Demand for Empower Simcoe services 'outstripping' supply

Demand for group homes, supported independent living, and other services offered by Empower Simcoe far exceeds available resources, Orillia city council was told at its meeting Monday.

Empower Simcoe CEO Claudine Cousins gave a presentation on the work the multi-service agency does in the region, as well as the challenges it’s facing in the current environment. 

With a $53-million budget and 600 employees (including 185 in Orillia), the non-profit organization operates 19 group homes, 42 supported independent living clients, as well as a variety of community support programs, Cousins said.

Despite the array of services offered by Empower Simcoe, the developmental services sector is overburdened with demand. In 2023, for example, Cousins said there were 1,370 requests for group homes through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), with only 14 group homes available.

“We closed two group (homes) — one group home here in Orillia — not because we wanted to, but because we don’t have the operating costs to support that,” she said. “It just shows you that the need for services (is) outstripping the (supply) for services.”

Nearly half of those who apply for services through DSO are eligible, “yet we don’t have services to offer them,” Cousins said.

“Within Simcoe County, the numbers that continue to knock on the door for non-residential services is also increasing,” she said. “At the end of September of this year, the number of individuals on the wait list for supports within intellectual disability developmental services (was) 52,100, and these individuals are outside the municipal numbers.”

Empower Simcoe receives 75 per cent of its funding from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and 10 per cent from the County of Simcoe.

“The primary cause of some of our issues, when it comes to the shortfalls … it’s really about how do we continue to operate in a space where inflation is going up, yet our funding remains flat?” Cousins said.

She said Empower Simcoe advocates for the sector at provincial and federal levels of government, and that the organization is always looking for ways to be more efficient.

“We’re looking at how we can be more efficient. We’re looking at how we can repurpose a number of resources within the organization to be able to deliver the best services we can for people,” she said. “What we can’t do is live beyond our means and spend $1.50 when we only have $1.”

During discussion, Cousins also said Empower Simcoe can access government housing funds at lower rates than other organizations, and mentioned the organization is looking to partner with others to help bring new projects to fruition.

“Sometimes we’re looking for municipal governments, provincial governments, whoever has property that’s available. We would like to be partnering with those individuals to build,” she said. “We’re looking for any opportunities around those things that we can come together with a partner to be able to do.”