
Community review of “Emergent” or “At Risk” who require a coordinated community response; OR
Review of a clinical recommendation for a specialized support to stabilize the child/youth; Complex Needs Funding may be applied for if services have been exhausted and support needs exceed capacity of the service system
Case Resolution Team only addresses resources and how support plan will be implemented
For At Risk Reviews, the Case Resolution Team will address children and youth with complex multiple needs where coordinated community planning is required, as well as children and youth where there is a clear clinical treatment plan to stabilize the situation that may require specialized resources. A child or youth with special needs may have multiple needs due to a developmental disability, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Acquired Brain Injury, medically fragile/technologically dependent, Autism Spectrum Disorder, physical disabilities, critical mental health issues.
For situations where a specialized treatment plan to stabilize the situation is being considered, Case Resolution may request Complex Needs Funding from MCYS when:
The child/youth has support needs that are beyond the available services and supports, and all services in the system have been exhausted.
An MCYS/MCSS-funded clinician involved in the service provision makes a clinical recommendation for a specialized treatment service, which is supported by the involved services through coordinated planning.
The clinical recommendation for specialized treatment must be for supports that MCYS provides within its policy and legislative mandates. The recommendation should be clear on what treatment supports are required and anticipated outcomes.
A Coordinated Service Plan has recently been completed/updated.
An interim plan for supports, potentially including a Safety Plan, is in place.
Often the family is stressed and identifying they are no longer able to cope; the family understands a short-term stabilization treatment plan might be considered. Any specialized treatment plan is considered temporary supports with the aim to return to funded-services as soon as possible.
Note: Children in the care of FACS are not eligible to access Complex Needs funding
If Complex Needs funding is recommended by the Case Resolution Team to provide a specialized treatment, MYCS approval takes at least 30 business days – in the interim, the Service Coordinator needs to continue coordination and planning with community stakeholders to ensure supports are provided and to mitigate risks
When Complex Needs Funds are approved by MCYS the Brant community Service Coordinator remains involved and works directly with the Lead Service Planning Coordinator at Contact Brant throughout the specialized placement to coordinate the plan of care and discharge plans. McMaster Brokerage is involved as the transfer payment agency for the Complex Special Needs funds, as well as arranges and oversees any residential placement.
Service Coordinator’s Responsibilities:
Prepare a Case Resolution Client Profile for At Risk Review and attach the most recent Coordinated Service Plan - submit to Contact Brant 4 business days prior to the meeting; this is reviewed by the Case Resolution Team prior to the meeting so that the focus of the meeting is discussion of the plan, options and resources.
The child/youth/family should be asked if they want to attend and can speak or not, as they choose
The Case Res. meeting with the Service Coordinator and family attending will be about 30 minutes
The Case Resolution Team meets in an ‘in-camera’ session to discuss resources including staffing and Complex Need funding; when a plan is confirmed, it will be communicated to the Service Coordinator to inform the child/youth/family
Consent for Case Resolution Team reviews needs to be received and provided to Contact Brant.
Support the child/youth and family if they are attending the Case Res. Meeting.
If Complex Needs funding is recommended by the Case Resolution Team to provide a specialized treatment, Contact Brant formally requests the funding from MCYS on behalf of Brant and relays approval/no approval to the Service Coordinator and Case Res. Team. Gaps and system pressures identified at Case Resolution are provided to the Children and Youth Services Committee for system planning purposes.

13. Case Resolution – Transitional Aged Youth
Review integrated transition plan for youth with developmental disability to ensure current supports are building skills and plans for the future (age 16, and again at 17)
The written Transition Plan, developed by the Service Coordinator with the youth, family, school and other services, uses the Coordinated Service Plan template
Transitional aged youth with a developmental disability who are crown wards, or youth who are prioritized as emergent or at risk have their Transition Plans reviewed at Case Res at age 16 and age 17 to ensure an integrated Plan is developing or in place. Also refer to the Transitioning Planning Protocol and Procedures for Young People with Developmental Disabilities, Hamilton/Niagara Region, as well as the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Addendum.
Service Coordinator’s Responsibilities:
Prepare a Case Resolution Client Profile for TAY Review and attach the most recent Coordinated Service Plan, which includes the integrated transition plans - submit to Contact Brant 4 business days prior to the meeting; this is reviewed by the Case Resolution Team prior to the meeting. The integrated Transition Plan is documented in the Coordinated Service Plan template.
The focus of the meeting is discussion of the plan and other options to ensure current supports are building skills and plans for the future.
The child/youth/family should be asked if they want to attend and can speak or not, as they choose
The Case Res. meeting with service coordinator and family attending will be about 15 minutes
Consent for Case Resolution Team reviews needs to be received and provided to Contact Brant
Support the individual/family if they are attending the Case Res. Meeting.

