Stop Group Home Cuts
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BC Minister Rich Coleman
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Budget cuts at Community Living BC are forcing community-based operators to close group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, with disturbing reports of residents being forcibly moved or pressured against their wishes to leave their professionally-staffed homes for cheaper but inappropriate and/or unsafe home-sharing agreements. New applicants are being denied group home placements and forced into informal residential arrangements that may not be right for their needs.
CLBC and the Minister responsible, Rich Coleman, have failed in their duty to be honest and transparent about the changes underway. They have failed to demonstrate that appropriate safety measures are in place to assess and address the risks involved. And they have failed to respond to concerns raised repeatedly by the families of the highly vulnerable adults impacted by these changes. The public is being misled and families are being excluded from decisions and left in the dark, leading to growing alarm.
If done with appropriate controls and supports, less formal residential care arrangements such as home sharing can work well for some individuals. But such arrangements are inherently less stable and are not safe or appropriate for all adults with developmental disabilities. Further, CLBC has failed to demonstrate appropriate oversight mechanisms are in place to monitor home sharing arrangements to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals.
We the undersigned join with self-advocates, families, community leaders and service providers to call on CLBC and Minister Coleman to halt the current relocation program pending a transparent review that includes advice from families and self-advocates on an appropriate framework to ensure that all placement decisions are made with the welfare and safety of the individual as the paramount consideration.
Please visit the MOMS Web site at http://momsnetwork.ca for more information on this issue.
CLBC and the Minister responsible, Rich Coleman, have failed in their duty to be honest and transparent about the changes underway. They have failed to demonstrate that appropriate safety measures are in place to assess and address the risks involved. And they have failed to respond to concerns raised repeatedly by the families of the highly vulnerable adults impacted by these changes. The public is being misled and families are being excluded from decisions and left in the dark, leading to growing alarm.
If done with appropriate controls and supports, less formal residential care arrangements such as home sharing can work well for some individuals. But such arrangements are inherently less stable and are not safe or appropriate for all adults with developmental disabilities. Further, CLBC has failed to demonstrate appropriate oversight mechanisms are in place to monitor home sharing arrangements to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals.
We the undersigned join with self-advocates, families, community leaders and service providers to call on CLBC and Minister Coleman to halt the current relocation program pending a transparent review that includes advice from families and self-advocates on an appropriate framework to ensure that all placement decisions are made with the welfare and safety of the individual as the paramount consideration.
Please visit the MOMS Web site at http://momsnetwork.ca for more information on this issue.
1231 Signatures
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Dawn Steele
- Comments
- please circulate this petition widely to support a fair process to ensure that adults who require residential supports are offered meaningful, safe and appropriate choices to meet their individual needs.
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Cyndi Gerlach
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Patricia Holmes
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Caron Graham
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Michelle O'Neill
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viviane mcconkey
- Comments
- please don't leave our children without a future
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Corina Brearley
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Katrina Bosch
- Comments
- as the mother of a son with Down syndrome, I implore the government to consider our childrens' future by not removing group homes as a viable option for adults who require more care than a homeshare situation can offer.
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Pamela Sundman
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Evelyn van Egdom
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jui-hua amy
- Comments
- В
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Nicole VanWoudenberg
- Comments
- This is the WRONG area to save money.
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Anita Romaniuk
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Rebecca Aikema
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Jessica Van der Veen
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- The BC Liberals cut taxes during a boom time, sold off assets when they had lots of revenue, failed to set aside money for a rainy day and now they are cutting the most vulnerable to pay for their incompetence.
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pam collins
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P.Neil Holland
- Comments
- As a committee to my brother, who is mentally and physically challenged and lives in a group home, I stongly urge the gov't. and CLBC to retain this wholsome, caring environment for my sibling.
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Moira Mackenzie
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Elizabeth McIntosh
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Helena Isherwood
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Si Stainton
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Maria Johnston
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Don Fodor
- Comments
- tax the rich!
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David Molyneaux
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- One of your roles as government is to look after our underpriveledged members of society. Shame on you Rich Colman.
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SashaPugsley
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cheryl magnussen
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- Group home cuts need to stop. My adult child is one of the many who are being threatened with a move to private home arrangement which will surely put her into danger. this is not being done for her benefit and will only be a detriment to her..
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Lisa Cogan
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Lesley Thorsell
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Ann Trousdell
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Neil Ketler
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Colin Bosch
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Lori Wallace
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Wayne Lockyer
- Comments
- Lets all help the people that can't speak for themselves
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Giovanna Bellopede
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Nancy Fitch
- Comments
- This is unacceptable. Saving money at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens. Imagine being removed from your home and friends to go live with a stranger who is just tring to earn an extra buck or worse!
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Michael Lanier
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- Shame on this government downloading onto people who can't fight back!
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Joanne Dyck
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- there is a need for all types of services in Community Living, please acknowlege the good services that group homes provide and don't eliminate these important resources, actually they are a lot more than that: they are secure homes and 'families'. A short interview to 'rank' someone to assess their needs is not at all respecting anyone's needs or requirements!
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Joanne Dyck
- Comments
- there is a need for all types of services in Community Living, please acknowlege the good services that group homes provide and don't eliminate these important resources, actually they are a lot more than that: they are secure homes and 'families'. A short interview to 'rank' someone to assess their needs is not at all respecting anyone's needs or requirements!
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Joanne Dyck
- Comments
- there is a need for all types of services in Community Living, please acknowlege the good services that group homes provide and don't eliminate these important resources, actually they are a lot more than that: they are secure homes and 'families'. A short interview to 'rank' someone to assess their needs is not at all respecting anyone's needs or requirements!
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Jack Anderson
- Comments
- It is often difficult for support personnel to maintain their composure and kindness for 40 hours a week, much less 24-7. This is my own conclusion after 21 years in service to people who have challenging behaviors. this makes this issue a serious safety issue.
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Brenton Walters
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James Cavalluzzo
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Ruth Dalzell
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Bob Wilson
- Comments
- Totally irresponsible of this government.
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Ryan Campbell
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Kary Salvador
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Diane Hamilton
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Patricia Whitehead
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Louella Vincent
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Nolda Ware
- Comments
- Options are needed - please don't take away people's choice.
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1231
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