October 30, 1996
(Social Services)

Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Social Services, responded today to concerns raised about a program designed to move people from the Waterford Hospital back into the community.

The Right Future Project is a national pilot project jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments, and is being conducted through a partnership arrangement that also includes advocacy organizations - the Canadian Association for Community Living and the Newfoundland Association for Community Living.

The project has been working successfully for over three years and as a result, over 80 people have moved from the Waterford Hospital back to their home communities. All the necessary supports and services have been provided to ensure that all individuals are adequately supported to remain at home.

The minister said that by providing more information she hoped to clarify any possible misunderstanding and alleviate any undue fear for the families involved. "I am surprised that the Newfoundland Association for Community Living, as one of the partners in the project, did not provide more information regarding the terms for the continuation of the project," said the minister. "My staff met with NACL as recently as yesterday afternoon and my department will continue to work with the partners and families to provide the best possible supports for those people who need them."

The final phase of the project has been temporarily halted in the past year due to the changes in provincial and federal revenues. Meanwhile, the project partners have, over the past several months developed a plan which could allow a resumption of activities and complete the project as originally intended. The viability of the plan is possible because of additional federal funding to offset funding shortfalls and a change in expenditure patterns related to support services. To ensure that funding reductions would have no appreciable impact on service levels to individuals, staff of the Department of Social Services and staff of the Newfoundland Association for Community Living met with families in a consultation process over the summer months which has identified cost saving measures. This successful exercise along with the collaboration among the project partners has created an opportunity to proceed with the final stages of the project.

Recent changes on service limits to the Home Support Program do not affect the residents of the Waterford Hospital in this project who are moving into the community. The 80 residents who have previously moved into community living arrangements are not affected by the service limits outlined in September 96. Ms. Aylward is concerned that there is some confusion over these differences.

It is expected that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed by the project partners, in the coming weeks. This will include terms that will ensure that the individuals remaining at the Waterford Hospital who will be moving under this project will be provided with adequate supports for them to live in the community. Similar provision will be made for those individuals who have already moved and are living successfully with community support.

This project is the only one of its kind in the country. It has in fact been presented at national conferences as a "model" project. Newfoundland and Labrador has lead the country in its stand on de- institutionalization for persons with disabilities. "I think it is important for people to realize that through long negotiations we are pleased that the process will move forward to completion," said the minister.

Contact: Glenn Bruce, (709) 729-4062.