Provincial Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee - Ontario

The Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committees (HSJCCs) were established in response to a recognized need to coordinate resources and services, and plan more effectively for people who are in conflict with the law. Priority consideration is for people with a serious mental illness, developmental disability, acquired brain injury, drug and alcohol addiction, and/or fetal alcohol syndrome. The committees were generated as a cooperative effort between the Ministries of the Attorney General, Community and Social Services, Children and Youth Services, Health and Long-Term Care, and Community Safety and Correctional Services. The two primary areas of emphasis for the committees are: to provide a planning table to bring together service providers to find solutions to the problem of the criminalization of people with the defined unique needs, and; to develop a model of shared responsibility and accountability in dealing with this group of individuals at points of intersection with the justice system. Regional committees were established to coordinate communication and service integration planning between health, criminal justice, and developmental service organizations within specific regions. Local committees provide input to these regional groups. The Provincial Committee, consisting of regional chairs and Ministry representatives, has been developed as a provincial planning body.