MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES Violence Against Women

1. MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICESViolence Against Women Family Services Day May 11, 2011

2. Purpose To provide an overview of: • Violence Against Women (VAW) programs, services and funding within the context of MCSS • Factors that influence policy decision-making • Key achievements • Current VAW policy activities

3. 2011 Ontario Budget • On March 29, the Finance Minister delivered Ontario’s 2011 Budget. • The government committed its intention to eliminate Ontario’s deficit by 2018 while making investments in education and healthcare.   • Although our programs were not highly profiled, our ministry’s budget increased by 5.5% over last year ($506.3 million) to $9.8 billion, which is 7.9% of overall provincial budget of $124.1 billion. • The budget increase is primarily for social assistance and developmental services: • 1% increase in social assistance (over $465 million) • $40 million increase for developmental services • $15 million to support people who are living at home through Passport and Special Services at Home • $25 million for agencies to provide critical support and stabilize funding to hundreds of people who are in need of urgent care

4. MCSS Budget - $9.8 Billion The 2011-12 budget for MCSS is $9.8 billion. The following are the top six budget commitments: We provide over $141 million annually to VAW programs and services. That is a 46% increase since 2003.

5. Ontario’s Strategic Fiscal Cycle 2009-10 2011-12 2010-11

6. 2010/11 VAW Interim Actual Expenditures *Includes: Other Broader Public Sector Services i.e. Federal Non-profit Housing Program, OCHAP Rent Supplement, Client Satisfaction Survey funding.

7. MCSS Funded VAW Programs Counselling • $28.1M in 2010/11 • The funding to community-based counselling agencies helps women and their children overcome the effects of abuse • Approximately 60,000 women and 12,000 children served annually Transitional and Housing Support Program (THSP) • $14.3M in 2010/11 • This program helped over 20,700 abused women last year find and maintain housing and connect with community supports such as counselling, legal services, job training and parenting • There are 127transfer payment agencies delivering the program, including shelters, counselling agencies, and second stage housing providers Early Intervention Program for Child Witnesses of Woman Abuse • $6.1M in 2010/11 • This program helps children recover from the effects of witnessing woman abuse and helps abused women with parenting issues • Approximately 130 support groups serving 3,000 women and 5,000 children

8. Violence Against Women Programs cont’d Shelters • $81.1M in 2010/11 for 97 emergency shelters for abused women • More than 2000 shelter beds are available in communities across the province, serving approximately 14,000 women and 10,000 children annually Province-Wide Crisis Help lines • $2.6M in 2010/11 provided annually to support telephone counselling services that provide support, information and referrals • This includes$1M to support the Assaulted Women’s Helpline that provides province-wide service in English and multiple languages through a translation service and $1M to support the province-wide French line • This also includes $0.5M to support the 97 local shelter crisis lines • According to latest data available, approximately 92,500calls are received annually Domestic Violence Community Coordinating Committees • $1.4M in 2010/11 • DV3Cs are community-based committees that include representation from women’s service agencies (e.g., shelters, counselling agencies, family services) and the justice, health and education sectors • Currently there are 44 DV3Cs unevenly distributed throughout the province. Most regions have three to six committees, while south west region has ten and Toronto region has only one

9. Key Achievements In addition to funding enhancements, the ministry has led a number of policy initiatives in the following areas: • Enhancing VAW sector capacity • Training of front-line VAW workers • Social Housing Provider Training • Funding collaboration forums • Two French Language Services Forums • Domestic Violence Community Coordinating Committee Forum • CAS/VAW Collaboration Agreement Consultations • Child Witness Service Provider Forum

10. Key Achievements cont. • Enhancing the quality of service delivery • Revised VAW Client Satisfaction Survey • VAW Policy Framework • Guidelines to VAW Shelter Policy and Procedure Development • VAW Shelter Survey • Improving VAW services to Aboriginal women • Violence Against Aboriginal Women Training • Renewal of Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy (AHWS) • Aboriginal Help Line for abused women living in northern and remote areas (under development) • Providing funding to an Aboriginal Domestic Violence Community Coordinating Committee

11. Moving Forward - Key Influences A number of internal and external reports have influenced VAW policy directions in the past and will continue to do so as we move forward: December 2004 Fall 2007 2008 and 2009 July 2009 April 2011 Domestic Violence Action Plan Strategic Framework to End VAAW Domestic Violence Death Review Committee Reports Domestic Violence Advisory Council Report Sexual Violence Action Plan

12. Domestic Violence Action Plan • The Domestic Violence Action Plan (DVAP) was developed through a Ministerial Steering Committee involving the following 13 ministries: Ministry of Community and Social Services Ministry of Children and Youth Services Ministry of the Attorney General Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal Ministry of Northern Development and Mines Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Ministry of Education Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Ministry of Health and Long-term Care Office of Francophone Affairs Ministry of Consumer and Business Services Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (includes the Ontario Seniors Secretariat and the Ontario Women’s Directorate) • DVAP strategic direction and policy initiatives are determined largely through an inter-ministerial process led by the Ontario Women’s Directorate. • The DVAP has resulted in a comprehensive, balanced approach across ministries designed to better protect women and children now and reduce domestic violence in the future.

13. Domestic Violence Action Plan Achievements • Better community-based supports for victims, including: • Increased MCSS funding by 48 per cent for programs to help victims of domestic violence • Access to health, legal and social services in 60 languages for nearly 6,000 women through our Language Interpreter Services program • 369 more shelter beds • Earlier intervention for women and children at risk by: • Training 22,000 front-line professionals and service providers, like emergency room doctors and nurses, to identify domestic violence and support victims • Setting new measures in the Occupational Health and Safety Act to address workplace violence, including domestic violence and harassment • Public education campaigns that change attitudes and prevent violence from happening by: • Engaging 200 communities through the Neighbours, Friends and Families campaign, helping them recognize the signs of abuse, how to help, and where to find services in the community • A stronger justice system response, including: • A domestic violence court program in 54 Ontario court jurisdictions • Changes in family law togive women better access to restraining orders • More services for the francophone community, including: • New francophone shelters in Toronto and Timmins • Enhancements to the French crisis line

14. Response to Reports The ministry has taken several steps to respond to recommendations contained in these reports including, but not limited to:

15. Other Key Influences • Government Platform • The government platform sets the agenda for the four year mandate of the government • Minister • As policy analysts it is our job to present ministry senior management and the Minister with informed policy advice and implement the policy based on Minister’s direction • VAW Regional Office Leads • VAW leads have a direct relationship with VAW agencies which includes service contract management • MCSS meets with the VAW regional leads on a monthly basis to gather input on all corporate policy initiatives with a focus on strategic operational planning and implementation • VAW leads participate on all corporate led working groups • VAW Stakeholders • Where possible, MCSS consults directly with representatives from the VAW sector to gather input on our ministry initiatives • CDSB welcomes the opportunity to meet with stakeholders to learn more about the issues/challenges and successes experienced in the field • Involvement of regional offices and our stakeholders is integral to the success of VAW initiatives.

16. Current Key VAW Activities The ministry is currently focusing on the following priorities: • Aboriginal Women’s Helpline Project in the North • Review of the CAS/VAW Collaboration Agreements • Renewal of Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy • VAW Provincial Strategic Plan • Mental Health and Addictions • Participation on the Sexual Violence Action Plan Interministerial Working Group (led by the Ontario Women’s Directorate)