I am advised that NSACL will be issuing a formal release expressing their dismay at this announcement later in the week. In their own words:
NSACL does believe that a large building sitting on a hill, outside town does NOT constitute a home. By finding $19 million new dollars to use in this way, the Department has ensured that there will be institutional placements available in this province for decades to come.The whole issue of institutional care versus community care (and perhaps more importantly, who decides) for individuals with disabilities in Nova Scotia has a long and tortured history. The Dept of Community Services has recently formulated new policies as to what "placements" are available under the Services for Persons With Disabilites program.
Expect to read more on those here in the near future.
H/T to Dorothy Kitchen of the Kendrick Coalition
5 comments:
i can't agre with you
As a parent of special needs kids, I can say their dream and mine is suppoted independent living in their community with the people they have come to know and whom have accepted them as part of the community.
That's exactly the point. Different families have different dreams for their children, some realistic and, perhaps, some not.
But at the moment, in Nova Scotia, the individual and their family have very little to say about where they will live. This is despite numerous government studies and reviews, including the now infamous Kendrick Report which recommended a much wider range of ccommunity based options, with the focus on letting the person choose their living situation.
And yet we are now in the midst of another Community Services review, from which the "new options" are just starting to trickle out. And, as part of this review process, apparently more funds are being sunk into group homes. Only time will tell whether we are moving forward any.
This is disturbing news. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
I think one key to dealing with this issue involves finding a way to frame the story in such a way that people without special needs take the issue to heart. We can't do this alone.
Good point, Kim.
Question is how do we go about doing that?
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