Latest news with #CommunityLivingBC
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Critics say firm hired to review Community Living BC includes founding architect of the Crown corporation
Critics are questioning whether the province's review of Community Living BC will actually help prevent future tragedies. In the wake of a coroner's inquest into the death of a woman with Down syndrome, the province has ordered what it calls an 'independent review' of Community Living BC's home-sharing program. At the time of her death from starvation in 2018, 54-year-old Florence Girard weighed just 54 pounds. A court later convicted her provincially funded caregiver Astrid Dahl of failing to provide the necessities of life. Girard's death sparked a series of changes to the home-sharing program. 'I'm still hearing concerns from families,' said Sheila Malcolmson, the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, which oversees CLBC. 'The review that I've established is looking at how home sharing is operating right now in 2025 and whether the changes CLBC made since 2018 are having the impact we hoped.' The government has hired Tamar Consultancy to conduct the review. The firm has a limited footprint online, but Malcolmson confirms Tim Stainton is one of its principals. Stainton is a professor emeritus in the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia. 'His credentials are beyond reproach, quite frankly. I believe that the professor was around in that group before 2005 that actually helped to create CLBC,' said CLBC board chair Shane Simpson. Stainton was part of the provincial Board of the Interim Authority for CLBC, which the province struck in 2002 to lay the groundwork for CLBC. Not only is he one of the original architects of the Crown corporation he has just been hired to review – he has also conducted research at UBC sponsored directly by CLBC. Reached by email, Stainton referred questions about his role in the review to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Simpson also has history with the agency that predates his time on its board. When Girard starved to death in 2018, Simpson was an MLA and the government minister responsible for CLBC. Down Syndrome BC president Tamara Taggart is skeptical the latest review, which is set to cost taxpayers $75,000, will yield much in the way of fresh ideas. She told CTV News she would rather see the province focus on implementing each of the 15 jury recommendations that came out of the coroner's inquest into Girard's death. The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction expects the results of the latest review sometime in the fall.
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Independent review ordered into Community Living B.C. after starvation death
Social Sharing The B.C. Crown corporation that oversees the care of developmentally disabled people will have its home-share program independently reviewed after an inquest into a starvation death earlier this year. Florence Girard, a woman with Down syndrome, weighed about 50 pounds when she died in 2018 in the Port Coquitlam home of Astrid Dahl, a caregiver funded through Crown corporation Community Living B.C. (CLBC). After the week-long inquest into Girard's death in January, a jury made 11 recommendations to CLBC, including better pay for front-line caregivers and changes to support family members of a vulnerable individual who want to care for their relative in their home. CLBC, the corporation that oversees the care of developmentally disabled people, was created in 2005. It is in charge of caring for 29,000 British Columbians with disabilities such as autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome. Now, the province says it is commissioning an independent review of the organization's home-sharing program, to be conducted by contractor Tamar Consultancy. "We are reviewing CLBC's home-sharing program to ensure that changes made since 2018 are getting people the highest quality of service possible," read a statement from Poverty Reduction Minister Sheila Malcolmson. The province's statement says that it would create an advisory body made up of individuals, families and service providers to inform the review and give recommendations to the ministry. The review is expected to be finished in the fall. In a news release, the CEO of CLBC's board welcomed the independent review. "We want to do everything we can to make sure this model is as strong as it can be, because this is about keeping people safe, and we believe the number of people supported through the home-sharing model will grow considerably," Shane Simpson said. In its statement, the province says that CLBC made a number of changes after Girard's death in 2018, including mandating home visits every three months and annual doctor visits. WATCH | Down syndome advocate and Girard's sister call for changes: Sister hopes for systemic change as inquest into death of Florence Girard begins 5 months ago Duration 14:50 Organization had faced calls for shakeup Advocates and unions had called for a shakeup of CLBC after the inquest into Girard's death, including demands its board resign. In a statement sent to CBC News at the time, CLBC said that none of its current board members were on the board in 2018 and that by law, the board must include representation from people with developmental disabilities, family members of those who receive services funded by CLBC, and Indigenous people. Following the Girard inquest, CLBC's CEO provided an "unreserved apology" to Girard's family, friends and loved ones and said the organization had failed the B.C. woman's family. In a statement at the time, CLBC said it welcomed the inquest's recommendations and said it was committed to taking concrete actions to strengthen the delivery of home sharing services.
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
B.C. reviewing home-sharing program for adults with developmental disabilities
Florence Girard, seen here in a family handout photo from 2006, died of starvation in a Port Coquitlam, B.C., home in 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO The British Columbia government is commissioning an independent review of the province's home-share program, months after an inquest into the starvation death of a woman with Down syndrome in a Port Coquitlam share home. A statement from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction says the review will assess safety in home-sharing arrangements, standards that promote quality of life, as well as accountability and oversight measures. The government says it will convene an advisory body made up of individuals, families and service providers to give input for developing recommendations. Florence Girard was 54 years old when she died in 2018 weighing only about 50 pounds in the home where she lived as part of the home-share program for people with developmental disabilities, managed by the Crown corporation Community Living BC. A coroners inquest jury in January made 13 recommendations including calling for better training and pay for people who share their homes and an improved system to co-ordinate residents' needs. Shane Simpson, chair of Community Living BC's board, says in the statement that the Crown corporation welcomes the review and that the organization has made a number of changes to its processes and oversight since Girard's death. The government says the review is expected to be finished in the fall. This report by Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press, was first published June 2, 2025
Global News
3 days ago
- Health
- Global News
B.C. launches review of home-sharing program after inquest into woman's starvation death
The British Columbia government is commissioning an independent review of the province's home-share program, months after an inquest into the starvation death of a woman with Down syndrome in a Port Coquitlam share home. A statement from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction says the review will assess safety in home-sharing arrangements, standards that promote quality of life, as well as accountability and oversight measures. 1:55 CLBC caregiver not being paid The government says it will convene an advisory body made up of individuals, families and service providers to give input for developing recommendations. Story continues below advertisement Florence Girard was 54 years old when she died in 2018, weighing only about 50 pounds in the home where she lived as part of the home-share program for people with developmental disabilities, managed by the Crown corporation Community Living BC. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A coroners inquest jury in January made 13 recommendations including calling for better training and pay for people who share their homes and an improved system to co-ordinate residents' needs. 2:59 Community Living BC CEO responds to criticism in wake of client's death Shane Simpson, chair of Community Living BC's board, says in the statement that the Crown corporation welcomes the review and that the organization has made a number of changes to its processes and oversight since Girard's death. The government says the review is expected to be finished in the fall.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Review of B.C. home-sharing program for adults with developmental disabilities
The British Columbia government is commissioning an independent review of the province's home-share program, months after an inquest into the starvation death of a woman with Down syndrome in a Port Coquitlam share home. A statement from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction says the review will assess safety in home-sharing arrangements, standards that promote quality of life, as well as accountability and oversight measures. The government says it will convene an advisory body made up of individuals, families and service providers to give input for developing recommendations. Florence Girard was 54 years old when she died in 2018 weighing only about 50 pounds in the home where she lived as part of the home-share program for people with developmental disabilities, managed by the Crown corporation Community Living BC. A coroners inquest jury in January made 13 recommendations including calling for better training and pay for people who share their homes and an improved system to co-ordinate residents' needs. Shane Simpson, chair of Community Living BC's board, says in the statement that the Crown corporation welcomes the review and that the organization has made a number of changes to its processes and oversight since Girard's death. The government says the review is expected to be finished in the fall. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025
