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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1977-01-19, Page 9By JACK RIDDELL MPP Huron -Middlesex On Thursday, December 16, 1976, The Honourable Margaret Birch quietly released the Report of the Interministry Committee on Residential Services. Unfortunately, only three copies were tabled in the House, and additional copies are difficult to obtain. This report is highly critical of the Government's administration of residential services. It notes that 23 separate residential systems are at present in operation under provincial legislation and supervision. In connection with the programs which are intended to serve children and young adults, the report underlines the necessity of far-reaching reforms in this area of provincial jurisdiction. It states, for example, that "our uncontrolled and unco- ordinated flow of admissions and lack of classification make it a matter of chance whether a particular child will go to a Residential Services Committee Citizens News, January 19, 1977 Page 9 Administration of residential services children's aid society home at $8 or $9 a day or a Children's Institution at $25 a day or a Children's Mental Health Centre at $60 a day".. This particular passage is concluded with the following admission: "Without generally accepted classification and monitoring of admissions flow and control, it could easily happen and perhaps does - that a facility charging an overall rate of say $45 per day has 'only about one-third of the children in it who should be accorded that level of care. We simply don't know. Most facilities select the children they want on an in- dividual basis or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they try to keep out those that they don't want and let the rest in. The fact is that no systematic case audit of the children's facilities in Ontario has ever been done." Another section of the Report observes that, Programs 100 per cent funded by the Province tend to be first choice placement whether or not they were ap- propriate", and that "the review showed a significant number of residents, about 20 per cent who in the opinion of Directors and front line staff, did not require the service at all or might more appropriately have been placed in some other facility." When one considers the wide variations in per diem costs and the very real possibility of inappropriate placement, given the fact that many users of these STOP....SNOWING — If the snow piles any higher, the stop sign will disappear for sure. This particular sign is located two and a quarter miles north of Zurich on the Goshen. Let's hope the cars pay more attention to the sign than the snow seems to be. Photo by McKinley Crime increase minimal Commissioner H.H. Graham of the Ontario Provincial Police reports that for the first time in 10 years the increase in crime within OPP jurisdiction was minimal. The previous average of a 10 percent increase per year for the past 10 years dropped to 0.7 per cent for 1976. In 1975, there were 61 murders and 32 attempted murders; in 1976, there were 43 murders and 18 attempted murders, a decrease of 34 per- cent. Nor was there any significant increase in specific criminal categories such as theft, break and enter, robbery and assualt. The Commissioner believes that a meaningful reason for this change in trend is the cooperation we are receiving from the public and the mass media. More citizens are becoming involved in assisting with the prevention of crime. "We are hopeful that this community effort will continue, enabling us to look forward to a very successful fight against crime in 1977, " he said. On more than 70,000 miles of highway patrolled by the OPP, there was a decrease of 3,036 motor vehicle collisions during 1976 compared to 1975. The result was an estimated 185 fewer persons killed and 4,722 fewer persons injured during the same period. Motor vehicle collisions on Highway 401 were reduced by over 1,100 during 1976 compared to 1975. The introduction of lower high- way speed limits and the man- datory wearing of seat belts have been positive factors related to the reduction of motor vehicle collisions in Ontario. These new laws resulted in 6,683 persons receiving summonses for not wearing their seat belts and a 50 percent increase in summonses being issued,by members of the OPP for speeding offences. services exhibit similar characteristics, regardless of which system they "happen to find themselves in" (another finding of the Interministry Report), the situation becomes a matter of serious concern. The report also indicates that program effectiveness is not related to staff ratios. It was also found, apparently, that "there was a tendency for the same number of staff to be working directly with residents at any given time regardless of the size of overall staff," although "differences in staff ratios were almost wholly responsible for variations in cost." In an Appendix to the Report on the subject of Children's Mental Health Centres, there is the following information. No formal operating manual exists. Financial and program disputes are at present resolved "outside existing policy by ap- peals to politicians and other forms of pressure." No requirements at present exist for facilities to report "reasons for admission, progress of treatment, reasons for discharge, or actual number of children in residence." Quarterly financial reporting procedures, while supposedly in preparation, do not exist. No percentage utilization figure is given. No average per diem figure is given, although the Henderson Report indicated an average estimated annual cost of $23,000 per person, that is $63 per diem. Stuart Smith first asked the Government to provide a copy of this report on May 6, 1976. When the government refused to make the report public, we openly speculated that it would confirm suspicions that children with similar problems were being treated in different facilities, each charging different rates. Money is, therefore, lavished needlessly on Health facilities at the high end of the per diem scale while Community and Social Service facilities barely survive at the low end of the per diem scale. Only days before theReportwas finally tabled, he raised the issue again in the House, making these very points. At about the same time, Central Toronto Youth Services published a booklet entitled "Priorities which arrives at conclusions similar to those in the Interministry Report," Now that this forthright report has been made public, we can only hope that much needed reforms will soon be made. Margaret Campbell, Liberal MPP (St. George) has called upon the Government to establish a public enquiry with powers to recommend immediate and far- reaching reforms to improve the treatment of disturbed children in the Province, and at the same time curtail unnecessary ex- penditure. VANASTRA RECREATION CENTRE R.R. #5, CLINTON BINGO EVERY MONDAY at 8 p.m. JACKPOT $ZOO GOT 15 reg. games of $12.00 3 share -the -wealth Door prizes and many other specials. Admission restricted to 16 years or over. The most impornt time of aH to save electricity. The demand for elec- tricity in Ontario reaches its peak early in the evening on cold winter weekdays. Between 4 and 7, everyone's asking for elec- tricity. Many factories, stores and offices are still open. Street lights are on.The kids are home from school, parents home from work, evening meals are being prepared. And the heating system has to work harder. It all adds up. Demands for electric- ity have been increasing at a pace that can no longer be met. The rate of growth must be reduced. You can help by avoid- ing the big jobs like baking, washing and drying between 4 and 7. Make sure that unused lights, TVs and appliances are off. Take it easy on the hot water. Please do all you can to save electricity. /440 Conserve energy. The future depends on it.