© 2010.ONTARIO 211 SERVICES CORPORATION.All rights reserved.

Information in this report may not be reproduced or redistributed in
any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from
Ontario 211 Services Corporation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

POLICY STATEMENT

Purpose......

Disclaimer......

Definition of Human Services......

Areas for Inclusion......

DATABASE EXCLUSION POLICY

Appeal Process......

Disclaimer......

CATEGORIES, DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES FOR INCLUSION

Basic Needs......

Consumer Issues......

Criminal Justice and Legal Services......

Education and Libraries......

Health Care......

Mental Health and Addiction Counselling......

Employment......

Individual and Family Service Support......

Immigration and Refugee Services......

Organizational, Community, International Services......

Disaster Preparedness Response......

Recreation......

Environmental Quality......

POLICY STATEMENT

211 Ontario is a free, confidential information and referral service that makes finding community services and social service resources in Ontario easy to find. 211 can be accessed through its three digit phone number 2-1-1, or through its internet channel

211 in Ontario is governed by the Ontario 211 Services Corporation. Services are delivered through eight regional 211 Service Providers, and a unique network of data partners who collect and maintain regional data for the 211 human services resource database.

ThisInclusion / Exclusion Policy defines the criteria on which to base decisions to include or exclude an agency, organization, or program from theresource database.

Purpose

The intent of this policy is to clarify the standards and criteria for the types of resources included and excluded from the resource database and to provide a framework for the selection of data to be added or updated in the resource database.

It is the priority of Ontario 211 Services Corporation, its providers, and partners to collect human services data related to community, health, social and related government programs.

The 211 Ontariodatabase is intended to support:

  • Telephone information & referral for citizens, groups, professionals and organizations
  • Community planning or research
  • Specialized programs, projects and committees of Ontario 211 Services Corporation, and its partners
  • The searchable resource database available for community access and use.

The Web channel ( includes organizations or programs that serve the publiceither in person, by telephone, internet (including e-mail or other online forum), or through other emerging technologies. They are:

  • Networks or coalitions of direct service providers
  • Entities that license, plan or coordinate direct services
  • Not-for-profit, community-based, or government organizations
  • Community development or social enterprise initiatives
  • Organizations located outside the province that Ontario residents can access
  • Mutual support groups with oversight from an organization with a board of directors
  • Commercial organizations that offer free, low cost, or sliding fee scale human services, or provide a service not yet met by public or non-profit organizations
  • Faith groups, service organizations and civic groups that offer a service to the community

Disclaimer

Inclusion in the 211 Ontario human services database is free and is not dependent upon the purchase of a membership, products or advertising space from Ontario 211 Services Corporation or any of its providers. Inclusion of an agency or program does not imply endorsement by Ontario 211 Services Corporation, its providers, or partners and is considered a privilege rather than a right.

Definition of Human Services

Ontario 211 Services Corporationuses the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS)Definition of Human Services (also referred to as Essential Services)adopted for the field of Information & Referral (October 2000) which is a follows:

Activities that help people to become more self sufficient, sustain independence, strengthen family relationships, support personal and social development and ensure the well-being of families, groups and communities.

Specific human services include ensuring that people have access to adequate food, shelter, clothing and transportation; financial resources to meet their needs; consumer education and decision support; criminal justice or legal services; education and employment; health and mental health care including substance abuse services; and environmental protection; both routinely and in times of disaster or other emergencies.

Human services also facilitate the capabilities of people to care for children or other dependents, ensure that protective services are available to those who are vulnerable; provide for the support of older adults and people with disabilities; offer social, faith-based, and leisure time activities; provide for the cultural enrichment of the community; and ensure that people have the information they need to fully participate in community life.

Areas for Inclusion

The Inclusion / Exclusion Policy is based on the definition of Human Services and therefore should include for example:

Income Support and Financial Assistance

Government Departmentsresponsible for administering pensions, social assistance, disability insurance, WSIB, and other benefits programs which are funded by taxes levied on workers and employers.

