Milestones
Click here for video (10mins) of history of the In Community.
In preparation for the celebration of The In Community (formerly DPCR)'s 50th Anniversary we put together a history of the agency from our humble beginnings through to The In Community as we are known today. We invite you to take a moment to peruse our milestones which provide insight into our shifting mandate and the pace of change.
1957: The Rehabilitation Institute of Ottawa (RIO) was founded. It's mandate - to meet the physical, social, and psychological and vocational needs of people with disabilities including a medical rehabilitation program; vocational assessment, training and job search assistance; research; collaborative planning with other community organizations; advocacy and fund-raising.
1971: The medical rehabilitation program was transferred to the Royal Ottawa Hospital. The RIO shifted its focus to the non-medical needs of people with disabilities and became a member agency of United Way/Centraide Ottawa.
1972: The Committee for Urban Transportation for the Disabled (CUTD) was founded by the Social Planning Council and the Ottawa Handicapped Association. CUTD set out to establish a publicly funded door to door transportation service for people who could not access conventional transit because of a physical disability.
1974: The Regional Government agreed to fund a partial transportation service. CUTD continued advocating for a comprehensive service, and assumed the role of monitoring the system, dealing with consumers concerns, and providing public education.
1975: Recognizing that a greater choice of housing was needed for people with disabilities, the Rehabilitation Institute of Ottawa presented a proposal to the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services as well as the Ontario Housing Corporation. RIO requested funding for a project in Ottawa to provide permanent, accessible, rent-geared-to-income housing and daily non-medical assistance to adults with physical disabilities in an integrated environment.
1976: RIO received a three year demonstration grant with funding for thirteen tenants with physical disabilities. In May of that year RIO's mandate was expanded to “organize and administer housing for the physically disabled in the community”. When this first housing project was established, RIO's Housing Committee members were concerned about the physical obstacles in the immediate community that had the potential to isolate the tenants. The Committee's intervention with the City of Ottawa and local businesses brought immediate results…curb cuts, ramps etc. These results provided the impetus for the monitoring of other environments and buildings.
CUTD came under the auspices of the RIO.
1978: The RIO Board established the Barrier-Free Environment (BFE) Committee. This committee is called upon by the community to conduct assessments on existing buildings and facilities and to provide expertise in the development of plans for buildings not yet under construction.
1980: RIO received funding for a second housing project in a different location for fourteen additional tenants.
1984: A third project opened for twelve additional tenants. The Integrated Housing Program now had the capacity to serve 39 individuals.
1987: The name of the Rehabilitation Institute of Ottawa was changed to Disabled Persons Community Resources (DPCR).
1989: DPCR received United Way/Centraide funding for a Community Resource Development Co-coordinator to develop a more comprehensive network of community-based programs for people with disabilities. The Community Resource Development Committee was established in late 1989 to direct this work.
1997: All DPCR programs were revised and amalgamated under one Executive Director.
1998: DPCR's new Respite Care Unit opens and receives its first client in September.
1999: The Barrier-Free Environment (BFE) Service completed an extensive assessment and report for the Rehabilitation Centre of Ottawa-Carleton.
2000: The BFE Service completed an extensive assessment and report for the Royal Ottawa Hospital. The DPCR's Respite Care Unit received core funding to provide independence and life skills training for young adults.
2001: DPCR was awarded the only designated community agency seat on the City of Ottawa's new Accessibility Advisory Committee.
DPCR received the United Way/Centraide Ottawa's Outstanding Community Service Provider of the Year Award.
Ministry of Health and Long Term Care commits to permanent funding for DPCR’s Community's Life Skills Program.
In response to the Para Transpo strike, DPCR spearheaded a community coalition of service providers within the disability community, identifying issues and coordinating urgently needed stopgap measures.
2002: The Resource Centre, a joint venture between the Rehabilitation Centre and DPCR funded by the Audette and Trillium Foundations, opened its doors in September.
The Community Coalition undertook the Partnering for Participation and Inclusion project, a consumer survey of individuals with physical disabilities or sensory impairments. The findings, published in Maximizing Our Assets, were released in November.
2003: The BFE Service completed extensive assessments and reports for The Ottawa Hospital, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Children's Treatment Centre.
2004: Early in the year DPCR engaged in its first formal strategic planning process. In addition, the agency developed a pilot project with University of Ottawa, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing students to research unmet health care needs of people with physical disabilities and secured operational funding to expand the supportive housing program to a fourth location.
2005: DPCR opened its fourth housing location as a congregate facility with the capacity to provide a higher level of physical care than in our other three locations.
2006: DPCR launched Ottawa's First Virtual Resource Centre for people with disabilities, www.disabilityinfo.ca an on-line website linking individuals/visitors to goods, services, facilities, programs and other resources currently available to people with disabilities living in or visiting the City of Ottawa. The information, found in searchable databases, contains over 1100 listings. The website was developed with a donation from TELUS and ongoing support is provided, in part, by United Way/Centraide Ottawa.
DPCR added two more supportive housing sites becoming the provider of the largest Supportive Housing Program in Eastern Ontario with six different locations.
DPCR now operates the only two community based respite care units for adults in Ottawa. These self-contained furnished apartments are available on a rental basis with access to 24 hour non-medical attendant care.
Special Needs Equipment Exchange Service (SNEES) – DPCR is asked to take over an existing program which recycles used special needs equipment to individuals with disabilities and their families.
DPCR published the "Healthcare Guide for People with Disabilities". This comprehensive guide assists people with physical disabilities access the primary health care system. It contains tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid common health problems. The guide also contains a description of routine medical tests and a list of Community Health and Resource Centres in the Ottawa Region.
The BFE Service completed an extensive BFE assessment of Carleton University Campus.
2007: DPCR, in partnership with Queen's University, embarked on a year long research study examining primary health care for individuals with physical disabilities.
DPCR was the host agency for Ottawa's 3rd “AccessAbility Day” in partnership with the City of Ottawa and United Way/Centraide Ottawa.
2008: DPCR received United Way/Centraide Ottawa's Community Builder Award for People with Disabilities in recognition of its leadership and excellence in service delivery and programs.
2009: After 50 years of service Disabled Persons Community Resources becomes The In Community. This new name – The In Community – was inspired by the theme we developed for our 50th anniversary… "Inclusion, Integration and Independence” and expresses our commitment to a strong, inclusive community in which people with disabilities are fully integrated, achieve their potential and realize their true capacity for independence.