Waitlists

CLBC waitlist figures unreliable says stakeholder group

BC-CLAG urges external review of CLBC’s mandate and operations

For immediate release: October 6, 2011 – Statistics showing how many people with developmental disabilities are waiting for services across British Columbia are unreliable and misleading, says the BC Community Living Action Group (BC-CLAG), which is calling on the government to conduct an external review of CLBC’s mandate and operations.

“We have very little confidence in the waitlist numbers. They misrepresent the scope, scale and severity of the community living crisis affecting vulnerable adults and their families,” says BC-CLAG partner Faith Bodnar. “Restoring faith in the community living support system should begin with an acknowledgement of the scope of the problem,” adds Bodnar.

• Click here to read the full press release
• Click here to view the waitlist stats released by CLBC

Additional background: BC-CLAG partner FOI request re: CLBC  waitlists
The following correspondence documents the extensive efforts of BC-CLAG member BCGEU over many months to formally request CLBC waitlist information.

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