Regional Service Plan, 1999-2002

Introduction

The Northeast Alberta Community Board is pleased to present their Regional Service Plan for the period April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2002. The Board accepted authority for services within the region on April 1, 1998.

This service plan is a result of initial work undertaken by the Board during the period April 1 to July 10, 1998. The Board has focused on the following activities:

• development of a Board governance structure;
• initial consultation with the community on regional service needs;
• initial draft of mission and vision statements as well as underlying value statements and resulting service priorities;
• approval of an operating budget and organizational plan for the 1998-99 term

As a result, the Regional Service Plan should be viewed as an initial framework, which will be adapted and embellished prior to the implementation date of April 1, 1999. The current operating year and delivery of services for April 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999 will be monitored by the Board through the service plan framework presented for the 1999 to 2002 period.

Service Mandate

The Northeast Alberta Community Board willingly accepts the challenge of ensuring the provision of quality services to persons with developmental disabilities within the region, in addition to their role in the development of a unified and equitable provincial service delivery model. The Board commits to an overall provincial service delivery framework and governance model, which ensures provincial continuity and regional responsiveness.

To this end, the Northeast Alberta Community Board has included strategies and initiatives in its plan to address the following issues, and undertakes to use common performance measures in these areas as required by the PDD Provincial Board. The Northeast Alberta Community Board will:

• Ensure effective management of resources by:
      – working to achieve equity in funding,
      – improving the assessment of the support needs of individuals, and
      – streamlining administrative processes;
• Ensure outcomes for individuals are the basis for accountability by evaluating:
      – quality of life outcomes,
      – the satisfaction of families and guardians, and
      – participation in the community by individuals with developmental disabilities;
• Ensure they understand the needs in their region and develop strategies to address them;
• Ensure individuals and families are part of the planning and decision-making process; and
• Examine strategies to address staff wages, training and morale.
  

Client Population Served: Present and Projected 1998-2002

By the end of the current year (1998-99), the region is projected to have a total of 753 clients with an annualized total of 215 clients receiving individual funding support.

The number of total clients and type of funding support will vary monthly, depending on factors such as client mobility, realization of projections, and nature of services required. The total population projected to receive support for the remaining years of 1999-2000, 2000-2001, and 2001-2002 is 858, 948, and 1,120 clients, respectively.

Core Business of the Board

On behalf of persons with developmental disabilities, and as trustees of public resources, the Northeast Alberta Community Board is accountable for the following:

• adherence to provincial and regional policies;
• leadership which looks to long-range, client-centered service directions and priorities;
• fiscal responsibility and public accountability;
• communication and consultation with the community and stakeholder groups;
• advocacy;
• linkage to the community;
• assurance of organizational performance, including monitoring of results and constraints;
• funding and resource support to more than 15 service providers in the region.
  

Board Values and Beliefs

In developing an initial statement of mission, vision, and regional service priorities, the Board has identified the basic values and beliefs given below.

• Adults with developmental disabilities have choices which are to be respected and honored.
• Adults with developmental disabilities are entitled to freedom of choice in the pursuit of an appropriate and attainable level of independence, self-reliance, and participation in community life.
• Individual client rights and responsibilities are foremost in all decisions regarding service delivery priorities.
• Service delivery priorities will reflect local community inclusion as the entry point for all clients.
• Client choice is pivotal to all service planning.
• Service delivery priorities will reflect client identified needs and be responsive to changes in client needs.
• Persons with developmental disabilities make a value-added contribution to the communities in which they live and work.
• There will be recognition of the strong contributions provided by immediate and extended families in the development and support of clients and community services.
• There will be recognition of the strong contribution that our contract agencies and partners make in the quality of life for our clients.
• Partnership with the Provincial PDD Board, Ministry of Family and Social Services, other government departments, Children’s Authorities, school boards, Regional Health Authorities, municipalities, elected officials, professional associations, and advocacy groups are critical to achieving our goal of quality services.
• PDD staff are highly valued as professionals for their contributions to the development, delivery, and monitoring of quality services.

Mission Statement (Initial Draft)

To support regional services which ensure people with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to live valued and meaningful lives in a safe and caring community of their choice.

Vision (Initial Draft)

People with developmental disabilities, in the Northeast Region, live valued and meaningful lives with dignity and self-worth in safe, caring, and supporting communities and families of their choice.

