H-CARDD envisions an Ontario in which individuals with developmental disabilities receive better health care services and improved overall health. Health care policy in Ontario promotes client-centred care that is high-quality, efficient, and based on research evidence. For example, Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care emphasizes the importance of becoming healthier and improving access to care. These priorities are especially relevant to individuals with developmental disabilities. They are more likely to have preventable health problems, have a harder time accessing primary and emergency care and have greater health care costs. It is not uncommon for them to fall through the cracks.
The work of H-CARDD is aligned with recent provincial policy including the Ontario Women's Health Framework, Open Minds, Health Minds: Ontario's Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions strategy, the Aging at Home Strategy, and the Joint Policy Guideline for the Provision of Community Mental Health and Developmental Services for Adults with a Dual Diagnosis. H-CARDD is also committed to health equity. Reflecting Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care, H-CARDD believes that individuals with developmental disabilities should have access to the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
