BC government offers a cup of tea to douse a raging kitchen fire
$6 million won't stop group home closures, cuts, waitlists or growing safety risks
The BC government today announced $8.9 million in new funding to address the crisis in community living.
The announcement follows a recent statement from the BC Community Living Action Group (CLAG) , based on analysis of CLBC's own data, which showed that an immediate injection of $70 million is required just to cover the unfunded needs of some 1,400 new adults who qualified for CLBC services in for 2010 and 2011 -- a period during which CLBC's budget has been frozen.
CLBC projects a similar net increase in demands for 2012 and 2013, although its budget has been frozen by the provincial budget until 2014.
This growing funding gap explains the growing crisis in community living since 2010. Families are facing tremendous pressures and anxiety due to growing waitlists. CLBC's solution has been to "rob Peter to pay Paul" (for example by forcing adults out of group homes or clawing back services) in order to crisis-manage only the most urgent "health and safety" needs.
Back to the government announcement, actually only $6 million of that is new funding, as $2.9 million refers to previously-committed funding (the 2-year old Personalized Supports Initiative) to provide support for young adults in crisis who are not eligible for CLBC services (e.g. youth in foster care with FASD or autism who are released into the community with absolutely no support after age 19).
The province and CLBC claim the $6 million will provide "new and additional supports and services" for 540 people.
The reality is rather more stark.
CLAG revs up campaign as Premier, Bloy refuse to meet/address growing crisis
The BC Community Living Action Group (BC CLAG ), the unprecedented partnership of family groups (including MOMS), agencies, employees and self-advocate organizations formed to fight the BC government's devastating cuts and "service redesign," has issued an important update and appeal for support today.
The changes being implemented by CLCB are drastically eroding many critical provincially-funded community living services that are supposed to support adults with dev. disabilities over age 19 and their families.
Extensive community consultations resulted in a consensus report and recommendations issued by BC CLAG last April. Premier Christy Clark, Minister Harry Bloy and CLBC's leadership have all refused to acknowledge the concerns or the recommendations outlined in that report. Since March 2011, BC CLAG has repeatedly asked Minister Bloy and Premier Clark to meet urgently with us to discuss the systemic concerns and our recommendations to stem the growing crisis. Both have declined so far to meet with BC CLAG.
In light of the Premier's refusal to engage or address the growing concerns, the BC CLAG partners have continued to meet and strategize on next steps. We are committed to stepping up the pressure on the BC Premier and her government, until she acknowledges and responds to the very serious crisis unfolding in our province.
Meanwhile, the news media continue to highlight the plight of adults and families. MOMS applauds the many families and stakeholders who have been stepping forward and sacrificing their families' privacy in order to alert the public to what is happening.
Now we need your help to support the next phase of our province-wide campaign. Please read the BC CLAG Update to see what you can do.
Thanks to all those who are standing up with us to emphasize that adults with developmental disabilities and their families are valued citizens who deserve to live meaningful lives, safely, in dignity and with the respect and support of their own communities.
Dawn & Cyndi, MOMS
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Unresolved complaints highlight need for independent Rep for adult services
We have received a number of enquiries recently from families expressing alarm and frustration with the failure of CLBC's complaints resoultion mechanisms. I thought it might be helpful to share a recent question received via our Website, along with some helpful advice kindly provided by BCACL staff and others, along with links/resources that others may find useful.
QUESTION: "Does CLBC allow outside (CLBC Quality Control) non-partial investigations into abuse and if so how do I make a request for one? I requested an investigation by CLBC Quality Control but was told I couldn’t access the results. They also have not done a proper investigation because they have not contacted anyone directly involved (ie: witnesses). Any ideas would be appreciated."
MOMS RESPONSE: I discussed your question with staff at the BC Association for Community Living, who have a better understanding of the legal & policy requirements than we do, and here is the response:
“My experience with investigations of abuse is that the third party should be the RCMP or local police. Once there is the involvement of police all other processes should stop pending the outcome. If you feel that the CLBC investigation has not been sufficient and you have concerns about harm done and/or safety of a person then involving the police is appropriate. The involvement of the police is not a matter of choice for CLBC or any other body, agency or service provider.”
