Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton Centre, asked the following Question in the Ontario Legislature on January 29, 2009, regarding the McGuinty government’s funding of services for children with complex, multiple special needs:

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. What changes is this minister preparing to make to the guidelines for funding special supports for children with complex multiple needs?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Let me assure the member opposite that we are not planning to make any changes to the funding for this program.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I asked the minister specifically about the guidelines—the guidelines. Destany Leonard, nine, of Fort Frances, has cerebral palsy and has received support for her complex special needs at home for the past four years. Destany attends school, lives happily at home and has the full support of her community and local service provider, Integrated Services Northwest. Her father was recently informed that Destany will no longer be eligible for ministry funding because the guidelines are changing in April. Just now, I asked the minister to specify which changes are coming to funding for children with complex special needs. Parents across Ontario, Minister, want to know. Will the minister guarantee that children with severe disabilities like Destany will receive the services they need to keep them at home and in their community?

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Minister?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: Let me assure the member opposite that we are working very, very hard to make sure that kids with special needs and youths with special needs do have access to the services that they need. We are working hard to reduce waiting times for these children. Let me just say that these kids have very complex and very special needs and we are determined to be there for them and to be there for their families.

We’re working with communities to provide services to these children. There are no changes being made as to how the ministry funds complex special needs; we’re simply formalizing the existing business practices. I can assure the member and the House that no child currently receiving services will lose services. We are not cutting funding; in fact, we’ve actually increased funding with an extra $19.8 million in the 2008 budget. I would be more than happy to look into this particular case.