Service Coordination
Service Coordination is offered in Waterloo Region to children, youth and adults, with a developmental disability and/or an autism spectrum disorder, and/or to their families. In general, SDRC Service Coordinators assist individuals and their families to strengthen their capacity to manage the challenges of caring for themselves/their children and enhancing their formal and informal networks of community resources.
Key functions include:
- providing information and referrals according to client’s direction and based on their needs, strengths and weaknesses
- coordinating community resources, service plans, mediation and liaison with other service providers
- using collaborative approaches in providing support while using appropriate lines/channels of communication
- supporting problem solving and group facilitation
The Service Coordination Model employed emphasizes a voluntary working relationship based upon mutual accountability between worker and client/family. With consent of the client/family the worker facilitates goal oriented planning with time defined supports. The client/family is always an active participant in all decisions.
Service Coordinators help by:
- assessing strengths and needs
- providing information
- coordinating community resources
- providing mediation
- developing service plans
- problem solving
- liaising with service providers
- providing guidance
- giving individual and systemic support
Service Coordinators do not:
- provide care or compel compliance with treatment or other support services
- step beyond voluntary participation by the client
- provide direct residential, day programming
- monitor supports provided by other ‘hands-on’ services, including issues of ‘child protection’
- provide direct observation or ‘after-care’ following medical treatment
- assist with medical care, enforce treatment orders, or participate in delivery of intrusive measures
- serve in a ‘trustee’ or ‘guardianship’ capacity or make financial or legal decisions on the client’s behalf
- make final decisions belonging to the client/family
SDRC assigns clients to Adult, Youth or Child Service Coordinators:
Adult Service Coordinators: assist clients 18 years and over in assessing strengths and needs; coordinating community supports and resources; providing individual/systemic advocacy; in problem solving; with guidance.
Youth Service Coordinators: assist clients 18 to 25 years in planning for adulthood by accessing needed supports and programs; problem solving; and participating as fully as possible in community activities.
Child Service Coordinators: assist children 0 to 18 years in accessing community services and supports; and enhancing their networks of community resources. Coordinators work with parents to strengthen their ability to manage the challenge of caring for their child; and with siblings to explore the issues of having a disabled brother/sister.