UPDATE: Here's some additional advice from another veteran service provider:
Autism groups debate Province’s $20M investment in a provincial autism centre
A major debate is underway among BC autism groups and organizations over the Province’s plans to invest $20 million to help construct a new building in Vancouver to house a proposed provincial autism centre (Pacific Autism Family Centre or PAFC).
Last week, we circulated a position paper from BCACDI, which represents agencies and providers for early intervention services across BC, urging the Province to undertake a needs assessment to determine the best way to allocate available Provincial dollars -- a suggestion that has attracted significant comment. We've been urged to share the various perspectives via our networks to test the community pulse, so please share this link!
B ACKGROUND: When the proposal was made public in 2008, a poll of over 500 families in MOMS & other autism networks indicated:
- Strong preference that the promised provincial investment address program/service gaps vs. to construct a new building;
- Process concerns (no public consultation, needs assessment and/or competitive bidding);
- Strong concern that investing in a physical Vancouver centre was not conducive to supporting home- and community-based services, especially for rural communities
- Some felt that new investments should address gaps for other special needs as well.
After we shared this feedback with govt and PAFC’s principals, we were excluded from further community discussions as project development got underway.
In 2010, we received internal Govt documents about PAFC. After extensive further research & advice, we issued a statement noting information given to families during PAFC’s provincial consultations was not consistent with plans that government was discussing internally. Of particular concern were plans to use existing autism program budgets to subsidize PAFC’s operating costs. Ministry officials warned this would reduce access & effectiveness & increase waitlists for diagnosis, for example.
MOMS Open Letter: Questions re service plans for children with special needs
The following is an open letter that MOMS sent today to the Premier and Ministers Coleman and Polak, with copies distributed widely. We encourage families and other stakeholders to share their own views on this issue directly with the Ministers responsible and their MLAs:
MOMS Open Letter: Important questions re service plans for children with autism and other disabilities in BC
October 7, 2010
MOMS has recently been asked to circulate notices from provincial gov't officials and a private consulting firm about consultations (focus groups, advisory bodies and an online survey) to guide the development of the Pacific Autism Family Centre (PAFC), described by its proponents as a "community-driven" initiative to establish a "knowledge centre assessible to all British Columbians affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities ."
Having confirmed that these consultations are not being conducted under the auspices of MCFD or the provincial government, MOMS has advised MCFD that we would only support and participate in official Ministry consultations governed by provincial requirements for accountability, due process and transparency.
The purpose of PACF and how the Province plans to utilize it to change the way children with special needs and their families are served in BC are questions whose answers continue to be vague, contradictory and ever-shifting. MOMS now has important new details, based on internal government discussions which highlight disturbing contradictions. Below, we've attempted to sum up key issues in the hope of persuading the Provincial government to establish a more transparent context for evaluating and offering advice on this plan than has been the case to date.
UPDATE: Group home cuts
We continue to receive extremely disturbing reports from families, staff, agencies and other community advocacy groups about what's being described as a "vicious" and "clandestine" cost-cutting push to close group homes and relocate current residents to less costly, informal living arrangements.
Three particularly disturbing aspects have emerged: 1) There appears to be great urgency on CLBC's part to accomplish as many moves and closures as possible over the summer months before families and the public even realize what's going on; 2) CLBC is ordering service reductions with far-reaching implications based on a draft policy that has not even been formally approved or announced, raising questions about potential legal challenges; and 3) MCFD has a similar cost-cutting process underway to close children's group homes and relocate youths with very complex needs to foster care.
See a report revealing the children's closures from the Victoria Times Colonist : Ministry closing children in care homes
Op Ed: Costs of cutting social services
The following is an excellent Op-Ed published couple weeks ago in the Victoria Times Colonist . Sadly the 2010 Provincial budget presented March 3 promises exactly the sort of short-sighted, "penny wise, pound foolish" cuts that Ms Charlesworth warned against.
Cutting social services won't pay benefits
Slashing government programs will push up health-care costs
By Jennifer Charlesworth, Special to Times Colonist
February 17, 2010
An economist with one of Canada's big banks commented to media last month that health-care spending is the budgetary equivalent of Pac-Man, "eating everything else in people's budgets."
In B.C., health-care spending has risen almost 50 per cent in the last eight years and accounts for more than 40 per cent of all provincial expenditures. In Canada, the $128 billion a year spent on health care consumes 12 per cent of the national GDP.
Is that simply the price we have to pay for good health?
