New budget commitment to social services is only a band-aid solution

This week's provincial budget provided some new funding for important social services like child care and community living services for adults with developmental disabilities, but it remains to be seen whether this will result in noticeable improvements in quality or access to these services.

The budget made an additional $25 million available for child care subsidy. This money will not create or sustain new spaces. It won't ease recruitment problems. Currently, the government supports spaces for only 15% of children in British Columbia, and yet new mothers are increasingly participating in the workforce. All across B.C. waitlists are too long, and parent fees too high. "The new subsidy money will be welcome to some, but it's a band aid solution," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "We need new operating funds; that's what will make child care accessible and affordable."

Community Living BC (CLBC) received increased funding in this budget - an additional $52.4 million this coming fiscal year (which is an 8.5% increase). This money will reportedly be allocated to new and expanded adult services, staffing, overhead, compensation, and contracted services, as well as be used to improve eligibility.

Reviewing the service plan of CLBC it is clear that they remain focused on moving towards the use of lower cost residential services, which can mean moving away from the use of group homes and towards the use of individualized funding and family care providers. Residential services account for 64% of CLBC's cost, and are a major focus of the agency's cost management efforts. It remains to be seen what the financial impact will be in this sector of the recent human rights tribunal decision that ruled against the government's arbitrary eligibility cut-off at IQ 70.

BCGEU members have expressed increasing concern that client needs and wishes come second in the placement process, and the focus is on cutting the cost of client residential placement. Over the past six years there has been a reduction cost of "per unit" residential services of 14%.

"Efficient use of resources is important, but the reality is these services have not yet recovered from massive annual funding cuts of $150 million back in 2001." says Walker. "Resources need to be put into these services to ensure that waitlists are reduced, and that all the individuals and families who need support receive quality, and accessible services."