CCAC School Services *
9.2 Eligibility for CCAC School Services
Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) school services are governed by the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 (LTCA). The regulations under the LTCA refer to the terms “school” and “private school” as they are defined under the Education Act (EA). The following are the definitions of these terms under the EA:
s. 1(1)“school” means,
(a) the body of elementary school pupils or secondary school pupils that is organized as a unit for educational purposes under the jurisdiction of the appropriate board, or
(b) the body of pupils enrolled in any of the elementary or secondary school courses of study in an educational institution operated by the Government of Ontario,
and includes the teachers and other staff members associated with the unit or institution and the lands and premises used in connection with the unit or institution;
“private school” means an institution at which instruction is provided at any time between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any school day for five or more pupils who are of or over
compulsory school age in any of the subjects of the elementary or secondary school courses of study and that is not a school as defined in this section;
In addition, the regulations under the LTCA refer to subsection 21(1)(a) of the EA relating to home schooling. Subsection 21(1)(a) of the EA states:
s. 2(2) A child is excused from attendance at school if,
(a) the child is receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere; …
9.2.1 Eligibility for Professional School Services
Section 5 of regulation 386/99 of the LTCA states:
s. 5(1) “school” means a school as defined in subsection 1 (1) of the Education Act and includes a private school as defined in subsection 1 (1) of that Act.
“school services” means the following professional services that are provided to a person who is enrolled as a pupil at a school on the school premises or while the pupil is being transported to or from the school on a school bus or other school vehicle or participating in a school trip or activity outside the school premises or that are provided to a person who is receiving satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act and are necessary in order for the person to be able to receive instruction:
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
“school services” are referred to as “professional school services” and “personal support school services” are referred to as
“personal support school services.” When referring to both these services, the term “school services” is used.
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6. Training of school personnel to provide the services referred to in paragraphs 1 to 5 to persons enrolled as a pupil at the school.
7. The provision of medical supplies, dressings and treatment equipment necessary to the provision of the services referred to in paragraphs 1 to 5.
Clarification: Professional school services are defined in regulation 386/99 of the LTCA as nursing services, occupational therapy services, physiotherapy services, speech-language services and dietetics services. These services include the training of school personnel and provision of necessary medical supplies, dressings and treatment equipment.
s. 5(2) A community care access centre shall not provide school services to a person unless the person meets the following eligibility criteria:
Clarification: A CCAC does not have the authority to provide professional school services to a person unless the person meets the following eligibility criteria:
s. 5(2)1. The person must be enrolled as a pupil at a school or be receiving satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act.
Clarification: A child/youth up to the age of 21 must be either enrolled in a publicly funded school or private school or receiving satisfactory instruction at home in order to be eligible for these professional school services. More information is available on the Ministry of Education and Training (EDU) website at: [http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/].
s. 5(2)2 The person must require the services,
i. in order to be able to attend school, participate in school routines and receive instruction, or ii. in order to be able to receive satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act.
Clarifications:
• The CCAC may provide professional school services at the school or while the pupil is being transported to or from publicly funded school or private school or participating in publicly funded school or private school related activities (see subsection #9.5 in this manual for additional information) in other locations3. The professional school services
3 For example, early screening may be done in a clinic setting.
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
must be necessary in order for the child/youth to be able to attend publicly funded school or private school, participate in publicly funded school or private school routines and receive instruction. In other words, in the absence of professional school services, the
child’s/youth’s publicly funded school or private school attendance, instruction or participation would be significantly disrupted.
• The CCAC must not assume responsibility for determining what constitutes “satisfactory instruction at home.” In order for a child/youth who is receiving home schooling to be eligible for professional school services, the parent/guardian must provide the CCAC with a letter from the relevant school board indicating that the child/youth is excused from
attendance at school because he or she is receiving “satisfactory instruction at home.”
Policy/Program Memorandum No. 131 (PPM131), dated June 17, 2002, addresses the services offered by the MOHTLC and sets out the process a parent/guardian should follow in order to obtain the appropriate documentation, including a sample letter. PPM131 and the sample letter are available on the EDU website at:
[http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/131.html].
s. 5(2)3 The person must be an insured person under the Health Insurance Act.
(See chapter #3 in this manual for Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) eligibility criteria.)
s. 5(2)4 The school or home in which the service is to be provided must have the physical features necessary to enable the service to be provided.
Clarifications:
• The setting in which the professional school services are to be provided must be conducive to providing the service such as having enough space to allow the use of necessary
equipment and supplies, and privacy to allow appropriate treatment to be given.
• The CCAC must use their best efforts to adapt their service provision to the available surroundings. However, when such adaptations cannot be made, the CCAC must discuss alternative courses of action with the child/youth/parent/guardian and/or publicly funded or private school in order to avoid declaring a child/youth ineligible for professional school services on this basis.
s. 5(2)5 The risk that a service provider who provides the school service to the person who requires the service will suffer serious physical harm while providing the service,
i. must not be significant, or
ii. if it is significant, the service provider must be able to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk so that it is no longer significant.
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
“school services” are referred to as “professional school services” and “personal support school services” are referred to as
“personal support school services.” When referring to both these services, the term “school services” is used.