Community Action Agencies or Community Action Programs

Not for profit organization providing their communities a spectrum of services, including food banks, employment, training, rehabilitation, health, housing, counselling, homeless assistance, prevention programs, and energy assistance.

Emergency and Disaster Response

Organizations with a formal role in emergency response or which emerge in the context of a particular emergency or disaster.

Advocacy Programs

Operate a range of programs to protect the legal rights of people including those with disabilities. Advocates on behalf of people who have been denied their rights.

Health Programs and Services

Agencies that offer preventive and reactive services focusing on safeguarding the health of community residents.

Food

Programs which operate food banks or food facilities to prepare meals, soup kitchens for those without access to food or cooking facilities, as well as emergency provisions following a disaster.

Shelters

Facilities in which individuals or families who are temporarily or permanently without a home can spend the night. Many shelters provide other services sometimes including meals, bathing, and laundry facilities. Some work with residents to help them secure permanent housing and/or employment. Many facilities are targeted at specific populations (eg: victims of domestic violence).

Social Housing and Goods

Programs that administer housing programs. Agencies that supply items such as clothing, furniture, appliances, or who may provide vouchersthat can be used to purchase them.

Financial Assistance

Programs specializing in assistance such as rent, mortgage payments, health care expenses, and utility bill assistance.

Transportation

Public and specialized.

DATABASE EXCLUSION POLICY

Ontario 211 Services Corporation reserves the right to exclude from the 211 Ontariodatabase any organization that it has, in its own discretion, adequate reason to believe may spread hatred or have a philosophy that could be hurtful to the well-being of individuals, groups or the community as a whole. Potential grounds for exclusion or removal from the database may include, but is not limited to, service non-delivery, fraud, misrepresentation, discrimination, criminal activities, or operating outside licensing mandates.

Ontario 211 Services Corporation reserves the right to refuse to list or to discontinue listings for organizations that have had serious complaints lodged against them with any regulatory body or with other organizations in the database providing similar services, or with Ontario 211 Services Corporation itself.

Ontario 211 Services Corporation reserves the right to exclude agencies or organizations that provide services which are not available to the general public, or which are available only to persons holding membership or status in a specific group or organization.

Ontario 211 Services Corporationreserves the right to refuse to list or to discontinue listings for organizations failing to respond to update requests.

Appeal Process

Decisions to include, exclude, or remove a service listing may be appealed by writing to Ontario 211 Services Corporation after a reasonable attempt has been made to resolve the issue with the editorial staff.

Disclaimer

Although this policy indicates what agencies and services are eligible for inclusion in the database, Ontario 211 Services Corporation reserves the right to prioritize and limit entry. Ontario 211 Services Corporation reserves the right to edit information to meet format, guidelineand space requirements. Inclusion does not imply endorsement and omission does not indicate disapproval.

Ontario 211 Services Corporation | Data Inclusion and Exclusion Policy | DRAFT 2010-09-01 | page 1

CATEGORIES, DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES FOR INCLUSION

Basic Needs

CATEGORY / DEFINITION / EXAMPLES
Food / Programs that operate food banks or food facilities to prepare meals, soup kitchens for those without access to food or cooking facilities, as well as emergency provision following a disaster. / Food banks
Meal programs
Meals on Wheels
Housing and Shelter / Facilities in which individuals or families who are temporarily or permanently without a home can spend the night. Many shelters provide other services including meals and laundry facilities. Some work with clients to secure permanent housing and or employment.
Also provides advice to consumers regarding rent arrears, or utilities cut-off assistance. / Shelters
Supportive housing
Low income housing
Social Housing
Senior Housing
Cooperative Housing
Emergency/ Crisis Housing
Transitional Housing
Rent subsidies
Utility subsidy programs
material Goods / Agencies that supply items such as clothing, furniture,household goods, or appliances. / Furniture Banks
Clothing banks
Thrift stores

