|
| |
In March and April, MCFD Regional staff began reviewing
their budgets with service providers and projecting significant deficits that
would have to be resolved within this fiscal year. Cuts of 3% to 10% were
discussed in regions across the province. We began collecting evidence of
cuts on this website and posting people's stories so that advocacy could be
effective.
Updates:
 |
January 20, 2003: Co-Management Group posts
"Update on Service Strategies for
Community Living"
|
|
October 22, 2002: The Joint Budget Working Group released a summary of their report to the
Minister, outlining strategies for April 2003.
|
|
October 4, 2002:
Elaine Murray sent an e-mail to Regional Managers updating them on the CLTSC
process and giving them directions regarding budget plans.
|
|
July 12th, 2002: At the Community Living Transition Steering Committee (CLTSC)
meeting, a proposal was made to begin a plan to save 6% across the province in
Community Living, to prepare for April 1, 2003, when next year's budget is set
at $492 Million for Adult Community Living. See the
minutes of the July 12th CLTSC Meeting for more details.
|
|
May 17th, 2002: The Ministry for Children and Family Development agrees
to stop all regional deficit reduction planning.
See e-mail from Elaine Murray - MCFD for more
details.
|
As the new savings plan begins to be implemented, advocates
will have to be alert. The plan calls for consensus decision making, where
changes are agreed to by the individual, their family, the service provider and
the Ministry. If you need assistance with any situations, please write to
communications@communitylivingcoalition.bc.ca .
If there is to be a real transition to community
governance, then government must commit to making all policy decisions in
partnership within the community, not unilaterally.
The inclusion within the MCFD service plan of far-reaching policy and service
plans is completely inconsistent with transferring governance over community
living services to a community-based organization. In fact, the
Ministry is already making cuts and changes to programs across the province.
Below is a list of cuts and changes to programs that people from across the
province have contributed. These are not anonymous stories, but accounts
from families and service providers across the province. If you have more
information about a particular account, we would be pleased to clarify the
submission for accuracy's sake. Write to
communications@communitylivingcoalition.bc.ca to provide your account of
cuts or changes to community living services. Write or phone your MLA to
protest these cuts to services that are happening without community input and
without the approval of the legislature.
Facts
|
|
MCFD terminated the Provincial Monitoring Group's contract
as of June 30, 2002 |
|
|
On Vancouver Island according to XXXX the Ministry is looking
to save $11 million out of a $40 million budget this year. |
|
|
South Fraser region has a $2 million deficit on a $50 million budget. The
CL manager is meeting with all contracts individually looking for savings. |
|
|
Have
just been informed that all of my contracts will be cut by 25 percent....off
the top. Any contracts over 100,000 are to be cut. In the foster
care system, the level homes are going from child specific contracts to bed
specific....at a substantial decrease in contract amounts. Told that I will
have to submit a monthly accounts statement, will have to justify respite
usage or non usage. |
|
|
If any contract monies are returned to
the Ministry from their contractor for speech services in our area (if you
recall the kids are barely getting therapy in Coq., Poco and Pomo because
agency can't fill speech path positions) they will go towards the deficit,
not towards helping the kids access alternate private therapists or another
agency. |
|
|
I received information on a 44% cut to
supported child care in Campbell River. |
|
|
Many microboards report receiving contract renewals at the
same rate for a two year period |
|
|
We've heard from the MCFD office in Abbotsford that the
Ministry will look at adults living alone with highly funded contracts
moving into shared accommodations. |
|
|
In our region [capital], there has been a meeting with
contractors. There is a 4.9 m deficit in this region that Jane Cowell (our
RED) must submit a plan to address by April 1. In addition, there are 42
young people graduating from school who require a day service and we
(contractors) must provide the service without any new funding. If this is
not accomplished, Jane will retender all contracts. Pretty grim. |
|
|
"Region 'K' CLS has $2.5 million deficit which
will be addressed April 1st. Each contracted service will be cut by 8 to 9
per cent to cover deficit." - "Total value of all contracts will be reduced
by 23% by April 2005, and the number of agencies able to contract will be
reduced." |
|
|
Our regional manager just gave us 90 days to
wrap up a grant for specialised equipment design and manufacture
(Equipment Technician Program). This grant has been part of the program
since the early 80's. The program serves a wide variety of children and
adults. People will either be billed higher on their at home monies or
have to pay privately for the entire cost of equipment that is purpose
built. The grant will end mid June. No word on where the money will be
redistributed to.
|
|
|
I just received a letter from Victoria stating
that my daughter's dental and optical costs will no longer be fully
covered by the At Home Program. "Previously the Ministry of Human
Resources administered these benefits through Pacific Blue Cross." As of
April 1st 2002 they will be administered through the Medical Benefits
Program, MCFD. Now only the "extraordinary costs" due to her disability
will be covered. These include (and I quote from the document):
1. Dental benefits that are directly related to the child's disability and
are not met through another program or insurance plan. Maximum $700.00 per
year.
2. Orthodontic expenses that are directly
related to the child's disability, if the need is not met through another
program or insurance plan. Maximum $5,000.
3. Optical expenses that are related to the
child's disability if the need is not met through another program or
insurance plan. Prescription lenses and frames to a maximum $150 per year.
|
|
|
An ACL reports that its IACR (Intensive Adult Care Resource)
contracts were terminated. Fortunately, some of the funds were
negotiated into existing contracts to maintain the safety of the people in
the program, but $60,000 was cut. |
|
|
Agencies report that Ministry staff have approached them to
consider adding a fifth person to four person group homes, and have capital
funding available if renovations are necessary |
|
|
Children's services group homes were told by Child & Family
Services to cut 1/2 their staff immediately. The Community Living
Service branch of MCFD picked up some of the funding for the home to ensure
the safety of the children living in the home. |
|
| |
|
