Message from Rhonda Barraclough, ED ALIGN
Hi all Child Intervention Group Care providers,
This week we have learned that some of you have been asked to negotiate your contracts to a 450.00 per diem rate, when it was higher. There are about 14 or 15 agencies in this situation. About 30% of all group care. When I start looking at who that is, it really is a number of folks that are providing some type of what we would have defined as therapeutic care (in the documents and research we have developed). We have also learned that, that knowledge and work has not been shared throughout the provincial ministry and therefore decisions have been made solely on financial needs, and the desire for consistency across the province.
Pauline and I have been speaking with the Minister and the executive this week.
I have also spoken with a lot of you, and I have learned that in Calgary some of you were asked to reduce over the next year and that was back in March. In other parts of the province this is a recent activity, and the cuts are more imminent. Most of you are also being asked to sign multi-year contracts. That may not be the best plan.
I have been asked to gather the group care providers so we can discuss what we know, and possibly develop a strategy we all agree to moving forward. I will continue to have discussions with the Ministry and see where I can get them to land. There may be value is many of you working together so let's talk.
The meeting will be June 15 from 130 – 330 by ZOOM. Register below.
