 | The creation of Community Living British Columbia will establish a
legislative framework for community living services for children and adults.
|
| Budget pressures have been reduced as a result of the mid-term service
plan review. $122 Million less will be cut from the MCFD budget in
2004-05. The detail of how this change in budget will affect Community
Living in 2004-05 has not been confirmed, but the uncertainty of how 2004-05
cuts were to be implemented has been somewhat relieved. |
| The Interim Authority has a project on benchmarking that will establish
service levels and demand levels across the province to accurately measure
what is being provided and what needs to be planned for over the next few
years. |
| Eligibility for services will be determined with internationally
recognized criteria. Individuals and families that approach the
community living centre will receive planning supports initially and
eligibility for funded services will be determined during the planning
process. |
| Safeguarding: If people are concerned about the impact of a service
reduction or change plan on the health and safety of individuals, Jane Holland
- Service Quality Advocate can be contacted to intervene and review a plan.
An example was given of a family who's son lives in a group home. Three
of the four individuals in the home are planning to move. How will their
son's choice of staying in the home be respected? |
| Individualized Funding: When will Revenue Canada (CCRA) make a ruling on
how Individualized Funding will be treated in terms of taxation? There
is much work being done to create a formal ruling or regulation on
Individualized Funding, but there are only two ways to create a formal ruling:
1) A ruling in Federal Tax Court or 2) by Federal Cabinet creating a new
regulation that describes a specific provincial program and how it will be
treated. In nine of ten provinces, individualized funding programs or
direct funding to families for care of their family member exist and have
never been taxed as income by CCRA. |
| What about Disability Benefits and Individualized Funding? There has been
an agreement reached between MCFD and MHR on the treatment of Individualized
Funding with people who receive Disability Benefits to ensure there is no
negative consequence. |
| Will the definition of "family members" be broadened to include siblings
and friends? The legislation creating Community Living BC specifically
includes a broader definition of family members and includes friends as people
who should be consulted and included in planning. |
| Family members regularly contribute significant funding to the support of
their son or daughter but receive no tax recognition for this contribution.
Is there work being done to assist families with this issue? There is a
project to address this issue with Revenue Canada. |
| How will reference groups - specifically the family member reference group
- address the issue of diversity of experience? The reference group
process is currently accepting nominations from around the province and the
board will be discussing the composition of those reference groups at their
next board meeting - July 17, 18, 2003. The board is aware of the issues
of ensuring there are family members who have young children, family members
who are seniors and the range in between. |
| Community Presentations by Interim Authority have been postponed to the
fall 2003. They were delayed due to the Ministry Mid-Term Service Plan
Review and due to concerns about Summer attendance at sessions. |
| Safeguards - Conflict Resolution: Families can be active problem solvers
by bringing issues they are aware of to the attention of the Ministry, the
Interim Authority, or Jane Holland, the Service Quality Advocate. |
5. Thanks to the organizations that pulled this series of forums together:
Families For Mentally Handicapped People, The Parents Support Group for Families
of Mentally Handicapped Adults, Community Living Coalition, BACI-Senior Issues
Committee, PLAN and BCACL.
6. Next Meetings: Coalition Meeting - July 9, 2003: 1pm & August 20, 2003:
10am