Consumer Issues

CATEGORY / DEFINITION / EXAMPLES
Consumer Assistance and Protection / Programs that provide information and guidance for consumers who need assistance in managing their financial resources, evaluating competitive products and services and choosing the most favorable option, understanding their rights as consumers and seeking redress when they believe their rights have been violated. / Consumer Complaints
Consumer Education
Government Consumer Protection Agencies
Laws
Victim Support
Judicial Matters
Credit CounseLling Agencies / Programs that provide information and advice to consumers with debt problems. Services include credit counselling, and information on protecting one's credit information and credit rating, communicating with creditors, repairing poor credit ratings, and eliminating credit card debt and bankruptcy. / Personal Finance Counselling
Budget Counselling
Consumer Education
Credit Counselling
Debt Problems
Bankruptcy

Criminal Justice and Legal Services

CATEGORY / DEFINITION / EXAMPLES
Courts / Federal and provincial judicial bodies whose function is to resolve disputes and dispense justice according to the principles of law and equity. / Civil Divisions of Provincial Court
Criminal Division of Provincial Court
Youth Division of Provincial Court
Family Division of Provincial Court
Provincial Traffic Courts
Provincial Superior Courts
Police Services / Agencies that are part of city, county, provincial or federal government or university departments that are responsible for preserving peace, protecting life and property, preventing and detecting crime and apprehending and arresting suspects. / Municipal Police
Provincial Police
RCMP
First Nations Policing
911 Services
Community Policing
Public Safety
Fire
Paramedics
EMS
Victim Support
Correctional Services
Discrimination Complaints / Programs that provide assistance for people who believe that they have been treated unfairly or denied normal privileges based on their age, gender, race or ethnocultural origin, nationality, religion, disability, source of income, sexual orientation, same-sex partner status, criminal convictions, political beliefs, marital status or family status. / Discrimination Assistance
Racial Discrimination Assistance
Religious Discrimination Assistance
Sexual Discrimination Assistance
Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Housing Discrimination
Employment Discrimination
Health Care Discrimination
Education Discrimination
Human Rights Complaints
Community Legal Clinics / Programs which provide consumers access to legal advice and sometimes representation either for free or based on the consumer's ability to pay / Legal Aid
Community Legal Clinics
Legal Information Lines / Programs that provide telephone information about specific legal problems and procedures. / Lawyer Referral Service
Legal Line
Community Legal Education Ontario
Envision Justice
Family Law Information Centre
Ontario Justice Networks
Protective Services / Programs that provide investigation and intervention services to ensure the safety and well being of individuals who are vulnerable to abuse, neglect and/or exploitation. / Adult Protective Services
Children’s Protective Services
Protective Service For Animals
Protective/Restraining Orders
Elder Abuse
Records/Licenses/Permits(Vital Records) / Programs that issue written personal permits to engage in activities that are regulated by government authority or which maintain and, where appropriate, provide access to official documents which authenticate the occurrence of specific transactions, proceedings or events.
Licensing Agencies -Licensing agencies are useful resources for three types of callers:
those who want to become licensed themselves;
those who want to verify that another individual is licensed before entering into a contract with him or her; and
those who wish to file complaints about goods or services, which they've purchased. / Adoption Records
Annulment Records
Drivers License Testing Sites
Drivers Licenses
Firearm Permits
Fishing and Hunting Licenses
Land Records
Title Registration/Titles
Records/Permits
Beer/Liquor Licenses
All Vital Records including:
Baptism Records
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Death Certificates
Divorce Decrees

