View Community Living and Authority Act: http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_04060_01
What is the purpose of this act?
What powers are conferred on the state or its agents?
How does this act benefit society?
List governmental and community based agencies that work within this legislated act.
What issues may be associated with the administration of this act?
How would you support and advocate for your clients in relationship to this act?
Identify community resources in your area that may assist clients to navigate through legal systems.
Describe and explain current or historical events as seen through the media that relate to this act, convention or charter. Provide a related link or copy of a newspaper article.
Group home closings stupid and cruel
By Jody Paterson, The Times Colonist, Friday, October 08, 2010
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=8982d88c-2309-4d31-a5b9-59c75bcc3f80
This article discusses reasoning behind funding cuts made by the government, and the implications this will have on individuals with developmental disabilities. The government is essentially attempting to save money by phasing out group homes and cutting support services. Jody Paterson addresses the fact that if programs and services are cut, individuals who have gone to ‘work’ at these programs each day will have nowhere to go. Furthermore, the government claims that programs and services are struggling for funding merely because the funding allocated must be spread too thin; there is a large group of people who require supports and services, and a small amount of money.
What is the purpose of this act?
- Ensures that community living support is delivered in accordance to the specified service plans.
- Ensures that resources available are allocated appropriately.
- Determines who may have access to which services.
What powers are conferred on the state or its agents?
- The authority must ensure that community living support is delivered by using available resources through its own employees, or entering into agreements with other agencies to provide adequate support.
- Uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a guideline for diagnosing developmental disabilities.
- This Act has control over the management and allocation of resources available.
How does this act benefit society?
- Ensures that support and services are provided to children and adults with developmental disabilities.
- Ensures that support and services are available to families to assist them in caring for a child or adult with a developmental disability.
List governmental and community based agencies that work within this legislated act.
- Community Living British Columbia: http://www.communitylivingbc.ca/
- Recreation Integration Victoria: http://www.rivonline.org/services.html
- Community Options: http://communityoptions.bc.ca/
- British Columbia Association for Community Living: http://www.bcacl.org/
- Beacon Community Services: http://www.beaconcs.ca/index.html
- BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society: http://www.bcands.bc.ca/
What issues may be associated with the administration of this act?
- Is there enough funding to provide adequate support and services to individuals with developmental disabilities?
- Is there enough funding to provide support and services for their families?
How would you support and advocate for your clients in relationship to this act?
- Advocate for my clients to receive services which will best meet their unique needs.
- Advocate for my clients to ensure that they are offered a range of options in terms of services which promote choice, flexibility, and self-empowerment.
- Create awareness of the programs and resources available to my clients by sharing with them what I know.
Identify community resources in your area that may assist clients to navigate through legal systems.
- Community Living Victoria: http://communitylivingvictoria.ca/
- Action Committee for People with Disabilities (Victoria): http://www.povnet.org/node/2427
- Community Social Planning Council: http://www.communitycouncil.ca/index.html
Describe and explain current or historical events as seen through the media that relate to this act, convention or charter. Provide a related link or copy of a newspaper article.
Group home closings stupid and cruel
By Jody Paterson, The Times Colonist, Friday, October 08, 2010
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=8982d88c-2309-4d31-a5b9-59c75bcc3f80
This article discusses reasoning behind funding cuts made by the government, and the implications this will have on individuals with developmental disabilities. The government is essentially attempting to save money by phasing out group homes and cutting support services. Jody Paterson addresses the fact that if programs and services are cut, individuals who have gone to ‘work’ at these programs each day will have nowhere to go. Furthermore, the government claims that programs and services are struggling for funding merely because the funding allocated must be spread too thin; there is a large group of people who require supports and services, and a small amount of money.
One in nine British Columbians live in poverty, BC has the highest poverty rate in Canada. The following video explains that it costs more to keep British Columbians in poverty, than it does to fix the problem.