Closing Instituions: It's the Plan!

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    (People First of Canada Website)

    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Last Sunday, June 8th, a number of groups came together to protest institutional living and call for the closure of institutions.  This idea provoked a lot of differing opinions about the subject.  The act of calling for the Closure of Institutions made people wonder what that would look like.  People working in the industry worried about their jobs, people in the community wondered about where all these people would go, some other people wondered how could severely disabled people live in the community.  The Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia people must be off their rockers!  Nutjobs! Not really.....
  
  
  The Department of Community Services, under the Dexter Government, created an advisory committee called:
  
  
  The Nova Scotia Joint Community-Government Advisory Committee on Transforming the Services to Persons with Disabilities Program.
  
  
  Here is what they say about institutions:
  
  
  Reliance on institutional care – With some 1,100 people living in large congregate care facilities, Nova Scotia is more likely than other provinces to support people with disabilities in large congregate facilities. Significant public funds continue to be spent on an institutional model – a model that universally has been proven to produce less than quality outcomes for persons with disabilities (in comparison to supported community living) and a model that has been unequivocally rejected by persons with disabilities. 
  
  
  Read the entire document
  DCS Plan for Inclusive Communities
  
  
  
  
  That committee produced a plan for inclusive community living.  DCS Min. Joanne Bernard has made a commitment to see this plan through.  APNS has learned through the process of this last protest that very few major stakeholders ( People working in the industry, Unions etc) know that this plan exists.
  This was evident when we met with NSGEU and by the press release put out by the Nova Scotia Nurses Union and CUPE. The plan that DCS has is to Shut the Doors!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union and Canadian Union of Public Employees
  Joint Opinion/Editorial
  June 4, 2014
  Shutting the doors not the answer
  There has been a great deal of dialogue surrounding the tragic events at Quest - Adult Support and Rehabilitation Centre in Lower Sackville where one resident caused the recent death of another.
  The events that transpired are not trivial nor should they be ignored. Whenever there is harm or loss of life, staff, administrators and families are devastated. They are driven to look for every possible measure that could have prevented such an occurrence. Sometimes there are solutions and at times there is no amount of caution or anticipation that would have made a difference.
  While those in authority continue to look for answers and ways to ensure that residents remain in a safe and supportive environment, we cannot forget about the good that is being done at this and other centres like it.
  The reality is that there are very few options available to house and care for those in need of the very specialized services provided in these settings. Those living in these types of facilities have numerous conditions including, but not exclusive to, psychological, social and/or behavioural challenges.
  Quest is staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals working within interdisciplinary teams. Like all health care facilities, there are standards of practice and policies that guide and support each resident’s individualized care plan.  However, not unlike any other environment, unpredictable events can occur resulting in devastating outcomes. Does this mean that a facility with an overall history of quality care and expertise should shut its doors?
  As unions representing those who work very hard to provide medical services and protection for those in their care, we urge temperance and understanding at this difficult time. To consider closing a facility that offers specialized care to some of our most vulnerable citizens might be a knee jerk reaction. The investigation that’s currently underway will hopefully result in recommendations to prevent another tragedy.
  We fully support the families of those who are concerned about the recent events and we are hopeful that steps can be taken to avoid harm to or the death of another resident. We also support the invaluable services that Quest provides and the employees who are dedicated to their residents.
  Shutting the doors should not be the answer when the services currently being provided may simply require improvement. Working together to keep these services in our communities and applying insights gained from difficult circumstances should be the goal.
  
  
  
  Janet Hazelton, BScN, RN, MPA
  President, Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union
  
  Danny Cavanagh
  President CUPE Nova Scotia
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia wants to see this outstanding plan come to fruition.  We are open to working with any group including the Nova Scotia Government to help see this through in a very timely manner.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

It's Time To Act

Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia

Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia and People First Nova Scotia would like to announce that PSAC and BIANS will be supporting our Protest of Institutions on 8 June 2014 at 2pm.

Cindy Curruthers of PFNS will be protesting at the Breton Ability Centre and Brenda Hardiman of APNS will be protesting at Quest Society.

Information on Protests: Locations & Details

Contact

 Cindy Carruthers 

People First Nova Scotia 

902-305-0423

  Brenda Hardiman

 Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia 

902-324-4215

No one would make the choice to live in an institution.  Person after person that has been forced to live in an institution describe how sub human they felt living there.  Let's let the McNeil government know that they need to do whatever it takes to have inclusive community living for all persons.

People First Nova Scotia will be launching The Freedom Tour Nova Scotia later this year, date TBA, featuring their moving and powerful documentary. Please watch the trailer above.

Locate or Contact us

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Everyone Matters

      

  Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia

&

PEOPLE FIRST NOVA SCOTIA

Protesting

 Institutional Living

Across Nova Scotia

June 8, 2014

 2pm

Institutional living is not for the faint at heart. After all, that’s how society houses its criminals.  Why does the Nova Scotia Government warehouse the most vulnerable people in our society in institutions, when worldwide studies prove it’s detrimental to those living in that environment? Nova Scotia is one of the last provinces in Canada to shut down its institutions.  It’s time our government listened to Nova Scotians when we say we want our loved ones living in the community.  Let your voice be heard.  On June 8^th join Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia and People First Nova Scotia to protest the existence of institutions across Nova Scotia.

