Coalition Meeting Minutes

BACI - 2702 Norland Avenue, Burnaby

May 25, 2005

1. Introductions
2. CLBC Update - Doug Woollard - Vice President of Community Planning and Development.
   1. Devolution occurring July 1, 2005.  Transformation occurring over the next months.
   2. CORNERSTONES:
      1. Person Centred Planning is one cornerstone for CLBC.  CLBC is providing workshops for agencies and social workers to build skills around person-centred planning. From Good to Great - Conference in Vernon - June 16, 17 2005.
      2. Individualized Funding: Doug Woollard responsible for next phase of IF. Steering group will be created to figure out ways to implement the next phase successfully.  IF will be based in policy of CLBC.  CLBC will not approve personal plans - people's plans are people's plans.  CLBC will approve or deny funding for portions of the plan that require financial support.  CLBC will be encouraging people to broaden their plans beyond just services that require funding.
      3. Commitment to Active Community Consultation: The plan for Community Councils will be developed over the next six months. Implementation will be when Community Living Centres are operating  We need to decide what  their relationship is with the self-advocates' council? With the Provincial Board?
   3. Immediate issues facing CLBC:
      1. Staffing - positions will be offered to all existing MCFD staff.  Training has been provided to them regarding what work will be like with CLBC.  MCFD staff have the right to refuse the transfer and remain with MCFD.  All permanent CLS - MCF staff will be offered positions.  There have been two levels of administration removed in CLBC compared with MCFD. CLBC Human Resources Plan on their website.
      2. Children's Agreement - approved in principle - implementation over the next six months.  Carol Goozh and Rick Mowles involved in getting the agreement and implementing.  The details will be released once full approval from government has been given.  Most issues resolved by Fall 2005.  All issues must be resolved by June 2006.
      3. Policies that are being developed to improve supports for people across the province:
         1. Safeguards - policies to improve supports to people in crisis.
         2. Waitlists - more accurate measure of people needing services.
         3. Effective Complaint Resolution - move from upward delegation to improved accountability at local level.
         4. Flexible Individual and Family Support Policy - has been in draft form for past year - should be finalized soon.  Will allow everyone to know the criteria for funding decisions and allow people to choose to submit their own proposals.  Should improve consistency in decision-making from person to person and region to region.
         5. Catalogue of services - developing a province-wide list of services and their approximate cost.  Regional development of bidders' lists - pre-approved service providers.
         6. CLBC wants an accurate measure of the number of people served and the cost of their services.  Contracts need to accurately reflect what is being provided / purchased.
   4. Proactive / Preventative supports:
      1. Since 1998, most funding decisions have been crisis oriented - health and safety issues must be identified before funding is approved.
      2. CLBC would like to begin providing some proactive supports to individuals and families.  If all we do is provide funding for crises, then that is all we will ever do is fund crises.
      3. As well, giving time to agencies and families when a group home vacancy arises, to consider alternative plans for the individuals in the home - don't necessarily fill the vacancy and sustain the most expensive model of care.  There will always be a need for some group homes for some individuals, but we don't necessarily need all the current group homes.  Savings from innovative and reduced cost of care will not go back to general revenue, but will remain with CLBC to provide more services to individuals and families on waitlists.
      4. Increased cooperation among service providers.  Agencies need to network with other agencies in their region to consider all options when people need a change in services.
      5. This change will occur over time - two to three years to get to a more balanced funding approach - preventative balanced with crisis funding.
   5. Culture Change:
      1. It is not about just a change of name and titles and organization chart.  There must be a change in culture - changing the way decisions are made, changing the way staff are supported, changing the training for staff, changing the way individuals and families are approached. 
      2. CLBC will need to be accredited over the next three years.  They will be asking for feedback on how they are providing support - feedback from individuals, families, agencies, and CLBC staff.
   6. Questions from Coalition Members:
      1. Coalition members asked "How can people feel less intimidated by CLBC staff and agency staff?"  CLBC staff will get training on making their supports more welcoming / less intimidating.  As an example, meetings held away from admin offices, in people's homes, can be less intimidating.  As well, consideration of the needs of people from other cultures needs to be considered.
      2. Family member talked about institutionalized feel of adult services - her daughter last year was at an integrated high school focusing on increasing her independence.   This year, in adult services, she is surrounded by staff and services and her independence is not a focus.
      3. Have tax implications of Individualized Funding been resolved? If the family or individual receives the money, it is reported as income and deducted as an expense, so there will be no income tax charged.  It will however affect family eligibility for GST rebates and Child Support payments.  As an alternative, the funding can be directed to a trustee account and then used to pay agencies for services, so that the funding does not get counted as income.  People can still receive funding directly to pay for direct services, but this will be reflected on their income tax statement.
      4. Eligibility: Will CLBC be changing their eligibility criteria to reflect more of a functional assessment rather than IQ?  There is a government project to review the path to services for individuals who fall through the cracks.  CLBC will not be changing their eligibility criteria in the near future.
      5. Children with Autism: Are they covered in the new memorandum of understanding (MOU)? The MOU only clarifies the June 2004 agreement on children's services.  Families with Children with autism need intensive supports before school starts.  Once children reach adolescence,  some will need ongoing support into adulthood. Then there needs to be a way to provide those supports to the latter group through CLBC.
      6. Self-Advocate Advisory Group: The CLBC legislation requires CLBC to develop a self-advocate advisory group.  Brian Salisbury is developing this group. 
      7. How will the election results impact on the changes coming for CLBC?  We'll have to wait and see what happens in terms of cabinet appointments.
      8. What is Doug's role?  Vice President of Community Planning and Development - he will be responsible for independent planning across the Province in January 2006. Until then, he is working on a variety of projects to get ready for transformation in January 2006.
      9. Is there more funding available? There is some new funding this year, not much though.  One benefit of the transformation is that the CLBC CEO will be at the Treasury Board table with the Minister to advocate for additional funding.
      10. Watch for opportunities to consult with CLBC as new policies, services and practices are developed.

