Ontario. Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
Central Region, Special Services at Home (SSAH)
Record #:
CDR1678
Last Modified:
03 Oct 2023
Last Full Update:
03 Oct 2023
Description & Services
| Alternate Name | SSAH |
| Description | The Special Services at Home (SSAH) program helps families who are caring for a child with a developmental and/or physical disability. It is funded and managed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The goal of the SSAH program is to support the government’s vision of: *Strengthening the ability of children and their families to reach their potential; *Reducing the need for intensive or intrusive social services in the future; and *Reinforcing personal dignity and independence. The SSAH program is based on the understanding that family members are often primary caregivers for children with a developmental and/or physical disability. The program focuses on providing funds to assist families to purchase supports not available elsewhere in the community. Funding provided through SSAH helps families pay for special services in or outside the family home as long as the child is not receiving support from a residential program. For example, through SSAH funding a family can hire someone to: *Help their child learn new skills and abilities, such as improving their communication skills and becoming more independent; and/or *Provide respite support to the family - families can receive funding to pay for services that will give them a break, or respite, from the day-to-day care of their child. Program Guidelines may be reviewed at: https://www.ontario.ca/document/special-services-home-program-guidelines |
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 9:00am-5pm |
| Areas Served | Dufferin County ; Halton Region ; Peel Region ; Waterloo Region ; Wellington County |
| Eligibility | Ages: 17 year(s) and under To apply for the Special Services at Home (SSAH) program, you must be the child’s parent or legal guardian with decision-making responsibility (the applicant) and the child must: - be under 18 years of age - have a written diagnosis of a developmental and/or physical disability from a physician, psychologist or psychological associate, nurse practitioner, ophthalmologist and/or audiologist - be a resident of Ontario and legally entitled to live in Canada (for example, be a citizen, landed immigrant, holder of Minister’s Permit or a refugee entitled to live in Canada) - live at home and not receive support from other residential services Only one individual with decision-making responsibility for the child can apply for funding. If you have a parenting order (joint custody) for the child, only one parent can apply for funding. Please note that children under the care of children’s aid societies are not eligible for the SSAH program. |
| Application | Families are encouraged to access the online application at: https://www.app.grants.gov.on.ca/indiv/#/ssah Families will be asked to provide information about: - the individual or agency assisting you with completing your application (if applicable) such as their full name, phone number and email address - you and an alternate contact (if applicable) such as full name, address, phone number and email address - the child such as full name and date of birth - the agency that will administer your SSAH funding (if applicable) - the amount of support the child needs in various areas (such as personal development, supervision, personal care, etc.) The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (the ministry) will require consent from all people included in this application for the collection, use and release of their information. This includes consents from you, the child, and the alternate contact (if applicable). You will be asked to upload: - a copy of the child’s written diagnosis of physical and/or developmental disability from a physician, psychologist or psychological associate, nurse practitioner, ophthalmologist and/or audiologist that includes a description of the disability - documentation of proof of immigration status or citizenship in Canada for the child (such as the child’s Canadian birth certificate, certificate of Indian Status, Canadian passport, Permanent Resident card, or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada letter) - documentation of proof of residency in Ontario for the child (such as the child's school registration document, your valid Ontario driver’s license or your utility bill. Learn more about acceptable documents for proof of residency in Ontario ). A paper copy of the application may also be requested by contacting the office. |
| Fees | None |
| Languages | English ; French |
Contact Information
| Social Media | Website: https://www.ontario.ca/page/special-services-home |
| Address | 6733 Mississauga Rd, Suite 200 Mississauga, ON L5N 6J5 |
| Intersection | Mississauga & Argentia Rd. |
| Accessibility | Fully Accessible |
| Office Phone | 905-567-7177 |
| Fax | 866-563-9708 |
| Toll Free Phone | 1-877-832-2818 |
| SNUMississauga@Ontario.ca | |
| Website | https://www.ontario.ca/page/special-services-home |
Other Details
| Funding | Provincial |
| Service Level | (30) Provincial Government |
Subjects
| Subjects | Children ; Developmental disabilities ; Financial assistance ; Financial programs ; Physical disabilities ; Social assistance ; Youth |
| Service Categories | Medical Expense Assistance ~ Children and Youth With Disabilities ; Provincial/Territorial Social Assistance Disability Programs |