 INSTITUTIONS:

Breton Ability Centre
 1300 Kings, Rd, Sydney

Riverview Home
6105 Stellarton Trafalgar Rd, Stellarton

Quest Society
70 Memory Lane, Lower Sackville

Kings Rehab
1349 County Home Road
Waterville, B0P 1V0

Harbourside Lodge
60 Vancouver Road, Yarmouth

Sunset Residential
140 Sunset Lane, Pugwash

Don’t live close to one of these institutions?  Protest at your local Community Services Office.  Community Services Offices

Tell your leaders to stop institutionalizing people with special needs.  Two deaths in three years is too many.


                                
                                      Stephen McNeil                       Joanne Bernard, Minister
                                      Premier                                    Community Services
                                      (902) 424-6600                        (902) 424-4304
                                      premier@gov.ns.ca                  dcsmin@gov.ns.ca

The plan for change the Department of Community Services has is pretty good.  Let's make sure they keep their promised! Please take the time to read the document below.

CHOICE, EQUALITY AND GOOD LIVES IN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES

Facebook: Advocating Parents of Nova Scotia

Twitter: @APofNS
E-mail: advocatingparents@gmail.com

Choice, Equality and Good Lives in Inclusive Communities

A Roadmap for Transforming the Nova Scotia Services to Persons with Disabilities Program 

This is the document that the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services put out in June 2013.  It's a good document.  You should read it.

Roadmap Document

The NDP government started this process. When the Liberal government came into power, DCS Minister Joanne Bernard @JoanneDNLIB made a commitment to follow through on these changes.  Every plan takes time to implement.... we all know that.  The only way for people in Nova Scotia affected by this document to see change is to GET STARTED!

Goal I: Self‐Direction, Choice and Control p.7
 At the end of the explanation for this goal is: Proposed Actions 

1. 1)  As of April 1, 2014, implement an 18‐month pilot initiative on person‐directed planning and navigation in order to determine most effective and efficient delivery mechanism:
   
   1. (a)  Central Region – Create and fund an independent planning support and navigation function that is by a community‐based agency (given numbers on waitlist in the Central Region, it seems most reasonable to add additional planning capacity here). Pilot agency to be secured via a RFP process.
      
   2. (b)  Region 2 ‐ Restructure role of departmental care coordinators to minimize administrative duties and enable greater emphasis on the planning function.
      
   3. (c)  Regions 3 and 4 – No change in delivery structure.
      
2. 2)  Undertake evaluation of pilot initiatives and comparative analysis with current approach and consider implications for wider‐scale implementation of selected models.
   
3. 3)  Develop training materials and resources related to principles, standards and practices for person‐directed planning and navigation.
   
4. 4)  Provide training and orientation in person‐directed planning to care coordinators, independent planners/navigators, and residential and vocational providers.
   
5. 5)  Develop an online system for access to information and planning resources – provided in plain language and accessible formats. Information would be developed for use by individuals, families and planners.
   
6. 6)  Initiate person directed planning/navigation process starting with all people on the waiting list and persons currently residing in Residential Care Facilities (RCFs).
   

Rationale and Assumptions p.8

• Person‐directed planning/navigation accountable to the person and/or family will lead to innovation, use of non‐traditional options and increased use of generic community supports.
  
• Independent planners/navigators may require disability‐specific training, taking account of distinct realities of people with intellectual, physical/sensory and mental health disabilities.
  
• The SPD program should enable person‐directed planning/navigation to be undertaken in a variety of ways – from individuals and families doing their own planning (with support from online and print resources), to accessing a community resource centre for necessary support, to having the assistance of an independent planner/navigator.
  
• New mechanisms for delivering independent planning/navigation need to be tested in order to develop best approaches/models for Nova Scotia context.
  
• Prioritization for delivery of person‐directed planning:
  
  • −  Individuals currently on waiting list
    
  • −  Those residing in Residential Care Facilities (given recognition in the 2008 review of residential services of the need for alternate arrangements for those individuals residing in this option).
    
• Person‐directed planning/navigation should become the norm for all individuals and families accessing SPD services. 
  

I've highlighted a couple key points.  When will they get started?

Amanda Murphy is in an emergency living situation and the only option that DCS is giving her family is to institutionalize her.  Isn't the mandate to get people out of institutions starting April 1, 2014?

Her family was given only one option.  Why is DCS not working with the Murphy family to find a suitable solution?  Why would they put Iris and Victor's child somewhere that they so strongly oppose? What if this was your child?  It could be.  Not all people are born with a disadvantage.  Some people get an illness or brain injury and have to rely on the province for their care.  

 personal stories 

Department of Community Services
8th Floor, Nelson Place
5675 Spring Garden Road
P.O. Box 696
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T7

Phone: (902) 424-4304
Fax: (902) 424-3287

E-mail Minister Joanne Bernard

Let the Department of Community Services know that this excellent plan should not wait!

T.Haney