Effective Tuesday, April 11th, 2023 our agency will be moving to a ‘mask-friendly’ environment which means staff and visitors will have a personal choice regarding whether they would like to wear a mask. Masks will continue to be available at our entrances for everyone.

This brief message from our Executive Director, Sandie Hoskin touches reviews OAP news, COVID-19 and Fundraising as we look ahead to the new year.

As of April, the Ontario Autism Program’s Urgent Response Service has been available. Children that are experiencing a specific, urgent need can access supports to help stabilize the situation, prevent crisis, and reduce the risk of the child harming themselves, others, and property.

Effective March 14th the Ontario government ended mandated vaccination policies for education, health and long-term care. At this time, @lrcssaba will be keeping our current protocols in place. The health and safety of our clients, caregivers and staff remain our top priority.

With the return of students to school; we are also going to start a gradual return of clients to service.

At this time we have decided to move to virtual/telehealth service and suspend all in-person service and move to virtual service effective Monday, January 10, 2022.

On Monday, January 3rd the Ontario Government returned our province to a modified step 2 of the COVID-19 recovery plan. Read our official response and how it could affect services.

Due to the high and rapid spread of the current variant please be advised that we are continuing to follow all Public Health protocols. Find out more about our response to growing concern over Omicron including changes to our COVID-19 screening process for staff and clients.

Executive Director, Sandie Hoskin looks ahead to the start of a new year.

The OAP Entry to School (ETS) program has been awarded to OAP-Durham. OAP-Durham (OAP-D) is a partnership between Lake Ridge Community Support Service (LRCSS)…..

As the province starts planning to reopen, so are we! We are looking forward to resuming our in-person services at our Lake Ridge locations.

On Thursday, May 13th our provincial government announced an extension to our current stay-at-home order. The order will now be in effect until June 2, 2021. Although this is news that many of us did not want to hear, we all want to continue to do our part to see the COVID case numbers decrease so we can open up safely and not return to another lockdown.

As we continue to navigate and monitor the COVID-19 situation in our province we will continue to offer virtual services through to May 20th, 2021. May 20th is when the current provincial stay-at-home order is in effect until.

On Friday, April 16, 2021, our Provincial Government introduced further restrictions across Ontario. At this time we have decided to suspend all in-person service. We will continue to monitor the situation in Ontario and provide another update, regarding service, by Friday, May 7, 2021.

Late this afternoon Premier Ford announced further restrictions within the province to work towards decreasing the COVID-19 cases.

As of 12:01 am Thursday, April 8, 2021, the Province of Ontario will be in a ‘stay at home’ order as announced by Premier Ford today. During this ‘stay at home’ order, Lake Ridge Community Support Services will remain open to continue offering both in-person and virtual services during this period.

Earlier this afternoon, Premier Ford announced that Ontario is implementing a “province-wide emergency brake” that will remain in place for the next four weeks.

Today our government announced that Durham Region school boards will be returning to in-person learning on Monday, February 8, 2021. In response to this announcement, Lake Ridge will also be working on returning to in-person service, based on appropriateness, effective Monday, February 8, 2021.

In order to be responsible and responsive to today’s announcement, Lake Ridge Community Support Services will be moving back to virtual services only, effective Thursday, January 14, 2021. Following public health and safety guidelines is a priority for our Agency as is the health and safety of our clients, families and staff. We want to continue to protect our clients, families and staff and help stop the spread of COVID-19.