Table of Contents

Client Service

Funded Programs

Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

ABA Classroom

Fee based Program

Growth & Innovation

AGENCY Growth & Development

Research & Grants

Leadership Team

Executive Team

Management Team

Our Strategic Plan was developed in 2022.  Part of the first year of the plan included expanding our leadership team to respond to our growth and ensure we continue to meet the demands of our clients and and the families we serve. Our leadership team now includes:

The past year has presented us with opportunities for growth and unexpected hurdles, and I share this update with humility and transparency. Despite our best efforts and strategic planning, we faced a deficit that tested our resilience and commitment to our mission. While this news may come with a feeling of disappointment, we believe in fostering open communication and accountability within our community.

Our team's dedication and unwavering determination have shone brightly throughout our financial challenges. We have implemented cost-saving measures, reevaluated our financial strategies, and leveraged our team to understand and develop innovative approaches to optimize our resources. These efforts have not only mitigated the impact of the deficit but have also positioned us for growth and success in the future.

Despite the financial challenges, we have continued to uphold our core values and mission of providing innovative, high-quality behaviour therapy services that are evidence-based and individualized to meet the specific and evolving needs of children, youth, and adults. 

Our fee based services continued to see adjustments to funding availability, which created uncertainty about how we were operating this service and what we needed to learn and shift to continue it.  The greatest growth continues to provide additional opportunities to learn and lead in ways that require a different alignment to our strategic initiatives and our planning and execution to meet the needs of our clients.

Our core programs continued to be successful over the past year. The Entry to School, Urgent Response, and Foundation Family Services all saw impact and successes for those who participated in these programs. Our adult services also saw a successful year serving over 265 clients. We continued to see growth and development for clients, caregivers, and our community.

We are grateful for the grants we received this past year.  We had 2 Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grants.  One OTF grant was for a washroom renovation completed last spring; the other was our Facing Your Fears service grant, which completed its 3-year program in November.  We are very appreciative and thankful for the support from OTF for both of these opportunities.  We also received a Workforce Capacity grant from the Ministry of Children Community and Social Services, where we partnered with Durham College to develop a hands-on training program for students to prepare them for a career in the field of behaviour analysis. Thank you to our supporters and employees who helped implement these grants.

Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic about the future. We recognize that the road to recovery may be gradual, but we are confident in our ability to adapt, innovate, and thrive in the face of adversity. With the unwavering support of our employees, Board of Directors, and community, we are committed to overcoming challenges, optimizing opportunities, and continuing to work towards our vision of an inclusive community where everyone can thrive.

In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each member of our team, our dedicated Board of Directors, our generous donors/sponsors, and our community for their commitment, support and invaluable contributions. Together, we are working through the challenges and emerging stronger, more resilient, and more united.

Thank you for your continued trust, support, and belief in our mission. As we progress with our journey, I am confident that we will continue positively impacting the lives of those we serve and connect with.

Client Service

Funded Programs 

Child and Adult Funded Services

The Funded team continues to be highly motivated to deliver high-quality service to our clients, families and community.   Daily, our team focuses on individualized goals that are meaningful to each client.  Through Adult Education Groups, we offer the opportunity for individuals to explore topics such as Anger Management, Adapted Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Healthy Sexuality, Building Lasting Friendships, and Dating 101. 

This past year, our team familiarized themselves with MCCSS's strategic priority, Journey to Belonging, specifically focusing on how to implement it within our adult services business.

As a result, in 2023-24, we set strategic priorities to increase efficiencies in our intake and service delivery phases to increase capacity.

Funded Program Statistics

Adult & CHILDREN/YOUTH Funded Program Statistics

Client Service

Ontario Autism Program

Entry to School Program

Client Service

ABA Classroom

Over this academic year (September 2023 - June 2024), we welcomed four new students into the program, including two grade nine students, and two grade ten students from four different community schools within Durham Region. Students in this program focused on goals that targeted behaviours that have interfered with them accessing or completing the Ontario curriculum, including task initiation and engagement, social skills, self-regulation, and self-advocacy (understanding what they need and asking for it). Each student was successful in earning credits toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. This ABA Classroom has empowered the students with new skills they can successfully use when transitioning back to their community schools.