      Doug excused himself from the meeting

       

3. Update on the Political Environment since the election:
   1. June 8th is date for new Cabinet Minister announcements (Later, press reports said May 15th or 16th).
   2. Gerry raised a question at the all-candidates meeting - how has MHR dealt with the issue of increasing people's disability benefits by $70.00?  MCF staff are reviewing people's disability benefits receipts with the intention of increasing everyone's amount by $70.00 per month. 
   3. Have self-advocates been given support by agencies to cast their vote?  What role should agencies play?  Staff should assist self-advocates to get involved in the political process - attend all-candidates meetings - review newpaper articles, but there needs to be clear guidelines about maintaining impartiality on the part of staff.
4. Update from the Transformation Working Group - CLBC
   1. Group of families, service providers, self-advocates and MCFD staff brought together by CLBC to review transformation issues and provide feedback
   2. Met yesterday - May 24th.
   3. Reviewed timelines.  Devolution occurs on July 1, 2005 - transformation occurs January 1, 2006.  Nothing will change but the name on July 1, 2005.
   4. Gus Assonitis presented info on Safeguards - 700 individuals who are at high risk across the Province.
   5. Draft Business Plan reviewed.  It should be released publicly next week.  It outlines all the activities that will occur over the next eight months.
   6. Jane Holland - Service Quality Advocate - gave an update on how her role developed historically and where it might go in the future.
   7. Call Centre - established by July 1, 2005 - will allow individuals and families to phone and get information on services and CLBC.
5. Update from the Community Living Restructuring Fund - CLRF - Victoria Foundation:
   1. $20 Million transferred by MCFD to Victoria Foundation in 2003.  This funding was completely granted by February 2005.
   2. An additional $4 Million has been added to to the CLRF to meet the needs of applicants (individuals, families and agencies).
   3. They are attempting to get ongoing funding of $10 Million per year and an additional $5 Million to begin an endowment that would allow ongoing independent funding availability. Proposal for ongoing funding is on the CLRF website:
      1. CLRF website - www.clrestructuringfund.ca
      2. Proposal to MCFD
   4. Majority of funding has gone to families to assist them with the care of their family members.
   5. MOTION: The Coalition supports the CLRF in their application for additional ongoing funding from MCFD as the funds have brought great hope to families and their loved ones - allowing families to remain whole.  CARRIED Moved by Liz, seconded by Arlene.
6. Disability Benefits Increase - $70.00 per month for all recipients - but many people did not get the increase because of the way their care is provided.  Some people have room and board portion deducted by MHR and paid to caregiver.  Gerry asked that the coalition write a letter to MHR asking for an update on the process of ensuring all people with disabilities receive their $70 per month increase.  As well, to state that the best practice should be to ensure that individuals with disabilities get their  Moved by Gerry, Seconded by Wendy - CARRIED
7. Next Meeting: June 23, 2005 - Noon to 2pm - BACI