604-939-8070 2322 St. John's Street, Port Moody, V3H 2A9

CVS 2017 Annual General Meeting – June 26

 

Our 2017 Annual General Meeting will be held on June 26th @ 4:00 PM at 2322 St. Johns Street. We have attached a CVS Membership Form if you wish to become a member of CVS. The cost is only $5. We are interested in growing our membership base to make a stronger and more resilient CVS. Members are able to participate in our AGM and other events.

 

The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting is as follows:

  1.             Welcome and Introductions
  2.             Approval of the Minutes of Annual General Meeting June 28, 2016
  3.             Auditors Report
  4.            Appointment of Auditors for Fiscal Year 2017 / 2018
  5.            Nominations Report
  6.            Election of Directors
  7.            Appointment of Signing Officers of the Society
  8.            Set Membership fee for the coming year.
  9.           Special Resolution – Updating of Bylaws to conform to the Society\’s Act.
  10.           Executive Director’s Report
  11.           Program Reports
  12. Adjournment and Refreshments followed by a brief regular Board Meeting

2016/2017 CVS Outcomes Management Report

Every year we survey the people we serve, their families, our staff and our stakeholders to see how they feel about our service from the lenses of effectiveness, efficiency, access, and satisfaction. In addition we ask what we are doing well and how we might improve. All of this data gets analyzed and folded into a report that we call the Outcomes Management Report. We want to share that information, so if you are interested you can see the Outcomes ManagementReport here.

It\’s Spring and Time to Cut the Lawn!

The Ventures Lawn Crew are ready to come and look after your lawn. It\’s only $40 for most lawns including raking and clean up. Your yard will look great. Call or text Norm at 604.379.5094 for a free estimate and to schedule your time.

\"Chris

In The News from Inclusion BC

Ontario suit alleges people with developmental disabilities denied services
PAOLA LORIGGIO TORONTO — The Canadian Press
Published Monday, Apr. 24, 2017

Lawsuit filed by Timmins family alleges people with developmental disabilities denied necessary services
Class-action lawsuit alleges unreasonable wait lists deny care to people with disabilities
By Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press Posted: Apr 24, 2017

Yona Lunsky and Rob Balogh: People with developmental disabilities are invisible in the mental-health system
The Province, Published:April 22, 2017
With the recent federal commitment to increase mental-health funding across Canada, we need to turn our attention toward a group of individuals who are currently invisible within Canada’s mental-health system…

TV debate marks show time for B.C. election; parties look to turn on voters
Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, April 25, 2017 6:23AM EDT
VICTORIA — It\’s show time in British Columbia\’s election campaign with Wednesday\’sdebate between the three party leaders offering a high-stakes chance to leave a mark on the campaign with about two weeks to the finish line.

Accessibility activists want to ditch iconic symbol highlighting the wheelchair, not the person
The Forward Movement pushing the province to adopt dynamic wheelchair symbol
By Lauren Pelley, CBC News Posted: Apr 24, 2017

A Syrian Family Finds Acceptance for their Disabled Children through Canadian Resettlement
Apr 23, 2017 | Feature Story, Local Story
By Erla Cabrera, Ottawa, Canada – 24 April 2017
A Syrian mother recalls the warm welcome received upon her family’s arrival

‘If You’re Not Going to Reduce Poverty When You Have a Strong Economy, When Are You Going to Do It?’
BC can learn from Newfoundland’s efforts, says advocate.
By Katie Hyslop Yesterday | TheTyee.ca

‘Heartbreaking’: Medical standoff leaves man with cerebral palsy stranded at hospital for weeks
Washington Post By Theresa Vargas April 21
Alex Scott cannot speak.
If he could, he might be able to answer a crucial question that has pitted the people who speak for him against one another and left him stranded in a Northern Virginia hospital for three weeks.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Inclusion BC or the staff.

