Individualized Funding ⁽¹³⁾

• Will day program funding be included in a person’s individualized funding?

  Yes. The Individualized Support plan should include activities throughout the day. Support to participate in employment, volunteering, and activities could be included in the plan. 

• Where is the funding coming from for all these proposed changes?

  The Nova Scotia government is responsible for funding the implementation of the Remedy.  This includes the departments of Community Services, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, Education, Office of Mental Health and Addictions.

• Will funding be provided to day programs to support wages for the employment of people with disabilities?

  The Disability Support Program supports employers paying fair wages to people with disabilities for their work. This recognizes people with disabilities as valuable, contributing members of the labour market, like any other workers.  

• Will the cap on employment income for participants be reviewed/changed/removed?

  Exemptions levels for earned income were increased in the recent budget (2024). Current exemption levels are outlined in this table. They will be updated in Fall 2024 to reflect the changes.

  

• When does it start?

  Implementation is rolling out in the Fall of 2024 and all DSP participants will transition to IF over time.

• How will funding levels be determined?

  More information on this will be available as we approach the IF roll-out in the Fall of 2024.

• What will IF mean for service providers?

  IF will mean a new way of working for everyone. It will impact how service providers deliver supports and what types of services they provide. In IF models, the intention is to shift choice and decision making to the individual. In a sense, as the purchaser of support, they will push change by wanting to purchase supports that are community-based, flexible, and individualized. 
  The Remedy calls for a workforce strategy that will help with training and culture change for staff which will be rolled out in August 2024. There will also be a Service Provider Development Transition Fund to support DSP service providers to manage the required changes in culture, capability and infrastructure as needed. 

• Who is eligible for IF?

  Everyone eligible for DSP will eventually be allocated a personalized budget. This process will happen in stages as people move over from current programs to the IF model. 

• What will IF look like in practice?

  Following a needs assessment, an individual will be allocated a personalized budget. How the funding is administered and managed can be determined by the individual. Some people may want to manage the funding on their own (be responsible for hiring staff, paying costs directly, etc.). Others may find this too much work. 
  Nova Scotia is developing options for an administrative backbone of support which gives individuals options to access help in managing the funds. Some people may choose to have certain funds allocated directly to a third party (like a service provider). Others may choose an agency to help manage all aspects of funding. Individuals will have reporting requirements and their personal budget will list what funds can be spent on.

• How will individualized funding work and who will help with managing that funding?

  Using a needs assessment and based on an individual plan, each DSP participant will have a personalized budget. That budget is designed to cover the supports needed to build and live a meaningful life in community. Help in managing money is available through supports known as the Individualized Funding (IF) “backbone”. 

• Who can access planning?

  Individuals with disabilities do not have to be eligible for DSP to access planning and coordination. The strength of Local Area Coordination is that it helps build connections in community for all community members. Anchored in community, this approach can help community members with system navigation, community inclusion facilitation, support links to community groups, and so on. For those who are eligible to receive DSP funding, more focused supports for individualized planning, coordination and self-management are also available.

• Will other departments’ programs like Self-Managed Care (part of Seniors and Long-Term Care, or SLTC) be affected by the Remedy?

  Programs outside DSP may need to be adjusted and aligned because the whole of government is responsible for implementing the Remedy. For example, SLTC and DSP are working together to procure a common “IF Backbone”, which is the administrative support system to help individuals to manage their own funding.

• How will DSP’s current programs like Independent Living Support (ILS) and Flex Independent be impacted?

  These programs are already individualized, so participants will transition to Individualized Funding later and might not have big changes to their current arrangements as they switch to IF. The Remedy seeks to bridge the funding gaps between current programs to provide for more local and personalized arrangements.