September 2006 8
Clarification: The CCAC must use their best efforts to mitigate any risk to the point where it is no longer a serious risk to the contracted service provider in order to avoid declaring a
child/youth ineligible for professional school services on this basis.
9.2.2 Eligibility for Personal Support School Services
Section 7 of regulation 386/99 of the LTCA states:
s. 7(1) “school” means a private school as defined in subsection 1 (1) of the Education Act;
s. 7(1) “personal support school services” means the following personal support services that are provided to a person who is enrolled as a pupil at a school on the school premises or during a school trip or activity outside the school premises or that are provided to a person who is receiving satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act and are necessary in order for the person to be able to receive instruction:
1. Personal hygiene activities.
2. Routine personal activities of living.
3. Training of school personnel to provide the services referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 to persons enrolled as pupils at the school and assisting the personnel in providing them.
4. The provision of medical and personal equipment necessary to the provision of the services referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2.
Clarification: Personal support school services are defined in regulation 386/99 as personal hygiene activities and routine personal activities of living. These services include the training of school personnel and provision of treatment equipment necessary to the provision of the services. Personal hygiene activities and routine personal activities of living in the context of private and home schools include assistance with eating, dressing and toileting (including clean catheterization), personal hygiene (including shallow suctioning), mobility, transferring,
positioning, and routine exercises taught by a therapist (physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist).4
s. 7(2) A community care access centre shall not provide personal support school services to a person unless the person meets the following eligibility criteria:
Clarification: A CCAC does not have the authority to provide personal support school services to a person unless the person meets the following eligibility criteria:
s. 7(2)1 The person must be enrolled as a pupil at a school or be receiving satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act.
4 MOHLTC Memorandum regarding Personal Support Services and Equipment in Private and Home Schools, January 8, 2001.
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
Clarification: A child/youth up to the age of 21 must be either enrolled in a private school or receiving satisfactory instruction at home in order to be eligible for these personal support school services. More information is available on the EDU website at:
[http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/].
s. 7(2)2 The person must require the services,
i. in order to be able to attend school, participate in school routines and receive instruction, or ii. in order to be able to receive satisfactory instruction at home in accordance with clause 21 (2) (a) of the Education Act.
Clarifications:
• The CCAC may provide personal support school services at the private school or while the pupil is being transported to or from private school or participating in private school related activities (see subsection #9.5 in this manual for additional information) in other locations5. The personal support school services must be necessary in order for the child/youth to be able to attend private school, participate in private school routines and receive instruction.
In other words, in the absence of personal support school services, the child’s/youth’s private school attendance, instruction or participation would be significantly disrupted.
• The CCAC must not assume responsibility for determining what constitutes “satisfactory instruction at home.” In order for a child/youth who is receiving home schooling to be eligible for personal support school services, the parent/guardian must provide the CCAC with a letter from the relevant school board indicating that the child/youth is excused from attendance at school because he or she is receiving “satisfactory instruction at home.”
Policy/Program Memorandum No. 131 (PPM131), dated June 17, 2002, addresses the services offered by the MOHTLC and sets out the process a parent/guardian should follow in order to obtain the appropriate documentation, including a sample letter. PPM131 and the sample letter are available on the EDU website at:
[http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/131.html].
s. 7(2)3 The person must be an insured person under the Health Insurance Act.
(See chapter #3 in this manual for Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) eligibility criteria.)
s. 7(2)4 The school or home in which the service is to be provided must have the physical features necessary to enable the service to be provided.
5 For example, early screening may be done in a clinic setting.
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
“school services” are referred to as “professional school services” and “personal support school services” are referred to as
“personal support school services.” When referring to both these services, the term “school services” is used.
September 2006 10
Clarifications:
• The setting in which the personal support school services are to be provided must be conducive to providing the service such as having enough space to allow the use of necessary equipment and supplies, and privacy to allow appropriate treatment to be given.
• The CCAC must use their best efforts to adapt their service provision to the available surroundings. However, when such adaptations cannot be made, the CCAC must discuss alternative courses of action with the child/youth/parent/guardian and/or private school in order to avoid declaring a child/youth ineligible for personal support school services on this basis.
s. 7(2)5 The risk that a service provider who provides the service to the person who requires it will suffer serious physical harm while providing the service,
i. must not be significant, or
ii. if it is significant, the service provider must be able to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk so that it is no longer significant.
Clarification: The CCAC must use their best efforts to mitigate any risk to the point where it is no longer a serious risk to the contracted service provider in order to avoid declaring a
child/youth ineligible for personal support school services on this basis.
9.2.3 Overview of Services Offered by CCAC
Publicly Funded Schools Private Schools Home Schooling Situations
Personal support services Personal support services Training of school personnel Training of school personnel Training of parent/guardian The provision of medical as well as the provision of medical and personal
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
Publicly Funded Schools Private Schools Home Schooling Situations equipment relating to personal
support school services
and personal equipment relating to personal support school services
* Note: Current regulations under the Long-Term Care Act, 1994 distinguish between “school services” (which are
professional services (i.e., nursing, therapies, etc.) and “personal support school services.” To provide clarity in this manual
“school services” are referred to as “professional school services” and “personal support school services” are referred to as
“personal support school services.” When referring to both these services, the term “school services” is used.
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