August 19, 2010

Honourable Rich Coleman
Minister of Housing and Social Development
Room 128, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4

Dear Minister Coleman,

BC Family Net Society wishes to add its voice to the mounting concerns over CLBC’s cost-cutting initiative underway to close professionally staffed, licensed group homes and relocate residents (adults and children) with developmental disabilities to informal residential care alternatives.

BC Family Net supports the concerns that have been voiced by families and individual residents affected by these moves and we wish to stress that they conflict with repeated commitments made by you and your predecessors. CLBC’s creation was based on the promise of providing more choices and a better way to assist families and their loved ones and to provide a system of seamless, lifelong, community-based supports.  Efforts to achieve this have been undermined by ill-conceived planning and under-funding.  While options like home sharing work for some, they are not appropriate for everyone and the lack of independent monitoring and oversight raises a number of serious concerns about risk to health and safety.  Recruitment of family care homes needs careful assessment and recognition on the caregivers part of the incredible commitment they will be undertaking.  Families are well aware of this and fear for their love ones’ future when unable to provide care themselves.

 

BC Family Net respectfully urges your Ministry and CLBC discontinue the residential relocations program pending the establishment of a new framework that ensures open consultation with all stakeholders that truly reflects their needs and satisfies our community and the broader public that the interests of individuals with developmental disabilities are fully respected.

Sincerely,

Anita Dadson
President, BC Family Net Society
406-2025 Bellevue Ave,
West Vancouver, BC