Definition:
A classification by provincial service category (PSC) of the client’s referral to a program and or service at an external agency that is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to provide that service.
Guide for Use:
The information being sought is each client referral your agency has made to external agencies over the course of the client’s admission to your agency prior to discharge. In this instance the external agency is funded by the MoHLTC (Ministry of Health and Long Term Care) to provide that services and or program. Agency staff select the PSC of each external agency’s program/service the client is being referred to. Referral involves directing the client to another source for service, guidance or assistance. Substance abuse and problem gambling treatment functional centers (FC) are the groupings of services based on their characteristics, and are a way of classifying individuals utilizing services that forms the basis for Agency funding from the MoHLTC.
For example: When you referred a client for Residential Withdrawal Management Services and contacted the agency setting up an appointment and giving this information to the client then this would be considered a referral to Residential Withdrawal Management Services and thus a Referral to Participating Agency. However if you simply mentioned that the client should seek admission to a Residential Withdrawal Services and did not provide them with the appropriate information, then this would not be considered the type of formal referral being requested. This data element should be recorded in conjunction with the data element Date of Outgoing Referral. Type 99 if no referral made, is collected into a separate text box by the database. If the field is leftblank it creates problems for agencies who wanted to distinguish those cases in which no referrals were actually made versus those instances where staff just didn't record referrals. If Referral Type = 1 (agency is DATIS-participating) then this field is required; Otherwise if Referral Type = 0 (agency is not DATIS-participating) then the value in this field should be null.
Context:
This information:
- Is used to identify the patterns of client referral/movement between substance abuse and or problem gambling treatment agencies funded by MoHLTC to provide substance abuse and or problem gambling treatment services.
- Assists agencies to gain an understanding of the relationships that they have with other MoHLTC funded treatment providers and any gaps that may exist in their district or regional networks.
- Creates a picture of treatment services pathway that may be required so that the client can meet their goals and objectives in the recovery process. One way to report on client activities is by the type of services the clients receives. Another way to report is by the functional centre assigned to the staff person who provides the services. OHRS is concerned with the latter while DATIS’ mandate is to report by the former employing the provincial service categories. The FC reporting is concerned with funding and expense distribution, while the PSC reporting is concerned with the types of services that are needed and provided to clients.