Client Service

Fee Based Program

LRCSS continues to grow and evolve as our community needs change in the new Ontario Autism Program. We are proud of the success of our current clients and families and happy to have many of them back with us for another round of service. We are also excited to build new relationships with new families who come through our doors. 

We are proud of our intake and coordination team, who have helped us successfully transition our waitlist to an email list where all families have equal opportunity to choose a package of available services when they are ready and willing to start. 

We continue to offer focused, consultative and group services.  Our group services included fee based groups for children, youth and adults focusing on a variety of topics from social and communication skills to relationships and emotional regulation.

We announced a new service, the S.A.F.E. HUB: Sexuality Awareness for Everyone. Our S.A.F.E. HUB is a collection of individualized, group, caregiver and professional services designed to promote sexual education and overall well-being for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Fee Based Service Statistics

Financial Statements

2023-2024 Financials

The financials pertain to the fiscal year from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Our subsidized programs are operating effectively and efficiently. We are progressing in the development of our fee-based program to ensure sustainability moving forward. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our mission, vision, and values, and are confident in the measures we will implement in the upcoming fiscal year to achieve our goal of financial sustainability.

Growth & Innovation

Agency Growth & Development

Growth & Innovation

Research & Grants

Ontario Trillium Fund Grow Grant-Facing Your Fears (FYF)

This fiscal year, we wrapped up the final year of our Facing Your Fears program, which was funded through an Ontario Trillium Fund Grow Grant. Over the grant's three years, we have provided high-quality group treatment for 67 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their caregivers in Durham Region.

We provided service to 67 families

Through the data collected via evaluation measures, we demonstrated that the telehealth  Facing Your Fears curriculum resulted in increased use of emotional regulation skills and was effective at reducing symptoms of anxiety for children. We also built caregiver capacity by providing parent training on promoting emotional regulation and social skills at home and in the community; allowing participants to develop and practice practical lifelong skills related to their emotional, social and mental well-being.

Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant

Thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous grant, which has enabled us to embark on an exciting renovation project to revitalize our washroom facilities. Although our existing facilities were diligently cleaned and maintained, they became worn and outdated. As a nonprofit organization, bathroom renovations were never a top priority due to limited resources. However, thanks to the grant and the dedicated efforts of Right Choice Renovations Inc., we provided our clients and staff with a more welcoming and rejuvenated space.

Workforce Capacity Grant

We created a six-month Internship Program in conjunction with Durham College’s Behavioural Science’s Bachelor’s Program (BScBA). Over a six-month period, students from the BScBA would learn to implement ABA with children and youth receiving services through the OAP program under the supervision of trained Board Certified Behaviour Analysts (BCBA), and Registered Behaviour Technicians (RBT) employed full-time by Lake Ridge Community Support Services.  Ten clients were served through this Internship Program. 

Participation in the Internship Program allowed students to meet the following learning otcomes:

• Implement ABA principles and procedures with support in an individual and/or group setting to support client learning and development.

• Communicate effectively in oral, written, and electronic forms to enhance the quality of service through exposure to tasks like supervision meetings, skill-based program writing, and report writing.

• Practice ongoing self-evaluation of knowledge and skills and identify areas for professional development.

Upon completion, the program successfully saw two iterations, during which 12 students were trained in total, and three were hired as behaviour technicians.

What participants said

Agency Highlights

Recognizing Our Employees

Leadership Award - Cody Lamb

This year, the Leadership team created a new award called the Leadership Award.  The intent of this award is to acknowledge and celebrate an employee's commitment to the mission, vision and values of Lake Ridge Community Support Services. This award recognizes a staff member who demonstrates a commitment to professional growth and teamwork and provides leadership to their team that is impactful, effective, and motivational.