14. Infants and Toddlers Living in At Risk Environments Protocol
Interagency collaboration to support early detection and intervention of neglect, harm, or threat of harm to infants and toddlers under age 3
Identify and consider risk factors as well as protective factors
Staff identifies a concern; protocol outlines steps for an Action Plan
Refer to the Infants and Toddlers Living in At Risk Environments Protocol
Interagency collaboration is especially important in prevention, as well as intervention services. Communication with other services involved is key, as well as supporting referrals to services and reporting any concerns to child welfare.
The Protocol identifies risk factors as well as protective factors that may mitigate risks
Every staff has a responsibility to consider risk factors and ensure appropriate supports and services are connected
Every staff has a responsibility to work in a coordinated and collaborative way to support service provision for families with children under the age of 3
Action planning steps are. included in the Protocol

15. Individual Safety Plan template:
Safety Plan Protocol
Individual Safety Plan template:
Complete for individuals who experience persistent crisis involving police or ER
Supports emergency response
Increases effectiveness of response to these children, youth and adults
Refer to the Brant Community Safety Plan Protocol.
Emergency and social services often interact when individuals with special needs experience a crisis.
The goal of this Protocol is to:
Provide a process to support crisis/emergency response and community services working together on behalf of children, youth and adults who experience persistent crisis;
Promote regular use of the Individual Safety Plan to improve service coordination and reduce risks for individuals who experience persistent crisis; and
Increase the effectiveness of response by stakeholders to escalating and crisis situations through use of the approaches outlined in the Individual Safety Plan.
Planning for a crisis is the first step staff must do - discuss safety plan options with the child/youth and family as well as other services involved. Clarify the 3 phases in crisis, Pre-Crisis/Beginning escalation, Crisis, and Post Crisis Phases. Identify and describe the behaviours in each phase, as well as interventions or what to do, as well as what actions are not helpful.

16. Safety Plan Protocol - cont’d
Complete the Individual Safety Plan form
Keep updated
Send copy to St. Leonard’s Crisis Services
Staff responsibilities:
Complete an “Individual Safety Plan” form. Identify the behaviours in each of the 3 phases of crisis, as well as interventions/what to do, and what actions are not helpful.
Ensure that the “Safety Plan” is updated on a regular basis.
Send the Safety Plan, and each revision, to St. Leonard’s Community Services Integrated Crisis Services who will keep the files to assist them in their crisis response service. St. Leonard’s also forwards these to the Hospital and Police departments so they can be aware and understand how best to respond to these identified children and youth.
After the Crisis, follow-up is important. Staff should review all crisis situations and the emergency response that occurred, and update the Individual Crisis Plan as needed.
Each staff has a role to ensure communication, coordination and collaboration to reduce the risks for children and youth who have special needs, to support the effectiveness of crisis response, community services working together, and to improve service coordination for individuals who are likely to utilize crisis services.

17. Suicide Prevention Protocol
Suicide is a collective community issue.
Safety from suicide rests on our ability to talk openly about suicide.  
Through collaborative efforts:
Promote well-being
Reduce stigma re mental health & suicide
Increase awareness of resources
Clear pathways to services
Increase suicide alertness
SafeTALK training
Refer to the Suicide Prevention Protocol
This collaborative Protocol across the child/youth and adult sectors in Brant, recognizes that suicide is a collective community issue that requires collaborative efforts to create effective solutions.
Safety from suicide rests on our ability to ask and talk about suicide openly about suicide.
The Protocol highlights the importance of community agencies and school boards working as partners in providing suicide prevention, intervention and postvention supports for children and youth. It also highlights the importance of service coordination and integration of services.
The Protocol promotes collaborative efforts to:
promote well-being;
reduce stigma related to mental health and suicide;
increase suicide alertness through training opportunities;
consider best practices for service development and service changes;
advocate for positive changes to modifiable risk factors;
develop a common understanding of available resources;
identify clear pathways to services.
There is a Suicide Prevention Committee that is a Working Group of the Children and Youth Services Committee. They are ensuring that SafeTALK training is regularly made available to community stakeholders to increase suicide alertness. Call Contact Brant to register for SafeTALK.

