Family Support Program

Description

This program includes various measures in the form of direct benefits, particularly to pay for respite services, childcare, occasional assistance, and support with parenting through assistance with daily activities. Support is given to families and loved ones who reside with one or more people who have a physical or intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and take care of them on a daily basis.

Presentation and objectives

Services accessible through this program prevent the family and loved ones from suffering burnout. This helps to keep people with a disability or ASD in their home environment. These services are generally offered in one of four areas:

Respite

Providing the family with some relaxation time to compensate for the stress and fatigue caused by the special needs of the person with a disability. Respite may be offered at home, but also outside the home, particularly in a type of temporary accommodation in a respite home.

Childcare

Refers to childcare or, in the case of an adult, a presence/supervision when the parent or loved one must leave home occasionally for everyday activities, work or recreational activities.

Occasional assistance

Allows families in unforeseen or emergency situations to get help with caring for the person who has a disability. Occasional assistance is therefore temporary and generally for short durations of no more than a few weeks.

Assistance with daily activities

Intended to relieve the family or loved ones of their daily activities when caring for a person who has a disability or when they are attending to their other obligations. These measures include, in particular, taking care of the children, helping with homework, helping with organizing family life, accompaniment and tactile and visual interpretation services.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, the family must:

  • reside with a person who has a disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), care for this person on a daily basis and be related to this person (family or extended family);
  • demonstrate a need for support to compensate for the stress and fatigue caused by the special needs associated with the significant disabilities of the person with a disability or ASD.

This program’s management practices fall under each CISSS and CIUSSS responsible for providing the services according to the needs of the users, their family and their loved ones, taking into account the availability of resources in their area.

Reimbursable expenses

The amount granted is determined by the integrated health and social services centres (CISSS) and integrated university health and social services centres (CIUSSS) following the assessment of the family’s needs. These needs are revised periodically or following an event that changes the needs of the person or the person’s family.

The amount granted is associated with an objective identified in a process of planning all the services required. An overall assessment of needs could lead to an adjustment in the services offered to the user and the user’s family.

Process

To sign up for this program, contact the designated patient navigator for your loved one. If the person is not already receiving services from an institution, contact your integrated health and social services centre (CISSS) or your integrated university health and social services centre (CIUSSS). For contact information, see the Finding your CISSS or your CIUSSS This hyperlink will open in a new window. page.

Help and information

Last update: May 9, 2023

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