Our Role

Contact provides a central information and referral function for local children and youth (0-18 years) with behavioural, emotional and developmental concerns, and also for adults with developmental (intellectual) disabilities.

Contact's resource coordinators complete an intake process with the person/family to determine what the service needs are, provide information about services available within the community, and refer people to the most appropriate service.  The intake information is forwarded to the agencies, avoiding the need to repeat information.

Contact Hamilton also:

• Serves as a resource to physicians, schools and health/social service professionals

• Works with community agencies to coordinate wait lists, ensuring that access to service is fair and based on need

• Coordinates a resolution mechanism (to address highly complex and/or urgent situations)

• Coordinates the Residential Placement Advisory Committee, a legislated process that reviews children and youth in residential treatment programs

• Is responsible for developing a community service plan to identify system trends, issues, gaps, pressures and areas for improvement. The plan is developed in partnership with the community and is provided to the provincial government (Ministries of Community and Social Services and Children and Youth Services).

• Administers Passport, an initiative for individuals who have a developmental disability and who have left school and are seeking community participation supports.

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