18. Provincially mandated protocol:
Transition Planning Protocol and Procedures for Young People with Developmental Disabilities
Provincially mandated protocol:
At age 14, start planning to help youth and their family prepare for future
Identify one staff to lead integrated planning
Build on youth’s interests, strengths & goals
Explore options & build skills
Plan with: Youth, family, school, services
What can we build on now to prepare youth for the future?
Refer to the Transition Planning Protocol and Procedures for Young People with Developmental Disabilities, as well as the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Addendum.
Also refer to person-directed planning tools to assist in the development of the written integrated Transition Plan, such as Creating a Good Life in Community – A Guide on Person-Directed Planning (available on the Contact Brant website).
The province expects that service providers and schools work together to develop an integrated transition plan for each transitional aged youth with a developmental disability.
Service providers and educators need to support youth and their parents to prepare early, starting at least by age 14, to plan for the future.
The plan needs to be built on the youth’s strengths, interests and goals for the future; it needs to outline current supports needed and concrete plans to support a seamless transition from children’s services to community life at age 18.
Part of planning includes opportunities to explore options and gain skills to help prepare for the future and make informed decisions about future plans
A Service Coordinator needs to be identified to lead this integrated planning, and to document the integrated plan on the Coordinated Service Plan template.

19. The Plan is about community involvement and quality of life
TAY Planning cont’d
The Plan is about community involvement and quality of life
Develop a written integrated Transition Plan using the Coordinated Service Plan template
Update at least annually
Refer to Contact Brant at age 14 to register youth for TAY Planning and TAY reporting to MCYS on behalf of Brant
Copy each Coordinated Service Plan to Contact Brant
Transition planning is about connecting the youth to their community so they have meaningful involvement and quality of life.
Staff’s responsibilities:
Develop a written integrated Transition Plan based on the coordinated planning with the youth and family, as well as school and service providers. Use the Coordinated Service Plan template.
The integrated Transition Plan must be updated at least annually.
As part of initiating transition planning at age 14, youth are to be referred to Contact Brant to be registered for transition planning. Contact Brant must complete quarterly reports to MCYS on transition planning on behalf of all Brant service providers.
All Plans must be copied to Contact Brant for reporting purposes on behalf of the Brant community to MCYS.
At age 16, Contact Brant will make a referral to Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), with consent, for the DSO to confirm eligibility for adult services. If eligibility is determined, the DSO will complete their assessment process and make recommendations to adult developmental service providers who will commence planning and consider prioritization for future adult services. Services are not always readily available when a youth turns 18; transition planning must therefore develop a realistic plan for what the youth will do when they age out of children’s services that should focus on connections to the youth’s community and not rely on plans for adult services.
Call Contact Brant for the templates and consultation on transitional aged youth planning.

20. Other Community Resources
There are a number of other resources on our community to be aware of:

21. Crisis Response Services
Integrated Crisis Services operates 24/7, days/year through St. Leonard’s; phone support for all ages or
Six Nations Crisis Response: operates 24/7, 365 days/year
Crisis Response services are available. St. Leonard’s also responds with police services to 911 calls for children, youth and adults with mental health issues.

22. Residential Placement Advisory Committee
Child, Youth & Family Services Act
legislates RPAC reviews
For children/youth placed in a residential facility of 10+ beds, staying over 90 days
Review within 45 days of placement; every 9 months thereafter
RPAC Team to advise re the appropriateness of the residential placement
Contact Brant has the mandate to coordinate
RPAC (Residential Placement Advisory Committee) is legislated in the Child Youth and Family Services Act.
Every community must review the placement of any child placed in a residential facility with 10 beds or more if they are staying for 90 days or more.
According to legislation: The RPAC meeting must occur within 45 days of the child’s admission; an RPAC review must occur every 9 months that the child remains in that placement.
Although responsibility within the Act is the residential agency, the child’s Service Coordinator should notify Contact Brant of the placement within 7 days
Contact Brant will remind residential and case managing agencies of the need for all follow-up RPAC’s if the child remains in the placement for 9 months or more
The RPAC Team is comprised of one ‘informed community citizen’, one children’s service provider, one MCYS representative, and a native representative when the child is First Nations
Contact Brant is mandated by MCYS to coordinate RPAC’s for Brant children and will assist community staff in preparing for the RPAC meeting.

