REACH Centre Grey Bruce Sign (Photo by Nathan Shubert)
The REACH Centre Grey Bruce is advocating for vulnerable adults in the region left without support.
Executive Director Jennifer Miller says Adult Protective Services is no longer being provided through Bruce Grey Child and Family Services after running the program for a number of years.
Adult Protective Services helps adults with developmental disabilities who are living on their own by directing how they can access services and supports.
“There was some concern about the stability of the funding of the program and effective March 31, they no longer offer that service with over 160 open cases,” says Miller. “It seems appalling to me that those least able to advocate for themselves have no one stepping up and saying this is a mandated programmed service that is just now cancelled without any transition plan for people that really need it.”
Miller has met with various agencies and executive directors to talk about the feasibility of another agency operating the service.
Additionally, she has reached out to Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers to ask he try to get the program back up and running.
“It didn’t seem to be on his radar but hopefully after that phone call, it is now,” says Miller.
Miller is hopeful Vickers will reach out to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to figure out a future for the service.
She does plan to continue to talk to Vickers about this issue and encourages people in the region to do the same.
“It’s a horrendous situation. If how we treat our most vulnerable is a reflection of who we are as human beings, it doesn’t say a lot about our community. Sadly it is going to fall on emergency responders to deal with this population and they don’t necessarily, despite their best efforts, have the necessary specialized training to understand how to support the population. It’s going to be an over extension on the system so my hope is that everyone is patient as we figure out a path forward,” says Miller.
Bayshore Broadcasting reached out to Bruce Grey Child and Family Services for comment but did not hear back by publication time.
