Freedom of Information requests

BC-CLAG submitted the following requests for the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act. Information sought pertains to provincial government Ministries and to CLBC. Responses received/pending are also noted:

• File#292-30/MSD-2011-01249 & #292-30/FIN-2011-00213:  Records re: Deputy Minister working group examining support of people with developmental disabilities and internal audit of CLBC (November 10/11)
  • Request processed and records to be obtained through Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Finance
• RESPONSES: File#292-30/MSD-2011-01249
  • MSD Acknowledgment letter (November 10) response by December 23/11;
  • CLBC Interim Report (November 2) and Minister of Social Development’s response (November 18)
  • MSD Response Letterand records re: Deputy Minister’s Working Group(January 11/12)
    • STATUS: Partial information obtained: file closed.
  • MSD CLBC Report: Improving Services to People with Developmental Disabilities: Deputy Minister’s Review of Community Living BC (Publicly Released: January 19, 2012)
    • Related BC Gov’t Media Release, Backgrounder, FAQs
  • Queenswood Consulting Group: Review of Community Living BC: Efficacy and Progress to 2011 (Unreleased Report: November, 2011)
• RESPONSES: File#292-30/FIN-2011-00213
  • MFIN Acknowledgement letter (December 2) response by January 18/12
  • MFIN Estimate of Fees for FOI (December 9) and BC-CLAG response/request for clarification re fees (December 12)
  • Email communication to MFIN to amend FOI request to exclude “any reports, briefing notes, memoranda, or other materials prepared for the Working Group” to reduce costs (January 10)
  • MFIN Revised Estimate of Fees for FOI (January 10)
    • STATUS: FOI abandoned  pending release of Deputy Minister’s Report and Internal Audit
  • MFIN: Internal Audit Review of Community Living British Columbia (Publicly Released: January 19, 2012)
    • Related BC Gov’t Media Release, Backgrounder, FAQs
• Records re: CLBC support plans: funding requests received, approved in full and in part, or denied (July 14/11)
  • Email communication advised that a response would not be forthcoming as “CLBC does not collect this information in any electronic or overall manual record.” (October 13)
  • Some data can be extracted from CLBC’s report/statement on service requests(October 6)
    • STATUS: Partial information: file closed
• Records re: number of complaints received and resolved by CLBC; and length of time to resolve complaints (July 14/11)
  • CLBC response (October 21); numbers of formal complaints reported but no data on resolution process provided
    • STATUS: Information obtained: file closed
• Records re: deaths of individuals in CLBC residential services; locations, causes/circumstances; investigative processes undertaken (July 14/11)
  • Email communication advised that a response would be forthcoming by late October. (October 13)
  • Follow-up email inquiring about ongoing delays re: FOI submitted in July/11 (December 21)
  • CLBC response (January 20/12); records re: numbers and causes of deaths in residential services; only general information re: standard investigative processes. Detail varies by year: 2006 – 2010.
    • STATUS: Partial information obtained: file closed
• File#292-30/CLB-2011-00020: Records re: recent and forecasted group home closures and projected impacts (July 14/11)
  • Response re: recent/forecasted group home closures (August 22)
    • STATUS: Information obtained: file closed
• Records re: numbers of adults in BC group homes, including new placements (July 14/11)
  • CLBC response(October 21)
    • STATUS: Information obtained: file closed
• File#292-30/CLB-2011-00018: Records re: recent and forecasted cost savings associated with service redesign and criteria to measure service quality outcomes relative to service redesign (July 14/11)
  • Requests combined
  • Response re: service quality outcomes and cost savings (August 25) additional response time required
  • Email communication advised that a response was in “sign-off” stage; forthcoming very shortly. (October 12)
  • Follow-up email inquiring about ongoing delays re: FOI submitted in July/11 (December 20); response promised in 24 hours; Reply stating that no information received and that BC-CLAG would be submitting complaint to Privacy Commissioner (December 23)
  • CLBC letter outlining information supplied and withheld. Also, CLBC response containing Phase 1 data requested(rec’d December 23/dated December 21). Finally, a CLBC letter withholding Phase 2 data  “in their entirety pursuant to section 12 (Cabinet and local public body confidences) of FOIPPA.” (January 31/12)
  • NOTE:In over 400 pages of data, information released through the FOI only itemizes cost savings from 2006-2010. No information about measuring service quality outcomes in relation to service redesign is provided; no budget plans or projected cost savings is provided for fiscal years 2011/12; 2012/13; 2013/14; 2014/15; 2015/16; and no information on the re-allocations of costs savings is provided.
    • STATUS: Partial (inadequate) information obtained; file closed
• File#292-30/CLB-2011-00019: Records re CLBC respite services (July 21/11)
  • CLBC response (July 27) no records available
  • Response appealed to FOI Commissioner; request referred back to CLBC (August 23)
  • Second request to CLBC (August 30)
  • CLBC response (September 20) some respite data provided; no info re: average number of respite hours funded per family
    • STATUS: Information obtained: file closed

BC CLAG partner requests for information

The following correspondence documents the extensive efforts of CLAG member BCGEU over many months to formally request CLBC waitlist information. An initial Freedom of Information request was submitted in May 2011. CLBC initially claimed the information did not exist. BCGEU challenged the denial by requesting a review by the Information and Privacy Commissioner. As the legal deadline to comply approached, Minister Harry Bloy announced on September 22 that he had ordered CLBC to release the information before the Legislature resumed sitting on October 3.

• BCGEU’s request for CLBC data related to emergency requests for CLBC-funded supports (May 30/11)
  • CLBC’s response  claiming information does not exist. (July 21)
  • BCGEU’s follow-up complaint to Information and Privacy Commissioner (August 4)
  • Response from Information and Privacy Commissioner’s response (August 18)
  • BCGEU’s follow-up request/challenge to CLBC (August 30)
  • Minister of Social Development Harry Bloy orders CLBC to release waitlist information. (September 22)
  • CLBC response (September 21); partial data reported; outstanding request for service information not provided
  • CLBC report/statement on service requests(October 6)
    • STATUS: Information obtained: file closed.