Publicly Funded Services

The Family-Managed Home Care program, initiated by Ontario Health atHome, empowers eligible patients or their substitute decision-makers to manage their own home care services. This approach provides greater control, flexibility, and personalized care options that are tailored to each patient’s specific needs.

Key Benefits:

• Funding Control: Instead of relying on traditional home care providers, families or patients are given direct funding. This funding allows them to hire and manage their own care providers, ensuring they can customize how and when the care is delivered.
• Administrative Autonomy: Participants are responsible for overseeing all aspects of the home care plan, including managing the care provider, handling the financial aspects such as payment of providers, and reporting to Ontario Health atHome.

Eligibility Criteria:

To qualify for Family-Managed Home Care, the patient must first undergo a comprehensive needs assessment. Once the patient is determined to be eligible for traditional home care services, they may also be considered for FMHC. This program primarily supports four groups:

1. Children with complex medical needs
2. Adults with acquired brain injuries
3. Home-schooled children requiring special care
4. Patients with extraordinary circumstances where traditional home care services may not be sufficient or feasible.

The patient’s care coordinator from Ontario Health atHome develops a care plan after assessing the specific health needs. Both the patient and the substitute decision-maker (if applicable) must demonstrate their ability to manage the responsibilities of the program.

Extraordinary Circumstances:

For patients with unique or challenging circumstances that fall outside the scope of regular home care services, eligibility for FMHC is based on several criteria, including:

• The intensity and complexity of care required
• The need for flexibility in scheduling
• Language barriers or cultural considerations
• Geographic challenges, such as living in rural or remote areas where traditional service providers are not available

Responsibilities of Families and Caregivers:

Families or substitute decision-makers must manage the entire care process. This includes:

• Hiring and scheduling: Recruiting care providers and setting up schedules that meet the patient’s unique needs.
• Financial management: Administering the funding, ensuring payment for services, handling taxes, and reporting expenses to Ontario Health atHome.
• Reporting requirements: Regular submission of reports detailing how the funds are being used and confirming that the care provided aligns with the developed care plan.

Program Transition and Termination:

Patients can choose to switch from the Family-Managed Home Care program back to traditional home care services at any time if their needs or circumstances change. Additionally, Ontario Health atHome may terminate the contract if the patient’s care needs are no longer stable or if they fail to meet reporting requirements.

For more information or to explore eligibility, patients and their families are encouraged to contact their Health atHome care coordinator. The coordinator will guide them through the application process and provide ongoing support throughout the program.