New Fund for Disability Support Service Providers

A new funding program will help service providers as they transition to offering community-based supports for people with disabilities under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy.

“The remedy represents transformative change not only in the way people with disabilities live in Nova Scotia, but also how services are delivered and what those services are,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Community Services. “We have so much talent and experience in our disability support sector in this province, and we want to keep it that way. This new fund will support service providers as they carve out a space for themselves for the long term.”

The new Service Evolution Fund supports existing, approved service providers in the Disability Support Program. It prioritizes community inclusion and collaboration between agencies and associations and can be used to support:

• staff training and development
• professional services that improve or adapt service delivery, including architectural assessments, strategic or financial planning, and recruitment
• projects or short-term positions that support cultural transformation among staff
• projects that increase community awareness and understanding of the remedy and how disability support services and service delivery will change as a result.

Service providers can apply for funding to support multiple initiatives, or to expand successful ones. Multi-phase projects will also be considered.

As part of its ongoing community engagement work on the remedy, the Province is also working with Inclusion Nova Scotia to host a series of information sessions for families of people living in institutionalized settings. These sessions will give families and members of their support network an overview of the government’s plan to close institutions and what to expect as their loved ones transition to community-based living.

Quotes:

“The remedy serves as a catalyst for developing new and innovative approaches to disability support in Nova Scotia. We’ve heard from both families and service providers who are excited about the future and about being part of a system that empowers individuals and promotes independence. This new fund will play a key role in supporting the changes in mindset and service delivery needed to transform the disability support sector and create inclusive communities for all Nova Scotians.”
— Thivjan Tharma, Executive Director, Inclusion Nova Scotia

Quick Facts:

• the government has committed $1 million per year for the next three years to the Service Evolution Fund
• establishing the fund in Year 2 is a requirement of the remedy
• the deadline to apply for the first round of funding is November 29; two more rounds of funding are planned in early 2025

Additional Resources:

Progress and updates on the Human Rights Remedy: https://www.dsp-transformation.ca/

News release – Human Rights Remedy Work Enters Second Year: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/07/02/human-rights-remedy-work-enters-second-year

News release – Province Submits Annual Progress Report to Human Rights Commission: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/06/03/province-submits-annual-progress-report-human-rights-commission