23. RPAC cont’d Staff responsibilities:
Prepare a summary report and submit 48 hours prior to meeting to Contact Brant
Make a brief presentation to RPAC; child/family & residence may also present
RPAC Team reviews the reason for residential placement, the goals of placement, and appropriateness of the residential placement
The community staff whose agency has placed a child in a residence is responsible for notifying Contact Brant of the placement and need for RPAC.
Service Coordinator’s Responsibilities:
Prepare an RPAC Summary (forms available at Contact Brant) and submit to Contact Brant at least 48 hours prior to the meeting so this can be made available to the RPAC Team. The Summary needs to identify the goals for the placement and other residential options considered, what is working well in the residential placement, what help is available at the residential placement to achieve the goals, and what are the plans for discharge.
Ensure consent for RPAC is secured. Although the child and family have a choice regarding involvement in the RPAC meeting, the RPAC must be held with non-identifying information if consent is not provided.
Meet prior to the meeting with child and family to confirm how they want to participate.
Make a BRIEF presentation: Avoid just reading the Summary - instead highlight the main points since the RPAC Team will have read the materials in your package already. The RPAC team requests that you start with the child’s strengths; focus on what you can build on in order to make a plan work as it tends to make the child & family feel more comfortable
Support the child and family; be sensitive to child/family’s feelings during discussions and be prepared to support them to leave if you think that is needed.
The RPAC Team has the responsibility to:
determine whether the child has a special need
consider the programs available for the child in the residential placement and whether the program is likely to benefit the child
consider whether the residential placement is appropriate for the child in the circumstances
specify an alternative placement if it considers that a less restrictive alternative to the placement would be more appropriate
consider the importance of continuity in the child’s care and the possible effect on the child of disruption of that continuity
consider the importance of preserving the child’s cultural identity, where the child is a First Nation’s person.

24.
A web-based Community Information Database on services in Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk
Makes it easy to find out about services
Managed by Contact Brant
The Community Information Database for Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk has almost 3,000 records of programs and services on:
Children and youth services
Counselling services
Disability support programs
Employment services
Financial and social assistance programs
Food banks
Government programs
Health services
Housing and home care
Libraries and educational services
Mental health services
Newcomer services
Parenting and family programs
Recreation and service clubs
Seniors’ services
Transportation services
and much more…
Agencies can include all their services for free.
Up dating or suggesting new records can be done directly from the database, or you can call Contact Brant at
Contact Brant manages the Database and ensures the records are updated at least annually
Did you know? There are almost 150,000 views of this Database each month by over 20,000 Unique Viewers!

25. This Community Information database is used by 211 Ontario to provide their provincial information phone service for Brant, Haldimand & Norfolk Call /7; available in over 150 languages
Ensuring all your agencies programs and services are listed in the Community Information Database for Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk is important. Up-dating or suggesting new records can be done directly from the database, or you can call Contact Brant at Contact Brant will notify you annually to confirm information in each of your records is current - please take the time to review your agency’s records.
This Database is used by 211 Ontario to provide their provincial phone service for information on Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk programs and services.
Share this resource with families and other professionals.

26. .
A community publication of free workshops, courses, groups, and events offered by local organizations for families, children & teens
Publications 2 times per year
Available at your agency, or electronically at:
www. contactbrant.net/yourguide
Another example of community collaboration in the children’s sector is Your Guide, a publication that lists free workshops, courses, groups and events for children, youth and parents. This is made available by local partner organizations in Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.
There are 25,000 copies distributed three times per year through the school boards and local agencies. Look for your copy today to inform children, youth and their families. Make sure your agency has copies to distribute to families, or check out electronically at

27. Tele-Mental Health Services
Access to child psychiatrists through Woodview Mental Health & Autism Services’ Tele-Mental Health Services
Videoconferencing equipment at Woodview and other community sites provide:
Individual consultation
Program consultation
Educational sessions
Call Woodview
The Tele-Mental Health service, which gives access to child psychiatrists, is available for children and youth ages 0 – 18 who have mental health concerns and would benefit from a psychiatric consultation.
Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services is one of 6 Tele-Mental Health Coordinating Agencies in the province.
Referrals for Tele-Mental Health are directed to Woodview. All publically-funded mental health professionals and professionals in school boards as well as the youth justice setting are able to refer to this service by contacting Woodview.
A key staff needs to be involved throughout the process and for follow-through
Tele-Mental Health Services include individual consultation appointments with a child psychiatrist, program consultations for profession.nals, as well as training opportunities which Woodview advertises to community stakeholders

28. Community Collaboration around supporting people…
Communicate Coordinate Collaborate
The goal of these community Protocols is a seamless service system for Brant.
Every staff has a role to ensure communication, coordination and collaboration to ensure appropriate access and delivery of services.
Together we can make things happen!

29. For Information and Help with community protocols & processes:
Call:
Call Contact Brant any time to help you with information on community protocols and processes, including forms and templates, as well as in-service sessions from a member of the Children and Youth Services Committee.
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