BC Election 2017

BC Election 2017: TV Leaders Debate – Weds, Apr. 26

Inclusion BC sent in questions for the BC political leaders\’ debate, which will be televised this Wednesday, April 26, from 6:30 – 8 PM, on all major TV and radio stations.
Question 1: Will you support an increase in PWD monthly rates to $1,200/month in 2017, with yearly cost of living increases and portable housing subsidies that cover actual housing costs?

Question 2: How would your party address the chronic shortfall in CLBC funding and the need for an independent external review of CLBC?

Do you have a question? Email it to: [email protected]

Advancing inclusion in BC Election 2017:
Our BC Election 2017 Toolkit has info and tips to help you make a difference when BC votes on May 9, including:

  • Schedule of candidate debates around BC
  • Priority issues & questions for candidates
  • Take action: Election activities
  • How to register & vote
  • Resources & where to get more info
Get Inclusion BC\’s Election 2017 Toolkit

BC Budget 2017 Press Release from Inclusion BC

PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate release

Community leaders welcome Budget 2017 as a step forward, but map still needed for the road ahead

February 21, 2017

VICTORIA, BC— Inclusion BC joined community leaders to welcome the 2017 BC Budget investments in social infrastructure as a positive step forward, while noting the need for further work, including comprehensive plans and more community/government collaboration, to improve the lives of vulnerable British Columbians.

Community Living BC

The 2017 budget increase for Community Living BC will help the provincial agency respond to expected growth in the number of adults with developmental disabilities requiring residential and community inclusion supports for the coming year.

However, remaining challenges include ongoing cost pressures, growing complexity of needs, accumulated waitlists and total caseloads that are projected to continue increasing in future years.

”We welcome the increase as a good step,” said Inclusion BC Executive Director Faith Bodnar. “But it is not enough to address the accumulation of unmet needs, as more youth transition to adult services each year, and families and support agencies struggle with more complex needs.”

The number of adults requiring CLBC supports has been growing by 5 – 6% annually in recent years and CLBC expects that trend to continue. The budget increase for 2017/18  reflects that trend. However, budget increases for the following two years (2018/19 and 2019/20) amount to 0.5% and 1% respectively, far below expected growth in the number of people served by CLBC.

“The funding gap creates severe stresses for community agencies and families who support people with developmental disabilities, in some cases resulting in acute crises,” Bodnar added.

Inclusion BC has urged a review of CLBC in light of challenges that include growing costs for aging adults and more complex needs including mental health, homelessness and addiction. “When people with developmental disabilities are forced to live in poverty, their challenges reflect those common to all people struggling with poverty,” Bodnar noted.

Persons With Disabilities (PWD) Benefits

Disability advocates hoped for a more significant increase to PWD rates than the $50 a month in the 2017 budget.

“Any increase to the rates is welcome, and we acknowledge that this is the second in the last 12 months,” Disability Alliance BC (DABC) Executive Director Jane Dyson said. “At the same time, an annual increase of $600 will provide little real improvement to the lives of people with disabilities who depend on provincial assistance and we welcome Finance Minister De Jong’s comments that we should continue to advocate for additional increases.”

BC’s Accessibility 2024 initiative includes both a commitment and a plan to make BC the most progressive province in Canada for people with disabilities by 2024. Advocates are urging that the Province build on this plan to resolve the constant lag between PWD rates and actual living costs.

“We need a plan to ensure that rates increase regularly, with indexing to inflation,” Dyson said. “We are also asking government to establish a stakeholder/government committee that allows us to work together on how such a system could work.”

DABC’s comments were echoed by other advocates, including Neil Belanger, executive director of the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society. “The recent PWD $50 / monthly increase announced by the government was welcomed but unfortunately less than what we and our sister organizations had hoped. We need to continue to work with government to ensure an adequate level of assistance is achieved and the vision of Accessibility 2024 realized.”

