Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

General Approach
� Transaction focused, with limited information on
client outcomes
� Complex maze of programs that creates access
barriers
� Unclear how programs respond to client needs
� Services funded and delivered inconsistently
across the province.
Social Services
� Fragmented planning and delivery; programs
operate independently
� Social assistance involves multiple programs,
the combined effects of which can create barriers
to work
� Training/employment support offered by multiple
agencies
� Social housing is offered through more than
20 provincial programs
� Child care and child development supports are
provided in multiple settings, not often integrated.
Child Welfare
Current System
� Services delivered by 53 CASs
� Historical, volume-based funding model that may
generate perverse incentives, detrimental to client
outcomes
� Several heritage information systems with various
definitions of business processes, making it
difficult to compare services across the province.
Chapter 8: Social Programs
Transforming to Reformed System
� Client-focused programs that provide services and
benefits fairly across client groups in similar
circumstances
� Improved co-ordination or clustered programs,
resulting in reduced overlaps, greater efficiencies
and improved client outcomes
� Simplified and transparent access through range
of channels (e.g., websites)
� Improved data collection to ascertain extent to
which programs meet client needs
� Consolidated back-office operations, through a
shared service delivery model.
� Co-ordinated access to social services in the
community (e.g., social assistance, child care,
housing)
� Front-line workers trained on intake for all
programs offered; back-end supports
amalgamated
� Support transition to work through consolidated
training opportunities with appropriate access
provisions
� Consolidated housing and homelessness
programs
� Better integrated programming for preschool and
school-aged children.
� Fewer agencies providing more integrated,
cost-effective services
� Client-outcome-based funding model with
appropriate incentives/disincentives
� One provincial information system with
standardized definitions of business processes
and desired client outcomes
� Improved links to other service systems, including
education, post-secondary education and training.
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