Partners

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT:

Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ontario Disability Support Program provides both income support as well as employment supports to persons with disabilities. 

To be eligible for ODSP Income Support, a person must be 18 years of age or older, be a resident of Ontario, meet a test of financial need, and meet the disability eligibility criteria.  To be eligible for ODSP Employment Supports, a person must be 16 years of age or older, be a resident of Ontario, and have a disability that is expected to last a year or more, and the disability makes it hard for him / her to find or keep a job.

Participation in Employment Support is voluntary. The key objectives are:

• To meet the income and employment support needs of people with disabilities;
• To provide income support and health-related benefits to people with disabilities who are in need of financial assistance; and,
• To provide people with disabilities a continuum of supports that are intended to remove disability-related barriers to employment and lead to competitive employment.

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT:

County of Lambton– Social Services Division
The Social Services Division consists of the Children's Services Department, the Housing Services Department, the Ontario Works Department, and the Social Planning & Program Support Department. 

County of Lambton - Children's Services Department
The Children's Services Department consists of Child Care Administration, Coronation Park Day Nursery and Best Start programs.

• Child Care Administration:   Purchase of Service Agreements with 65 mot-for-profil and profit centres, for the administration of funding to Child Care Special Needs Resourcing, Child Care Resource Centre, Wage Subsidies, and Child Care Spaces.
• Child Care Fee Subsidy:  With over 1,700 children receiving subsidized child care, the department completes fee assessments for parents requesting subsidy.
• Best Start:  Best Start is a community initiative that brings local government, school boards, and community agencies serving families with children 0 to six years of age together with parents to plan and deliver enhanced early learning and child care services.  Best Start supports families with children from birth through their transition into Grade 1, putting them in touch with the services they need.

County of Lambton– Housing Services Department
The Housing Services Department provides rent geared-to-income assistance and affordable housing options to over 2,200 residents of the County of Lambton. In addition to administering the non-profit, co-operative affordable housing and rent supplement programs, the Housing Services Department provides property management for units owned by the County of Lambton.

County of Lambton - Ontario Works Department
Ontario Works is a mandatory program that provides employment assistance and basic financial assistance to those who are eligible.  It is to assist individuals to plan, choose and follow the most effective route to self-sufficiency.

• Basic Financial Assistance:  provides income assistance for the cost of shelter and basic needs including food.  Some health benefits are also available.
• Employment Assistance:  includes supports to help people become and stay employed including job search support, basic education, employment placement, community placements and in-house workshops.  Financial assistance is available to cover certain expenses such as transportation, child care and clothing related to new employment or taking part in employment assistance activities.

County of Lambton Social Planning & Program Support Department
Social Planning & Program Support focuses on four main areas:

• social planning
• program support
• poverty reduction
• compliance

Social Planning examines the community's needs based on factors such as demographics and social trends, and recommends action plans to address these needs.  Homelessness and child care service programming are examples of social needs the department may examine.  Program support includes the overall administration of the Lambton Shared Services Centre (LSSC), a facility within the Bayside Centre in Sarnia, Ontario.  Program support ensures that all partners' needs are addressed and that the LSSC is operated efficiently and effectively.  The department also leads the County's poverty reduction model known as "Circles" in the community.  Staff also focus on compliance and integrity of the Ontario Works program and evaluate community based programs funded by the County of Lambton to ensure that funds are allocated and used properly.

County of Lambton – Financial Services Divison - Provincial Offences Program
The Provincial Offences Office administers and prosecutes provincial offences, including offences under municipal by-laws and minor federal offences.   These offences include fines issued under the Highway Traffic Act, Liquor Licence Act, Trespass to Property Act, Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, Game and Fish Act, Bylaws and other provincial and municipal statues.

County of Lambton – Community Health Services Department – Health Promotion  The Health Promotion Team provides services that enable people to increase control over and improve their health in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, injury prevention, tobacco, workplace health, school health, cancer prevention and heart health.

County of Lambton– Community Health Services Department – Tobacco  The Tobacco Team handles a variety of tobacco-related issues:  Cessation specialists assist those ready to quit;  Health Promotion Officers create campaigns and events to heighten community attention on a variety of tobacco-related subjects and they provide support to businesses interested in developing workplace policies; Enforcement Officers and Test Shoppers work closely with businesses to achieve compliance with the Smoke Free Ontario Act and the County’s Smoking in Public Places and Workplaces By-law.