Consultation In-Person Feedback Collection
Date: February 24, 2014 (evening)
Group: Community consultation in-person session
Location: Terrace, BC
Number of Attendees: 19
Note: all the information and feedback gathered at this session will be inputted into the overall collection of data and feedback for consideration of the development of the Disability White Paper.
Feedback: /Barriers:
· Increased transportation (public) for people get to place of employment
· Campaigns to make those people working with disability more visible and well known
· Individuals will be inspired by seeing ppl with similar circumstanced
· Affirmative action campaign
· Will motivate ppl and give confidence and foster desires to be part of the work community and a contributing member
· Foster a spirit of independence and work environments
Employment:
· lncrease the cap on PWD assistance. Only being able to make $8O0 over and above assistance cheques tends to limit how much people work. Also, having a 1 year transition period for those going from assistance to working full-time. Allow them to keep their benefits so they can ease into supporting themselves.
· More funding for employments counsellors/job developers. CLBC does have the Employ Abilities program, can that be expanded? Can Work BC sites hire job developers that focus on people with disabilities? Work BC sites are great resources but are only for those who are independent. ls it possible to have specialized services in this program?
· lnclusion training for potential employers and community education on inclusion and acceptance
· More incentives for employers to hire, such as wage subsidies
· Funding for people with disabilities to become entrepreneurs and skilled people to help them access it.
· Changing labour standards to allow people to work shorter shifts. Some people may only be able to work 1 or 2 hours at a time
· Increase rate for allowable asset allowance
· Education about credit cards and cash stores
· Advocates at banks for PWD
· RDSP rules are too rigid and commitment is too long term – need some short term investment options and opportunities
· How can you save a down payment for a house without going over asset limits
· PWD pension increase – not even cost of living increase
· Asset limit needs to increase
· Increased education on what is available
· Increase common knowledge about RDSPs and tax breaks
· Increased integration through school years to help foster awareness and inclusion of all individuals w/disabilities so they are better prepared to enter the real world.
· Housing is required for sable, safe environment
· 5 social determinates of health
· More accessibility to low income housing
· More housing
· Gov’t can work with banks to acquire mortgages – no down payment required
· Further funding for home renovations
· Specialized support housing
· Pets
· Create more collaborative approaches and utilize funding available throughout the different ministries
· Cleaning snow/sidewalks
· Handy man services – lawns, home renos, garbage, etc.
· Bus pass for HandiDART
· Payment options for bus pass fee
· Dental coverage must increase there are no dentists working for Blue Cross rates, clients cannot afford difference
· No bus on Sundays? People work and go to church
· HandiDART often inaccessible
· Sidewalks need to be wheelchair accessible
· Sidewalks needs to be on all main routes – ie. Queensway Drive in Thornhill
· Sidewalks need to be cleared more often
· Issues with becoming “shut in” during winter months due to accessibility
· More or at least some low income housing
· Support services need to exist in all communities so that adults needing supports can live on their own
· Cabs, mileage, to be able to get to/from work
· Incentives to landlords to support PWDs
· Elevators
· Apartments having units held for PWD and more of them accessible
· Expanding adult special education to allow personal support workers in the classroom
· Supports to people living on campus
· CLBC clients need to be able to make choices
· Respite hours and placements need to increase as well as funding for respite
· Assisted living should be for everyone, not just seniors
· Longer and increased hours for public transportation
· Cannot get to work if not able to get there (sic)
· Mandatory that all handicap parking stalls have signs rather than being painted as cannot see the painted sign under snow – stalls should also always be cleared of snow
· Hearing aids – expand funding for hearing aids – hearing aids and other required supports should be available as needed and not dependant on benefit schedule – people can lose job if don’t have - puts self and others at risk without aid
· School – funding for aids and focus on elementary years because this is key time for development
· Speech pathos available in every communities (and other specialist) (sic)
· Support for kids after age 5
· Have northern health and school district work together to help transition from one to another
· Funding for glasses within employment programs
· Increased availability of advocates in each community to help
· All government forms should be low literacy and easy to fill out and understand (Grade 4 etc)
· This would reduce need of advocates increased or bring back
· Grants available to make community locations more accessible (wheelchair ramp) – rectify uneven pavement – no parking at…..(sic)
· Better public transit
· Longer hours
· Increased availability at more affordable rates
· People living at substandard quality
· Supports for snow shovel
· Minimal requirements should be set for those people living with disability
· Sidewalks in Thornhill – there are no sidewalks
· Signage where wheelchair accessible
· One stop shop for services ie. how to get a mobilized scooter
· There should be a housing advocate who ensures that PWDs live in a house that meets minimum standards
· More group homes with supports/staff – huge waitlist
· Less focus should be placed on financial situation of PWDs and family
· The individual should be supported regardless of parents/sisters/children’s financial situation
· Supports for families of those individual who have a disability – more respite services – higher safety standards in group homes
· Additional supports and not rely on families
· More funding for all these programs and facilities
· Less black and white legislation and more grey – government needs to take into account that these are people whose lives are affected by legislation
· Administration fees available to advocates who fill out paperwork for government (PND)
· More face to face options for clients to access services for intake and monitoring as clients w/disabilities aren’t being truly represented
· Need compassion and treating ppl like actual people
· More frontline workers
· Education for doctors on how to properly compete PWD
· Education should be part of mandatory education hours
PWD application
· Change the requirements of people who can fill out third section of PWD app.
