In a 2012 newsletter, the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) announced that the Ontario government would be injecting $1.7 million annually into the Self-Managed Attendant Services – Direct Funding Program (Centre for Independent Living in Toronto 2012), and the program continued to expand in subsequent years (Centre for Independent Living in Toronto 2014). The program is an alternative model of home care delivery that provides funds to individuals with permanent physical disabilities to hire, train, and manage workers who assist them with daily life. At present, it is not open to those with intellectual or temporary disabilities. In Canada, directly-funded care is also referred to as “self-managed” and “self-directed” care. Ontario’s Direct Funding Program was established in 1998 after lengthy advocacy efforts by disability activists and organizations, primarily aimed at (or working with) the provincial government. These efforts included changes to legislation to allow unregulated attendants to perform delegated medical tasks, such as routine catheterization, as well as the co-ordination of a pilot program and evaluation (Yoshida et al. 2004). CILT administers the program and maintains a notable presence on the policy landscape in the form of fact sheets, budgetary submissions, websites, newsletters, and participation in research and non-profit coalitions (e.g., Ontario Community Support Association and Attendant Services Advisory Committee 2008).

Kelly, C. (2020). Direct funded home care for older adults: Exploring the legacies of disability activism. In K. Aubrecht, C. Kelly, C. Rice (Eds.)., The aging-disability nexus (pp. 97–113). UBC Press.