In a word, no. For many years, researchers have studied the factors in a person's life that determine good health. They concluded long ago that a good health-care system is by no means the only requirement -- in fact, it's just a quarter of the story. Read more
Update on MCFD restructuring & budget
The Ministry for Children & Families, which now has responsibility for managing and funding all out-of-school services and supports for children and youth with special needs, faces significant challenges in the year ahead.
Despite promises to protect the budgets for special needs, senior Ministry staff have confirmed that unfunded new costs and rising demands will further strain existing services. On top of this, the Ministry is in the midst of another major restructuring, which includes integrating special needs services with other children's services in a new regional management framework.
MOMS was invited to a meeting on February 15 for an update on Ministry plans and challenges. Our unofficial report on the discussion can be found here . We will continue to share any further information or updates as they reach us and welcome first-hand reports from families about how the restructuring and budget challenges may be affecting them personally.
BC professionals condemn autism cuts
As Victoria parents prepared for a candlelight vigil at the Legislature Monday Feb 1 to mourn the Province's closure of critical autism early intervention programs, the BC Association for Behaviour Analysis -- the equivalent of the BC Medical Association -- issued a lengthy position statement criticizing these and other recent autism policy changes.
The Association calls for significant increases to the current autism funding levels for preschoolers, for funding to be tied to individual need, and for restoration of the direct funding option for families. It also strongly condemned the lack of consultation over the controversial changes announced by Children's Minister Mary Polak last fall.
"Many people in the Autism community were shocked and disturbed by the closure of all of the EIBI programs and the funding structure changes," the BC ABA statement reads. "...Furthermore, discussions with stakeholders might have resulted in a more sound decision on how to achieve province-wide, equitable access to services for individuals with ASD."
The BC ABA joins parents, advocacy groups and other professionals who have universally panned the province's abrupt autism policy changes, stating that the new provincial funding formula for preschoolers with autism " is not sufficient to purchase intensive behavioural therapy at the level (25-40 hours per week) which research has shown to be effective ." The Association cites the example of other Canadian provinces that fully fund the costs of early intervention, noting that "given the discrepancy between provincial funding and the actual costs of implementing an intensive ABA program, few children in British Columbia will likely receive the intensity of treatment that has been empirically shown to improve the core characteristics of Autism ." (Emphasis added)
Victoria Vigil for lost children’s programs
Next Monday Victoria families will hold a
candlelight vigil
at the Legislature to protest the closure of the province's critical early intervention programs for autism (see notice below).
Children's Minister Mary Polak stopped funding the province's EIBI programs last fall to save $1.5 million annually, despite the desperate pleas of families and many studies confirming that these programs are hugely effective, saving on average $3 - 5 million PER CHILD in net lifetime costs to society (for more details and sources, see our EIBI Facts ).
As a result, at least 70 BC children per year will be denied the intensive early behaviour intervention that provided the only hope for these children and their families of a near-normal life, unless they can afford to privately pay tens of thousands annually to top up inadequate subsidies and susbstitute programs to replicate the benefits that only a full EIBI program can offer.
These children join thousands more in BC who are already being denied access to the early intervention supports and programs that they need, due to foolish and short-sighted policies that place enormous and unnecessary strains on other provincial services, such as education, health care, welfare, community living, social housing, justice, etc etc....
Minister Polak and her colleagues also ordered the closure of a series of other cirtical children's programs (which collectively don't put the tiniest dent in the current provincial deficit). These include the provincial Infant Development , Supported Child Care and Aboriginal Supported Child Care program, the Roots of Empathy program, FASD prevention, child and youth mental health and more - all of which will directly impact children and create significantly higher long-term costs than the meagre short-term budgetary savings.
These actions cruelly target the province's most vulnerable children and directly violate Premier Campbell's 2005 promise to build "the best system of supports in Canada for children with special needs."
Your support
We invite families outside of Victoria who can't make it to the vigil to show their support by signing and circulating our petition calling on Premier Campbell to honour his promises to BC's children with special needs and/or by writing their MLAs to remind them that BC families will not rest until these and other programs are restored, and that all children with special needs are able to get the basic help and support they need - in a timely manner and in a form that respects their individual needs and those of their families.
The petition can be accessed online here .
Find out more and support the ongoing FAIR campaign to restore EIBI programs on Facebook