Coalition Meeting Minutes

December 16, 2004

Introductions were made around the room.  Christmas Treats and Egg Nog were available.

1. Woodlands / Willow Closure celebration:  Event was poorly publicized and discouraging in its messaging.  There were lots of former staff and MCF executive and only a few families and individuals who lived at Woodlands or Willow.  It seemed more mournful than celebratory. 
2. CLBC Board Meetings: Coalition has had observers at the last three meetings - Family member, Self-Advocate & Service Provider: Gerry Juzenas reported that the meeting proceedings were often cryptic - not much clear explanation of what was being discussed.  Cathy Grant reported that the budget discussions were frightening - particularly the impact that Treasury Board can have on her life.  Jordan Thurston reported from his notes that Phil Goodman is off on leave and the board will confirm his status in the New Year.  Bert Boyd is back to assist Wrenn Weston from MCFD with Devolution.  Carol Goozh was introduced to the board.  She talked about MCF staff being ready for the transition and wanting to get on with it.  Carol presented an update on the Children's project.  She stated that staff's primary concerns are transitions for children turning 19, adequate funding for people requiring services, and lack of information on the transition process.  Wrenn commented on the need to keep the Children's project within the overall framework of the Transition project and that the Children's project shouldn't get too far ahead.  Children's project has developed a checklist to identify where a child will be served - MCFD or CLBC.    Paula Grant was present on conference call - she talked about eligibility and contract forms.  Health & Safety policy from August 2004 is entirely driven by need to control funding.  There is a feeling of constant oversight of MCFD by Treasury Board.  There was discussion of people with developmental disabilities who have forensic psychiatric issues - can CLS taken on the responsibility for protecting the community.  How many people in this category?  14 - 50 people at Forensic Psychiatric Institute in Coquitlam.  Do social workers have to make judgements on the appropriate level of support required?  There was discussion of Shelley Gilberg's role in contract management.  MCFD research projects discussed - four projects which will go to RFQ - exploring family care options, achievement centres vs. Day Programs, and family care models in Newfoundland and Ontario.  They said they already knew the answers, but hadn't looked at what people are really doing these days.  CLBC board asked why these projects were coming forward within MCFD without CLBC involvement?  Total funding for the research would be $350,000.00.  The projects are necessary to respond to Treasury Board pressures.  Wrenn & Bert provided a project plan update.  Summary: MCFD running the show - the Board being left out of decisions, Community goals being ignored and dropped.

   1. Discussion: Children's Services: Most recent "decision" on the division of services had Therapy and Early Intervention staying with MCFD and a share of Supported ChildCare and Respite going to CLBC for  children aged six and older.   The negotiations are occurring around the division of resources - funding and staff - based on the proportion of children identified as being served by CLBC.  There was to be an option available to families to self-identify as requiring life long supports and choosing to be connected to CLBC earlier.  Problem is that the projects are on hold, there is little community representation, and policies and programs are being developed for MCFD that will impact on CLBC individuals and families. 
   2. Strategies to get the community / board back in charge of the agenda:
      1. Family member will call Chair of the Board and discuss community concerns about the bureaucratic agenda for transformation and ask for a meeting.
      2. Most Board members are new to the role at CLBC and need support to understand the work that families and communities have done to get this far in transforming the service delivery system.  The transformation project is a massive undertaking and the Board is at risk of allowing the bureaucrats to drive the agenda. 
      3. As well, we are working to get another meeting with the Minister to express our concerns about the lack of community involvement in transformation process.
      4. The community has been actively involved in designing the transformation process and new service system, but the new board and  bureaucrats are discounting everything that has been created in the past.  They aren't even consulting with the professionals and community experts that assisted with the design in the first place.  The plain language report of the Transition Steering Committee is a good summary of the work done by a broad range of community participants - families, self-advocates, and service providers and government staff.
      5. Re-connect with all  the former TSC members and IA Board members and catch them up on the transformation process.  They could be a powerful force with the Minister if we need political action to address the bureaucratic agenda.
      6. Increase communication efforts with Coalition members and the community - Minutes as the primary info source not effective:
         1. Year end review bulletin - where does transformation agenda stand?
         2. Extracts from Minutes as email bulletins - shorter and more to the point
      7. Connect with Service Providers (Executive Directors Network meeting in Jan 27, 28) to give them an update, recognize their efforts in achieving budget targets and supporting individuals and families over the past three years, asking them to also express their concerns for  the direction of the service transformation.

3. Family Leaders Meeting - December 6th the Individualized Funding Family Coalition met to discuss the transformation process.  They are requesting a copy of the Milowsky report because all previous reports on the transformation process have been public and this report has been used internally by MCFD to justify changes to the proposed service system. The IFFC will also request a meeting with the Premier (Minister is absent due to health reasons) to raise his attention to the challenges of creating a transformation of the system (and the loss of vision that is occurring.).
4. Disability Benefits Increase: The coalition received a letter from the Parent Support Group for Families of Mentally Handicapped Adults.  See Letters Here
5. MOTION: Moved by Tim Stainton, seconded by Jackie Maniago that The Coalition supports self-advocates to retain the full $70 increase in Disability Benefits for their own use.  They should not have the increase taken back through increased charges for transit and support costs.  CARRIED
6. MCFD Budget: Coalition members need to continue to remind Treasury Board members that the community needs investment in community living services after the significant reductions of the past three years.  Community should know what the final MCFD budget should be by the end of January.
7. Next CLBC Board Meeting - January 12, 2005
8. Date of the next Meeting:  January 26th - 2pm - 4:30pm - BACI - location to be confirmed