The coalition of agencies in Ontario warns that the system for supporting individuals with developmental disabilities is nearing collapse due to inadequate funding. With 52,000 individuals on waitlists for essential services, including 5,000 in eastern Ontario and Ottawa, dramatic action is required. Carrie Groulx shares her distress as her daughter Melanie, who has autism, waits four years for supportive housing. Many families are in similar situations, facing uncertainty and a lack of accessible programs, compounding the crisis for those in need of help.
"We are starting to feel like the system is on the verge of collapse if significant steps aren't taken," wrote coalition spokesperson Teresa Kruze in an email to CBC.
Groulx said her daughter needs help for many daily tasks, like packing for her day, though she has been able to teach her to do some things independently, like getting out of bed and getting dressed.
Carrie Groulx, seen here with her daughter Melanie, says the current situation facing developmental disability support agencies is an 'emergency'.
They're in limbo, they can't find a day program," she said. "The reason why there's not 5,000 people behind me right now is because they're all busy looking after their children.
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