“Our concern is that without further adjustments, people with disabilities will continue to live in poverty and that CLBC will continue to serve as a crisis response system instead of proactively building capacity to meaningfully fulfill its mandate to promote real community inclusion,” Bodnar added.

Mental Health

Research shows that almost 70% of BC children and youth living with mental health problems do not receive the treatment they need, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association (BC Division).

“Five of the most common mental health problems among children and youth – anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, substance use misuse, conduct disorder, and depression – are also preventable,” said CMHA-BC Policy Director Jonny Morris.

Today, the province announced a package of measures to respond to this treatment gap, improving child and youth mental health in BC schools, homes, and communities. This follows Friday’s announcement that the BC Government has signed on to the federal Health Accord, securing $655 million dollars for mental health and addictions care over the next ten years.

“Recent budgets have not emphasized mental health and addictions as much as Budget 2017,” said Morris. “It is encouraging to see a 20% increase in MCFD’s line item for child and youth mental health services. This is an important incremental step to the boost in funding needed to close the 70% treatment gap for BC children living with mental health and addiction problems.”

Affordable Housing

“As BC’s population surges, it is critical that the province continue to partner in building new rental supply of all types, particularly social housing that addresses homelessness,” said Kishone Roy, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, speaking on behalf of advocacy group Housing Central:.

However, he noted, increasing that supply is difficult under current rent supplement programs and income assistance that only offers $375 toward shelter for people in the deepest need.

“We believe that both building new supply, and providing more direct support to renters are necessary to tackle the affordable housing crisis,” Roy said.

Community supports

ASPECT BC (Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training) offered a similar message.

“Community-based organizations that provide employment services and training to British Columbians looking for work have long been challenged to help their clients with barriers to employment such as mental health, housing, and transportation,” said ASPECT-BC CEO Janet Morris-Reade.

“We are pleased to see increased support for these issues in this year’s budget,” Morris-Reade said. “This gives community-based organizations the resources from which to draw that will ultimately help their clients along the pathway toward meaningful and sustainable employment.”

Indigenous children & individuals living with disabilities

The 2017 Provincial Budget contained a number of positive steps forward for Indigenous children and individuals living with disabilities within British Columbia, said Neil Belanger executive director of the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS).

“However,” Belanger continued. “We need to see continued movement forward by the government to ensure that adequate resources, supports and services are made available for our most vulnerable citizens, and at levels not just to survive but to be able to thrive in our communities.”

Children & Families

“A lift in the Ministry serving B.C.’s most vulnerable children is always welcome,” says Rick FitzZaland, Executive Director of The Federation of Community Social Services of BC.

“This budget includes investments in childcare, services to children with special needs and mental health challenges, and a commitment to do better for children in care,” he added.  “I am hopeful that the investment in children in care services will allow for the continued implementation of the recommendations stemming from our 2012 joint report with MCFD on residential services.”

Coquitlam Rotary First Annual Sports Gala

Here is another fine fundraiser from our friends at the Coquitlam Rotary Club who are having their First Annual Sports Gala Dinner in support of a local playground and the Canucks Autism Network. Tickets are available from Scott Bewley at [email protected] or by calling his cell at 778.928.7268. I cannot help but think that this will be an amazing evening for the sports fans in your family.

 

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Broadbent Institute Recommends Increases to PWD

Micheal Prince of the Broadbent Institute is recommending increase to the disability rates. In a story by the CBC, it outlines that the rates are not indexed and have not been raised significantly since 2004. As a result, people with disabilities are living well below the poverty line. Michael Prince said, the \”annual rates right now are not enough to cover living expenses. The rate now for a year is a little over $11,500,\” he explained. \”I\’m looking at getting that up to the neighbourhood of $19,000, or $19,500. To get there, that means a steady, not immodest amount of money — $50 million to $150 million each year — incrementally invested through two governments and eight budgets.\”

Let\’s hope that this upcoming provincial budget has earmarked some funding for this important issue.