· Allow bus pass holders to use bus passes for the HandiDART
· Allow people to make monthly payments for the MHSD bus pass program. Some people find paying $45.00 at once is very difficult.
· Dental coverage through MHSD is very limited. People with disabilities often forgo dental work as they are charged for EVERY visit and check-up. Increase dental coverage through MHSD.
· Transit (in Terrace BC) is not very frequent. Busses should run more often and runs to further lying areas surrounding Terrace (such as Kitselas). If we could rely on transit, it would be used more!
· The HandiDART is difficult to book. You can't book on demand, it runs during limited hours and you can't book regular runs. Expand this service, add extra busses and drivers to accommodate this.
· Sidewalks need to be wheelchair accessible and need to be on most streets. Some people need the visuaI cue of a sidewalk to walk safely.
· Require new developments to put in wheelchair accessible sidewalks
· Sidewalk clearing should be done more often and businesses should be required to shovel around entrances AND parking lots to ensure everyone can access the building. It is very difficult to push a wheelchair or walker through even 2 inches of snow!
· More Low Income Housing
· More rent subsidy
· Gov't funding for a person to take a cab to work (when there is no accessible transportation like transit or HandiDART available).
· Incentives for developers to build lower income housing
· More BC housing complexes which are all one level or have elevators
· Add elevators to existing apartment complexes/require all new apartment buildings to have an elevator
· Require new complexes to offer a percentage of units to those with physical disabilities
· Most low income housing programs give priority to seniors and single parents. We need housing programs to target people with developmental disabilities
· Some kind of employment skills training for people with disabilities (Something Similar to the Mature Workers Program through Work BC)
· Expand the ASE program to allow older applicants to be accepted (Adult Special Education Workplace Skills Training). Allow participants to bring supports into the classroom or provide more supports. The existing program is great but is only for those who are very independent
· Offer supports to people with disabilities living on college/university campuses. Perhaps a mentor program with another student in exchange for reduced tuition. Coordinate the ASE with other programs (social service worker or home care a ide?) so they can assist those enrolled in the ASE program.
· Ensure those receiving services through CLBC have a say in where they want to live. Sometimes the family has more of a say than the individual in where they live and who they live with. Give this choice back to the individual.
· Transit runs more buses, Sunday runs, later hours
· Allow children to play and explore and grow
· Provide the same opportunities for all people
· Increase wellness levels and health with disabilities
· Longer hours with social assistance offices
· Support employment/self-employment, more supports for help with paperwork/policies
· Easier access to PWD apps – PWD apps kept at hospital and call for SR #
· Manual applications for IA
· More technology available for PWDs – computers w/touch screen and big fonts and Dragon Speak
· Promote independence
· Inclusion/integration training in school system
· More aides to the students, increase in staff
· Supports designed around individual barriers not based on diagnosis – person centred planning
· Personal experience reveals not enough support for individual needs, inclusion is not happening the earlier intervention the better needs to be before Grade 3 as it happens in the school system now
· Program in Hazleton – organic bakery, 4 workers – staff rotationally by PWDs
· Suggest more similar “get youth working”
· ‘consistent support members who are there to help and guide’
· Successful w/committed volunteers – suggestion for more funds (start up) will help to start business which will eventually be economically sound
· Starting point for workers to get training and advance to other jobs
· Multiple businesses similar to this (across the province) ex. recycling business (past experience volunteering), beauty salon (wash hair, sweep, depending on ability)
· Employers can set aside jobs that would be appropriate
· More funding for support needed for early learning years – early intervention would help facilitate and identify those individuals w/disabilities and gives PWDs change to build foundation to build on – holistic and encompass all ages
· More support and services
· More support groups and support people
· Find a way to foster peer support or agencies present in a community
· More of a one stop shop approach (central)
Ø Collocating ministries
Ø Client having direct access
Ø Easily accessible where clients can go to one place and access all services (MSD, MCFD, WorkBC, Housing)
· Ombudsperson for PWD
· Easier accessible information that is easy to rind with clear direction and support on where and what is available
· More equipment available for children in schools – it is a necessity not fluct. (sic)
· More support workers for children
· Better and faster process to identify those w/disabilities (testing) earlier = better
· As adults all people should have disability assessments (testing yearly just like annual checkups and eye exams)
· Earlier required testing for all children in school
· lnclusion training for educators in the school system
· Ensure there is time and funding for transition planning and that it happens in advance. Not last minute when there is a crisis! This includes transitioning from youth to adult services, and transitions between types of programs (from home share to supported living)
· Youth programs that focus on future planning and life skills. This can be done in schools or through existing youth services.
· Funding to service providers for staff training. They are often the most important people in the lives of people with disabilities
· lnclusive school programs-All children in All classrooms! Provide more funding for support aides.
· Often families get more funding for their child with disabilities if they move them into programs offered by service providers. Provide more funding and support to families to care for their children, even after they reach adulthood.
· BC Housing complexes that target people with developmental disabilities.
· People with disabilities who do not qualify for funding through CLBC do not receive the services they need. Fund programs for them or broaden the requirements to receive CLBC services
· Allow people with disabilities to have a say in who their workers are. Allow them the funding to hire their own workers, or at least be a part of the hiring process.
· lt is difficult for people to work and attend classes at college or university. Allow some flexibility and provide evening or weekend classes.
· Provide funding {or tie in within existing funding) to allow service providers to do community education/community development