Minister says many of the proposed cuts are 'disturbing' and may not
proceed
Canada's liberals consider deep cuts to wide range of youth services
The Gordon Campbell government is considering $222
million worth of cuts to programs for abused and disabled children and
adults next year — cuts that could create widespread "health and safety
risks" for B.C.'s most vulnerable citizens. That's the blunt bottom line in an internal government document
prepared for the provincial Treasury Board and obtained exclusively by
The Province.
The seven-page document details dozens of proposed program cuts
—
and their ramifications — across the Ministry of Children and Family
Development, including:
- Cutting family support programs by $3.7 million. "This is high-risk
strategy as could result in increase in CIC [children in care] caseload
when supports are withdrawn from families who need them," the document
states.
- Closing the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre for
mentally handicapped youth in Burnaby to save $3 million. The move
carries "health and safety risks."
- Eliminating the Behavioural Support for Children
with Autism program to save $3.2 million, also said to involve such
risks.
- Cutting funding by $3.5 million for the Highly
Specialized Residential Service System for adults with severe mental
handicaps. "Forced moves for this group of adults with developmental
disabilities has high health and safety risks."
- Not taking at-risk kids into government care beyond
age 16 to save $4.3 million. "There is some risk to health and safety
of children."
- Eliminating the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Strategy to save $400,000.
Children and Families Minister Gordon Hogg confirmed the document was
prepared for a critical Treasury Board meeting this week to review the
proposed 2004 cuts. He said many may not proceed.
"I can't prejudge the outcome of our deliberations, but many of these
don't meet our test of protecting children and the vulnerable," he said.
"Some of these things disturb government."
He said the proposed cuts are part of the government's effort to
slash the ministry's budget by $360 million — or 23 per cent — over
three years, with most of the cuts to be phased in next year. "I think the 23 per cent was too ambitious," he said. "We may come
out of this process with a new target that's defensible."
But the fact that such risky budget cuts are on the table at all had
the government's critics fuming.
"This is unbelievable and absolutely shocking," New Democrat MLA
Jenny Kwan said when shown the Treasury Board submission. "It's
inconceivable the government would contemplate cuts like [these] to the
most vulnerable people in society."
Cynthia Morton, the province's former independent children's
commissioner, called the proposed cuts shortsighted.
"For every buck they save today, they'll have to spend $10 down the
road when these kids grow up to become young offenders, runaways,
suicidal or have mental health problems," she said. "It's just
craziness."
The Province also obtained a separate document entitled "Workload
Reduction Strategies" that outlines ways the ministry can save money by
not investigating allegations of "moderate" sexual and physical abuse of
kids.
Instead, such complaints would be "screened out and directed to a
community agency" like the Salvation Army or Catholic Charities.
Hogg said the document was a draft proposal that's already been
rejected.
"Even if we cut the budget by 50 per cent, our No. 1 priority would
still be the protection of abused children, even moderate abuse," he
said.
The proposals also include moving 600 children out of government
care, cutting the rate paid to foster parents by 10-15 per cent and
closing 12 group homes in favour of "independent apartments."
Hogg said the government will announce within two weeks which cuts
will proceed.
By Michael Smyth
17 June 2003
http://canada.com/national/story.asp?id=D2852E42-7365-42C3-8CBA-96F2A72FF564
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