Update from the Community Living Action Group
Greetings friends of the BC-Community Living Action Group (BC-CLAG):
This information update was sent to people who attended community forums on BC's community living crisis as well as subscribers to our email list through the CommunityLivingAction.org website.
The BC-CLAG has been very busy, over the past weeks, publicizing and working to rectify the crisis in BC's community living sector. Since the release of our Reaching Out/Weighing In report and news conference in late April, there have been nearly 30 media stories exposing this issue and close to a dozen debates arising during question period or estimates in the BC Legislature.
Recent Actions undertaken by the BC-CLAG:
- Letter to CEO of Community Living BC, Rick Mowles, requesting CLBC plans, budgets, and outcomes (March 2011)
- Response from Rick Mowles (April 2011)
- Because of the lack of substantive content received, a series of FOIs have been submitted to obtain required information. We are investigating existing financial information relative to CLBC's claims that "redesign" will help address existing waitlists for services. And we are researching the funds required to adequately meet existing and emerging community living needs in BC.
- Letter to Minister of Social Development, Harry Bloy to request meeting with BC-CLAG (March 2011)
- Response from Minister Bloy (May 2011)
- As of early July, the Minister had still not attempted to schedule a meeting with the BC-CLAG as a group, so an urgent letter was sent to the Premier.
- The Premier responded promptly to advise the group that Minister Bloy has been asked to meet with us. If a meeting is not requested by the Minister's office in short order, BC-CLAG will advise the Premier's office.
- Meeting with Opposition Critics for Social Development and Housing, Shane Simpson, and CLBC, Nicholas Simons, to discuss community living issues and recommendations (May 2011).
- Action at the BC Legislature on May 18th; BC-CLAG members were introduced in the gallery of the Legislature to mark the 7th anniversary of introducing Bill 45, the Community Living Authority Act; the anniversary was a reminder of the promise of independence and inclusion made then, in contrast to the current crisis in community living that BC faces today.
- BC-CLAG is investigating the scope of the problem by:
- asking BC families who are impacted by cuts to services and supports to contact us, the media, provincial advocacy organizations, and the Advocate for Service Quality
- asking the Advocate for Service Quality's office for statistics related to the number of registered complaints they receive annually.
BC-CLAG wants to know your story:
The BC-CLAG is collecting stories for the new Voices section of our website. We plan to upload a collection of stories at once, then gradually add new stories as they come in. If you are interested, we need a brief summary of your situation (150 – 500 words maximum), including:
1. Background: statement of the family situation/problem with CLBC (eg: cuts to services, housing/support, waitlists, other)
2. Issues/concerns/impacts: how this situation has impacted the person receiving services and the family; and why you have contacted the BC-CLAG
3. What you need: what action needs to be taken to address/resolve the problem
4. Your name/city/email address: please indicate your preference to use your name or an Anonymous identifier on the Voices section of the website.
We will continue to keep you up-to-date on our activities.
Emet Davis
For the BC-Community Living Action Network