Cody Lamb was the first recipient of this award.  He upholds a high standard of integrity in the services he provides, approaches all new opportunities with a growth mindset, and is always willing to collaborate for better outcomes for all. 

Cody has shown continued enthusiasm and positivity throughout the year.  He is appreciative and excited about changes, often lends a perspective to small and big decisions, is accommodating and flexible, is often seen helping out where help is needed, and is an approachable person to work with.  Cody, at times, goes under the radar for the impacts he makes across teams and the Agency.  Thank you, Cody for the continued impact you have!

Congratulations Cody Lamb!

Culture and Spirit Award - Davida Trotta

The Culture and Spirit Award was created in 2018 to recognize staff who embody and consistently demonstrate the culture and spirit of Lake Ridge Community Support Services.  Some of the criteria for this award include:

• Reminds others of their strengths; is supportive and helpful to others

• Creates, promotes and participates in activities that foster the Lake Ridge culture

• Performs above and beyond normal expectations to benefit the community at Lake Ridge

Davida Trotta was the 2023 recipient of the Culture and Spirit Award. With her infinite enthusiasm and positivity, Davida was influential in maintaining positive morale at her location within the ETS program. She consistently lifts her teammate's spirits by reminding them of the important work they are doing, highlighting client 'wins,' and offering them additional support when needed. Davida makes work a fun place to be (and makes the classroom a fun place for the kids too!) and her zest for life is absolutely contagious! Everyone should have the chance to work with her. 

Davida’s responsibilities within the ETS program included most of the classroom's day-to-day activities. She also went above and beyond her job expectations in a variety of ways. For example, she trained a summer staff with no prior ABA experience, focusing on breaking down concepts and protocols into plain language.  She also worked to build the capacity of her other team members by mentoring them through the completion of novel tasks. 

Davida is always eager to share the knowledge she has accumulated over the years and does so in a way that ignites passion and confidence in her peers. Many of her team members met their goals this year with her support!!

All members of her team cited her as a primary contributing factor to their 10/10 job satisfaction rating during supervision meetings. She fosters a workplace environment that values all parties' contributions, celebrates each team member's strengths, and encourages a bit of silliness!

Congratulations Davida!

Jim Reaume Award - Karen Chartier

In December 2013, the Jim Reaume Award was introduced at Lake Ridge Community Support Services. This award recognizes an employee who meets one or all of the below requirements:

• The Candidate is committed to providing quality service, and this is recognized in their day-to-day interactions with their clients

• The Candidate purposefully seeks out opportunities for furthering their knowledge in the field of ABA

• The Candidate facilitates or participates in evaluation research

Karen Chartier started her journey at LRCSS in our CBT Program, with an interest and specialization in communication training. Over the years with Lake Ridge she has grown and has extensive clinical expertise and knowledge in Adult services and a commitment to supporting individuals who are hard to serve. Karen also has extensive experience building and maintaining relationships with community partners to better serve the needs in the Durham region.

Karen has a passion for expanding clinical services and sparking innovative and outside-the-box ideas. This is evidenced by her support of numerous grant applications, many of which successfully enhanced services at LRCSS and sustained staffing. She chairs and participates in various internal and external committees and working groups to support organizational initiatives as well as regional and provincial mandates.

Karen is enthusiastic about networking with other community agencies and professionals at the regional, provincial, and even international levels to provide outreach and educational opportunities. She is open to supporting her staff, maintains an open-door policy, and welcomes on-the-spot consultation/brainstorming to better serve our clients.  Karen can think outside the box to support clients in accessing services; when ABA is not the right fit, she has lots of knowledge of other community supports clients may be able to access.

Karen has also contributed to the body of literature and research, with publications in the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science and the Journal on Developmental Disabilities. She influenced and contributed to the professional development of a large team of Clinical Managers and Administrative Staff while balancing a large portfolio and supporting the many transitions and transformations the organization has experienced over the years. This support has been instrumental behind the scenes in making these transitions successful for the staff, clients, and community we serve.

