Long history behind BC’s group home cuts

UPDATED - July 31: Please visit our new Group Home Cuts Web page for more news and information on this issue

Sign the petition urging the province to halt the group home cuts and forced relocations !

Background

There has been ongoing and often intense pressure to close professionally-staffed group homes for adults with developmental disabilities in the province since 2001, when the BC Liberals took office.

While MOMS strongly supports personalized choices and efficient spending, the government's current actions are clearly not driven by the best interests of adults with developmental disabilities. BC's latest push to reduce quality, close group homes and forcibly relocate residents against their wishes poses grave risks to their safety and wellbeing, prompting growing alarm among families and community living advocates.

There are good reasons to offer alternatives, as group homes are not right for everyone. But despite government's protestations to the contrary, it has always been clear that the desire to reduce costs supercedes concerns about the risks of abuse, safety and individual wellbeing, and that both Community Living BC and the Province have repeatedly failed to be forthright about a series of initiatives aimed at reducing group home capacity.

Adults fight back to save their homes

The Victoria Times Colonist has been covering a nasty fight taking shape as Community Living BC has been strongly pressuring agencies to close group homes in an effort to find more than $20 million in savings.

Agencies and group home residents are complaining about strong-arm bully tactics by CLBC, as developmentally disabled adults are forced out of their homes, and with officials then lying to the public to cover up what's happening.

Here is a link to a U-Tube video: Save Our Group Homes

And some recent news coverage:

Victoria Times Colonist: BC government agency accused of duping public about group homes