1,200 people with developmental disabilities sit on waitlist for local programs

Nine agencies of the Developmental Services Planning & Advisory Council of Waterloo Region (DSPAC) have banded together, putting a call out to the provincial government to fix growing waitlists for developmental services and support.

In the region, there are about 1,200 people with developmental disabilities sitting on a waitlist.

They say a lack of funding over the past 30 years has left more people without the programs they need. Without those programs caregivers and family members are more likely to burnout, providing non-stop care.

“More individuals experiencing crisis, families breaking down and agencies left underfunded and under-resourced to keep up. We are really calling on the province to do better – now,” Brian Swainson, the CEO of Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services and member of DSPAC, said.

“I tend to refer to the waitlist as crushing, it’s so long and people in our sector tend to need services for the rest of their lives, so additional spots don’t come open very often at all.”

In Ontario, there are over 50,000 people with developmental disabilities on the waitlist for essential services.

About 716 people in the region are being waitlisted for supportive housing options currently but a shortage of options means they could be in limbo waiting.

“Those waits can be five-years, 10-years, 15-years and more,” Swainson added.

The community can get involved by lending a voice and raising the issue with local MPPs or by sharing the popular hashtag #waitingtobelong on social media.