Karen is valued for her unwavering support and guidance and for staying true to LRCSS’s mission & values. With over 30 years of dedicated service at LRCSS, her wisdom and leadership have been invaluable to this organization and are beyond measure; she will be greatly missed as she prepares, in the spring, for her next life chapter of retirement. 

Congratulations Karen!!

Length of Service Awards

Starting in 2013, each year Lake Ridge Community Support Services recognizes staff who have reached a significant milestone in their years of service with the Agency. LRCSS truly values all of its staff and is very proud to have such dedicated employees with high levels of experience and knowledge. The following staff were acknowledged this year for their years of service:

Agency Highlights

Committees

COLLABORATION is a core value at LRCSS. Through our committees we connect to the families we serve, our partners and to our community all in service to our vision of a world where everyone can thrive.

Family Engagement Committee

Over the past year, we established a Family Engagement Committee. This committee was developed to support, encourage, and enhance inclusive, intentional, authentic, and effective partnerships with individuals and families to help children, youth, adults, and their families and caregivers thrive. These partnerships will involve positive, ongoing, and goal-oriented communication that will inform decisions about our innovative and high-quality behaviour therapy services. We look forward to next year when we aim to amplify the family voice in all our endeavours.

Thank you to our wonderful corporate and individual supporters

Agency Highlights

Operations

Agency Highlights

Brokerage

Lake Ridge Community Support Services (LRCSS) continued to broker funds for Sunrise Developmental Support Services (SunriseDSS).

SunriseDSS had a successful year with the Day Program. With the decrease of COVID-19 restrictions, the Day Program reintroduced community outings.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of reliable and cost-effective transportation, community outlines had to be limited to once per month.

The Day Program has four full-time staff and seven on-call staff who ensure that SunriseDSS provides outstanding support and exceptional programming for all members. The addition of the newly renovated kitchen from the Ontario Trillium Foundation grant allowed for many exciting programs, such as increased life skills, cooking/baking programs, and independence in the kitchen.

SunriseDSS continued to have 28 members (7 full-time, 21 part-time). The program was able to accept 4 new members for the day program, and 2 members decided to move on either due to health issues or other opportunities. The Day Program continues to have an extensive waitlist, allowing spots to be filled immediately.  In August 2023, the Virtual Day Program was discontinued due to low attendance and loss of funding.

A new service was created in response to the Day Program’s lengthy waitlist and closure of the Virtual Day Program.  In September 2023, the Community Pilot Project was implemented.  This program takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Iroquois Sports Centre and Lake Vista Clubhouse and provides a combination of in-house programming and various community outings.  The program hopes to remove many barriers, such as access to transportation and community inclusion. The program is facilitated by two staff and supports 8 members each day.  The program, although highly successful, is struggling to keep the program affordable.

The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Service (MCCSS) annually funds $71,241 to offset the cost of $204,682 to operate the day program and the balance is paid through member fees.

Durham Staff Training Committee

LRCSS also brokers the Durham Staff Training Committee fund. This fund enables developmental service agencies to plan and access additional training throughout the year. The training committee continued to adapt and organize many virtual training events to support learning and development for all staff across the sector.  Some training was also offered in person, where appropriate. Topics offered over the past year included Developmental Disabilities and Addictions training, dementia training, Trauma and Care for front line staff, skill development for challenging behaviour, and person-directed planning.  Over the past fiscal year, 359 Durham Region staff received training through MCCSS funding of $40,000.

Agency Highlights

Partnerships and Collaboration

Lake Ridge Community Support Services continues to partner and collaborate with many agencies to provide services and education. These partnerships allow us to continually engage and improve service for everyone to have the opportunity to reach their unique potential. Collaborating with our partners also allows us to continue to develop and engage in research opportunities to inform the future. Thank you to our community partners.