CKNW, (June 28 2005).
VICTORIA(CKNW/AM980) - Community groups
that provide services to children across BC are concerned
but BC's Health Minister says his ministry's take-over
of child mental health services will be a good thing.
Craig Meredith with the Federation of Child and Family
Services says other provinces have been following BC's
example of combining child welfare services into a
single ministry as recommended in the Gove Report
nearly a decade ago now he says the government is
moving backward with no consultation.
"It was quite a shock to ministry staff and service
providers."
But Health Minister George Abbott says his ministry
will now offer all mental health services, increasing
efficiency...
"We believe it's gonna be a success and I'm looking
forward to seeing some great results from this."
that, I'll have to check into that."
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I bet once he does check around that he will find many
people are happy child & youth mental health is going
over the health authority. No-one in their right minds
would want to be part of the Ministry of Children and
Family Development, what with the funding cuts,
organizational chaos and toxic work environment.
There is just no leadership to help the integrated model
really work in this province. It really is a big loss for
child & youth mental health to go, there will be an
increase in service gaps and other issues no doubt.
It's called privatization my friends and foes. MCFD is
rapidly divesting itself of anything to do with child welfare.
By the end of this week Community Living BC (a nightmare
in the making for those it purports to serve and those who
will be doing the serving), is supposed to be up & running.
Hmmm, missed the public, open announcement on that one
anywhere in the media, or even on the government website.
The continuing silence from the supposed advocates,
such as the BCACL, BC Coalition of People with Dis-
abilities, and Family Net etc. speaks volumes about
what we can expect from these organizations in terms
of real advocacy and voice for those affected by this
privatization. Still no news on the government website
either. If this CLBC plan is such a great thing, why aren't
they tripping over themselves to announce the
much waited for shift to community governance.
What are they afraid of and what are they hiding?
***********************************************
Maximus, the controversial U.S. corporation that has
already taken over administration of B.C.'s Medical
Service Plan despite privacy objections, is now poised
to take over the BC Nurseline, the province's telephone
healthcare service, 24 Hours has learned.
The BC Nurseline employs 100 registered nurses and
handles about 900 calls a day.
"I don't know what the motivation is but it seems
unnecessary to sell out the sanctity of Canadian medical
information," BCCLA president Jason Gratl said in an
interview. "The obvious alternatives are to hire a Canadian
company or not privatize and lower costs internally."
"We don't see the steps taken by the B.C. government
as adequate to prevent the U.S. government from having
access to confidential information," he said.
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Another major issue in this is the absolutely crappy job
that "MSP" now does in responding to citizens inquiring
about ANYTHING to do with accessing health care.
I know I've e-mailed, or tried to contact them and have
family members who have mailed in very important
documents never to hear anything from this incompetent
monolith.
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