Key Result Statements

Adults with developmental disabilities:

• are accessing full range of health services in their community;
• are obtaining the skills and knowledge they desire;
• are experiencing the life-long learning situations they desire;
• are comfortable with their options and the choices they make;
• can access meaningful work in their community;
• can access recreational, social, leisure activities in their community;
• are able to develop and express individual spirituality;
• live in safe comfortable "home" of their choice.

Families of adults with developmental disabilities:

• feel validated and recognized for contributions they make;
• live in a community of their choice;
• have resources available to sustain the family unit while providing support to the adult with developmental disabilities.

Communities:

• affirm the contributions of people with disabilities to these communities;
• value the contribution that people with developmental disabilities make in their life and their work.

Board Service Directions and Priorities

In keeping with the mission and vision statements, as well as the underlying values and beliefs, the Northeast Alberta Community Board has identified the following service directions and priorities to guide the work of the Board and their Chief Executive Officer.

Note: Regional Board service directions and priorities consistent with Provincial directions are identified in italics.

A. Communications and Community Involvement

• Conduct a minimum of 12 Board meetings each year throughout the region open to the public.
• Distribute minutes of all public Board meetings.
• Approve Regional Service Plan and Budget.
• Distribute Regional Service Plans with identified resources to all stakeholder groups.
• Initiate and maintain contact with Community Councils and elected officials.
• Develop a communication and community involvement plan for the on-going development of responsive, community-based services.
• Establish a Northeast Regional web site with links and information pages for community service agencies and partners.
• Ensure annual process for Community Needs Assessment.

B. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Measure and monitor the level of satisfaction of clients, families, guardians, and service agencies with support services provided.
• Identify outcome statements, indicators, and targets for quality service.
• Monitor progress toward achieving outcomes, through measurement of indicators and targets for quality service.
• Ensure equity in services and funding available.
• Annually review the performance of the Chief Executive Officer.
• Monitor the overall service priorities, goals, and finances of the Board.
• Ensure an annual audit of finances and services.
• Ensure timely and accurate demographic information on the number of clients receiving service and the nature of services provided.
• Identify annual and three-year projections of client growth, service needs, and required resources.
• Measure and monitor staff satisfaction with the regional service delivery model and their role in ensuring quality services.

C. Regional Service Directions and Priorities

• Develop regional professional development plans with input from service agencies, staff, clients, parents/guardians, and Community Councils.
• Address the needs of our aging client population and implement support services.
• Develop educational programs to promote clients’ parenting skills.
• Address access to services by surrounding communities.
• Ensure adequate local community respite services.
• Develop service awareness and promote transition planning for prospective clients, 16 to 18 years of age, and their families.
• Develop and communicate a local conflict resolution process.
• Collaborate with health care providers to foster coordination of services for clients with dual diagnoses.
• Review service availability for clients with fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Identify residents in institutions funded by PDD, and develop optional transition plans to local communities.
• Address client transportation and service accessibility.
• Implement quality-of-life indicators in order to monitor the effectiveness of services for persons with developmental disabilities.
• Develop guidelines and a framework for service agency planning and proposals for individual funding with emphasis on client and family involvement in decision making.
• Collaborate with the Children’s Authority to promote delivery of cost-effective services to children and adult clients.
• Streamline the administrative process for service agencies, and review the tendering process with input from service agencies.
• Work with the Alberta Association of Rehabilitation Centres as part of the Core Standards and Accreditation Partnership.
• Collaborate with Alberta Education and Advanced Education in the development of community services and professional development opportunities.

Service Organization and Regional Support Provided

The Board has hired a CEO effective April 1, 1998 to manage and lead the operation of the Regional Service Plan. The administration provides the following services and support:

• case coordination services to assist individuals, guardians, and agencies with service proposal development;
• liaison and networking of service providers, community groups, Community Councils, and other partners;
• orientation and in-service on PDD policies and service reporting
• contract restructuring and service planning;
• professional development needs assessment;
• Community Council development and support;
• development of regional guidelines and practices;
• development, monitoring, and evaluation of individual funding and agency contracts;
• information on regional and provincial initiatives.
• more than $11 million in individual funding agreements and agency contracts; (1998-1999)

Action Plans

In consultation with all stakeholder groups, action plans for each Regional Service Initiative are being developed and implemented.