For Immediate Release

May 1 , 2006

Ontario Expanding Home Care and Community Support Services In Eglinton-LawrenceImprovements Include Changes To Home Care As A Result Of The Caplan Report

 TORONTO– More residents in Eglinton-Lawrence will receive health care services at home as the McGuinty government is investing $8,825,400.00 to expand home care and community support services in Eglinton-Lawrence this year, MPP Mike Colle announced today on behalf of Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to see new funding for local agencies including the Hazel Burns Hospice, SPRINT and St. Clair West Services for Seniors.  Home care and community support services offer greater dignity and quality of life for Ontarians,” Colle said. “We’re strengthening these services so that people in Eglinton-Lawrence will receive the dedicated, compassionate care they deserve, in their own homes.”

The increase in home care funding is also due to improvements in the pay and benefits for personal support workers. These improvements are being made in response to a report by former Ontario health minister Elinor Caplan on the Community Care Access Centres’ (CCACs) Request For Proposal process.

The funding announced today includes:

• $8,580,400 in new funding to the North York and Toronto Community Care Access Centres for home care, end-of-life care, nursing, personal support and in-home rehabilitation services
• $245,000  in new funding to community support agencies in Eglinton-Lawrence for services such as community support services, acquired brain injury and assistive living services in supportive housing.

This funding is part of the government’s $2 billion investment in home care and community support services.

Today’s initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to build a health care system that delivers on three priorities - keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.

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