Education and Libraries

CATEGORY / DEFINITION / EXAMPLES
School Boards or Schools / Information on public or separate or private schools that serve a community. Universities and Colleges / Public Schools And Boards
SeparateSchools And Boards
Private Schools
French Schools
Universities
Colleges
Special Education / Programs that provide educational services including special placement and individualized programming, gifted programs, alternative education programs, instruction and/or support services for exceptional children, youth and/or adults, including those who have hearing impairments, visual impairments, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities or speech or language impairments and who need appropriately modified curricula, teaching methodologies and instructional materials in order to learn. / Early Identification Programs
Home Instruction
Public Special Schools
Transition Services for Students with Disabilities
Special Education Classes/Centres
Independent Living Skills Instruction
Special Education Assessments
Vocational Education
Literacy Programs / Programs that provide reading and writing instruction for individuals of all ages who are unable to read or write at a functional level. Some programs interpret literacy more broadly and also help people develop speaking, computation (numeracy) and problem solving skills with the objective of ensuring that they develop levels of proficiency they will need to become self sufficient and function well in society. / Adult Literacy Programs
Early Literacy Development Programs
Family Literacy Programs
Youth Literacy Programs
Literacy Testing
Libraries / Facilities which house a collection of materials including books, manuscripts, journals, government documents and non-print formats such as paintings, musical recordings, videotapes, films and data files on magnetic tape which are organized to provide physical, bibliographic and intellectual access to a targeted group of people and which generally make available staff to provide services and programs related to the information needs of the targeted group. / Public Libraries
Academic Libraries
Medical Libraries
Law Libraries
School Libraries
Special Libraries
Disability Related Libraries
Business Libraries
Adult Education Programs / Programs, usually offered by community adult schools or evening classes at local high schools, that provide instruction in fundamental learning skills for adults who have never attended school or have interrupted formal schooling and need to raise their level of education to increase their self-confidence and/or prepare for an occupation. Emphasis is placed on basic reading, language and mathematics. / Adult Basic Education
Continuing Education
Citizenship Education
Extension Education
GED, GMAT Instruction
AdultHigh School Diploma Programs
Tutoring and Homework Help / Programs that provide supplemental instruction for students who are having difficulty with their coursework or who want to supplementtheir regular educational program. / Tutoring Services
Homework Help Programs
Subject Tutoring

Health Care

CATEGORY / DEFINITION / EXAMPLES
Medical Clinics / Offices where the public can obtain medical services / Walk-In Clinics
Emergency Clinics
Community Health Clinics
Medical Information Lines / Information lines answered by health professionals who can answer questions and address health related concerns / Telehealth
AIDS And Sexual Health Info Line
ConnexOntario Health Information Services
Services Information
Mental Health Service Information
Therapy Supplies / Organizations or agencies that carry medical equipment and supplies needed on a temporary or permanent basis, either for loan, rental or purchase / Mobility Aids
Assistive Devices
Hospital Beds
Wheelchairs
Walkers
Commodes
Medical Equipment/Supplies
Incontinence Supplies
Ostomy Supplies
Respiratory Aids
Therapy Beds
Insulin Injection Supplies
Monitoring Equipment
Hospitals / Medical institutions that provide diagnostic and treatment services for people whose illnesses or injuries require that they occupy a bed for at least one night. May also include emergency care.
Hospitals can be distinguished by the level of care they offer (general acute, sub-acute, extended acute care) and the medical conditions in which they may specialize (specialty hospitals). / Children’s Hospitals
General Acute Care Hospitals
Psychiatric Hospitals
Specialty Hospitals
Emergency Departments
Outpatient Services
Health Organizations / Programs whose primary purpose is to help individuals and families achieve and maintain physical well-being through the study, prevention, screening, evaluation and treatment of people who have illnesses, injuries, disabilities or substance abuse problems; and the provision of family planning, maternity and other services that relate to human reproduction and sexual health. / Community Health Centres
General Health Education Programs
Public Health Nursing
Vaccine Information
Sexual Health Clinics
Wellness Programs
Breastfeeding Assistance
Pregnancy Testing
Prenatal Care
Childbirth Education
Communicable Disease Control
Nutrition Education

Mental Health and Addiction Counselling