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Welcome, Cynthia Martineau

New CEO to lead Home and Community Care Support Services

November 19, 2021 – After a comprehensive, competitive search process for a permanent CEO to lead Home and Community Care Support Services, Chair Joe Parker, on behalf of the Board of Directors, is pleased to welcome Cynthia Martineau.

“Cynthia Martineau is a recognized health care leader who brings over 35 years of experience, skills and leadership,” said Parker. “At Home and Community Care Support Services our aim is both simple and ambitious — to ensure equitable and exceptional care, regardless of where they live across our province. We look forward to having Cynthia at the helm as we continue to work with system partners to transform home care to become a world leader for patients and their families.”

“Cynthia brings a wealth of health care knowledge and leadership experience to the CEO role. Her background in nursing and experience in key leadership roles in system planning and home and community care position her well to assume the CEO position at this important time,” explained Parker.

Cynthia will join Home and Community Care Support Services effective December 6th, 2021.

“Across the province home and community care plays a critical role in ensuring Ontarians remain safe and healthy, closer to home,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “I look forward to working with Cynthia as we continue to modernize and advance home and community care in Ontario to ensure a better, connected health care system focused on the needs of patients.”

Home and Community Care Support Services plays a vital role in Ontario’s health care system, ensuring people receive exceptional care – wherever they call home. Its focused mandate is to deliver excellence in home care and service delivery, as well as long-term care placement, and help in accessing services in the community.

Meeting local needs with provincial expertise, Home and Community Care Support Services is led by one CEO and Board. Its 14 geographies work together across the province to keep people healthier at home through connected, accessible, and patient-centred care and help them return home from hospital. As an organization it is advancing health system modernization by developing a consistent, modern home and community care delivery model to support integration through Ontario Health Teams.

“The road ahead is paved with opportunity and possibility and I’m proud to have been selected by the Board for this important role. Home and Community Care Support Services is an integral part of our health care system and relied upon by patients, families and caregivers across the province,” said Ms. Martineau. “I look forward to working with our leadership and governance team to ensure our organization is well-positioned to support our health system partners, our staff and the people we serve.”

On July 1, 2021, Donna Cripps was named Interim CEO to lead and refocus the organization under its renewed mandate until a permanent CEO could be hired. The Board extends its special thanks to Donna for her leadership during this pivotal time in the province of Ontario.

Quick Facts:

• In addition to members of the Board, two Patient Advisors were involved in the interviewing and selection process for the new, permanent CEO. Patient Advisor participation and voices ensure decision-making, at all levels within the organization, is centred on the needs of patients, families and caregivers.
• Home and Community Care Support Services’ name has changed but its care hasn’t. Formerly known as Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), it has a focused mandate to deliver home and community care, long-term care home placement, as well as help connecting with community services and primary care.
• Each year, 8,600 staff serve or support more than 674,000 patients of all ages.
• Every day, Home and Community Care Support Services provides: 22,000 nursing visits; 3,000 therapy visits; and 85,000 hours of personal support care.
• Find your local Home and Community Care Support Services here. To refer yourself or someone you know for care, call 310-2222 (English) or 310-2272 (French), no area code is needed.
• Read more about our Board of Directors, led by inaugural chair Joe Parker.

Backgrounder

• On Home and Community Care Support Services’ origin: On April 1, 2021, Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) began operating under a new business name, Home and Community Care Support Services, to reflect a focused mandate to deliver home care, long-term care placement services, and referrals to community services. On this same day, previous responsibilities for local health system funding and management was transferred to Ontario Health. A new governance model—with a cross-appointed Board and CEO for the 14 agencies—was introduced on July 1, 2021 as part of the government’s plan to modernize home and community care as part of an integrated health care system providing coordinated care for patients.

Cynthia Martineau’s Bio:

Cynthia has more than 35 years of clinical and health system leadership experience. She joined the former South East LHIN (now Ontario Health) in 2007. During her tenure, she served as Vice President responsible for Home and Community Care, as well as other senior leadership roles.

Cynthia assumed the role of Interim Regional Lead Ontario Health East/CEO Champlain, South East, Central East LHINs in January 2021 at the height of COVID-19 Wave 2, and led the region’s response to the pandemic while supporting three Home and Community Care organizations through their transition on July 1, 2021.

Prior to working with Ontario Health, Cynthia served as a nursing officer in the Canadian Forces in various roles from clinical care to operational deployment oversight of all aeromedical evacuations. After 21 years of proud service, she retired as the Commanding Officer of 24 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre.

Cynthia holds a Master of Sciences in Health Science as well as the CHE designation since 2003 with the Canadian College of Health Service Executives.

Media Contact 

Dave Richie 

Director, Transition Communications and Engagement 

dave.richie@hccontario.ca