As part of the provincial Special Needs Strategy Project, Coordinated Service Planning (CSP) was introduced to support children and youth with disabilities and developmental needs and their families by a dedicated Service Planning Coordinator (SPC). The SPC connects children/youth and their families to multiple, cross-sectoral services they need as early as possible and monitors their needs and progress through a single CSP. As the lead agency for CSP in Simcoe County and York Region, Children’s Treatment Network partners with six agencies to provide this service. Our most recent partner is Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services (Nog-dah-wen-mawg) (Bin-ooh-zhee-yug) where Roger Wesley, SPC, leads the work as a registered nurse. Roger is also trained as a mental health and addiction nurse and case coordinator. He works with children and youth with disabilities and their families who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis living in Simcoe County or York Region (on or off territory). Prior to this partnership, there were no families on the CSP caseload who identified as Indigenous, now we support 50 families and growing! Roger supports children, youth and families who have a range of disabilities and developmental needs. Some of the children and youth he works with have developmental challenges (e.g., autism spectrum disorder), mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, etc.) or physical needs (e.g., cerebral palsy). Roger works tirelessly to remove systemic barriers faced by Indigenous children, youth and their families, navigating a very complex system to ensure families receive equitable service and care they deserve. Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services works differently than other agencies CTN works with. Families who are referred to this service, complete their first call (also called intake) with Roger and work with him throughout their journey. By using CTN’s shared electronic record, Roger can communicate with other providers involved, so families only need to share their story once. What also makes the work at Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services unique is their philosophy and approach, following the Seven Grandfather Teachings, puts children and youth at the centre of the circle of care. They believe that all aspects of life (emotional, mental, physical and spiritual) must be considered in arriving at good decisions affecting children, youth and families. This includes:
Kerry's Place - (FFS) Keeping Connections for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (15 - 17) - Online
This monthly social group gives youth the opportunity to apply skills related to good sportsmanship by discussing recent social experiences, and playing collaborative games, in an informative and social atmosphere.
City of Barrie - Funnastics Preschool aged - Barrie
Sensory aware gymnasium drop-in space that gives individuals with disabilities the opportunity to play and try out gymnastics in a safe and fun envoirnment.
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