What is CCAC / Home and Community Care Support Services?

Home and Community Care Support Services, known locally as HCCSS and historically as the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), is the provincial agency that manages access to home care and community services across Ontario. In the South West region covering London and surrounding areas, HCCSS acts as the main coordinator between seniors and families seeking care and the providers who deliver it.

The organization handles several core functions that affect aged care in the community. It processes referrals for home care services, including nursing, personal support, and therapy. It manages the waitlist and placement process for long-term care facilities in the region. It also coordinates care plans and connects residents with appropriate service levels based on their assessed needs.

For London, Ontario residents and their families, HCCSS is typically the entry point for accessing publicly funded home and community care. Whether someone needs help at home after a hospital stay or is exploring long-term care options, HCCSS assessment and coordination determines eligibility and arranges services. Contact with HCCSS begins with a referral from a doctor, hospital discharge planner, or by self-referral, after which a care coordinator assesses needs and builds a support plan. This coordination role makes HCCSS central to how older adults in the region navigate the continuum of care from independence to facility-based support.