More service cuts, more people at risk

Vulnerable British Columbians are facing personal upheaval thanks to service cuts at Community Living B.C. The B.C. government has told the provincial crown agency to find roughly $22 million in “efficiencies” this year.

We’re now seeing the evidence of the service cuts with the closure of group homes. This is forcing some developmentally disabled individuals to be moved to less expensive housing ‘situations’. Some are going to group homes that have agreed to double up on their client load. Others are being transferred to a home share program, where clients are housed in the private residence of a host-manager.

The home share program is a particular worry. I fear safety standards for clients won’t always be observed, their level of care will fall, and oversight will be ignored. This program has the potential to disrupt the lives of hundreds of clients and their family members, who we know are deeply alarmed by the cuts to CLBC.

The BCGEU supports a range of residential options and individual choice for CLBC clients. Demand for community living services is increasing. We want to see this government and its agencies develop a multi-year plan to deliver service improvements to semi-independent and independent living.

Now is not the time to trim CLBC.