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April 26th, 2006
 

Originally published in Abilities, Issue 28, pp. 44-45, Fall 1996

Assistant Deputy Ministers’ Committeeon Disability Issues, British Columbia

SENIOR GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE NEW B.C. STRATEGY FOR COORDINATING DISABILITY ISSUES

Recent issues of ABILITIES have described the introduction of the Strategy for Coordinating Disability Issues in British Columbia.

The Strategy is an 18-month pilot project which commenced on June 1, 1995. Its purpose is to coordinate disability public policy issues throughout British Columbia. Periodic evaluation over the course of the 18 months is determining the success of this Strategy and the direction that disability policy will take in the future in this province.

The Strategy for Coordinating Disability Issues has five components that are all critical to the pilot project, as they tie together many levels of community and government. For example, last issue we described the new Office for Disability Issues (ODI), which was opened to ensure that disability issues are raised at the policy-making table.

One of the important components of the Strategy is the Assistant Deputy Ministers’ Committee on Disability Issues. This component of the Strategy involves senior government officials in the resolution of disability issues.

The Assistant Deputy Ministers’ (ADMs’) Committee on Disability Issues is a senior level, inter-ministry panel with a mandate to work out cross-ministry disability issues and establish priorities. Various programs, policies, initiatives or legislation that have an impact on persons with disabilities are reviewed at this senior government level, and various approaches for dealing with these matters are considered. A particular focus of their efforts is in budget development.

The inclusion of the Director of the Office for Disability Issues as a member of the ADMs’ Committee means that a level of the provincial government not readily available to persons with disabilities in the past has been opened up, along with the opportunity for voicing the concerns and needs of persons with disabilities.

Objectives stated for the ADMs’ Committee include the sharing of information among ministries involved in resolving disability issues, and responding to policy, program and legislative issues identified by the other components of the Strategy.

The mandate and objectives of the ADMs’ Committee demonstrate the commitment of government to the community of persons with disabilities and their needs and concerns. The work of the ADMs’ Committee is supported by a roster of "working groups" focused on specific topics associated with the priority themes of the Strategy.

The six working groups are:

- Education, Training and Employment;

- Community Living Supports;

- Transportation;

- Examining Issues for Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities;

- Travel, Lodging and Accommodation;

- Disability Lens.

Each working group includes representatives from various levels of government and various ministries. The working groups have an appointed chairperson, terms of reference, objectives and specific work plans.

The ODI has a representative on each working group. This facilitates the "in-flow" of information from the community of persons with disabilities.

The ADMs’ Committee facilitates the disclosure of important information to the community about actions of government. The ODI representatives have access to information to be articulated to the community about the actions of government.

WORKING GROUP ON EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

The main focus of this working group is the development of a Green Paper on increasing education, training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Green Paper is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 1996, at which point there will be consultations with the community of persons with disabilities and various other stakeholders. Subsequent to that, decisions will be made about which specific options to implement, and the government will take an official position in the form of a White Paper. The working group will contribute directly to the content of the Green Paper and will help to provide direction and guidance to a contractor who will be hired to fulfil many of the research and writing components of this project.

WORKING GROUP ON COMMUNITY LIVING SUPPORTS

This working group is looking at issues that affect life in the community for people with disabilities. Housing, home supports, income assistance and health services are the main areas under investigation. The working group activity plan primarily looks at access and availability issues related to these areas. There is also a focus on the affordability of basic services for individuals and families.

WORKING GROUP ON TRANSPORTATION

This working group reviews matters related to increasing access to inter-city bus transportation for persons with disabilities. It also researches, reviews and reports on matters related to increasing access to taxi and transit systems in all communities and rural areas throughout B.C. for people with disabilities. It also has undertaken research and analysis in regard to the promotion of fairness in access to transportation.

WORKING GROUP EXAMINING ISSUES FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

As the name implies, this working group involves itself with issues for Aboriginal people with disabilities. Membership includes various participants from service-providing ministries, as well as a representative from the B.C. Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS), which has helped the working group understand the urgency of the need. In fact, Aboriginal people develop disabilities at twice the rate of non-Aboriginal people.

The unique nature of the Aboriginal population presents some real challenges for issue resolution. The action items in the working group activity plan are associated with a broad spectrum of issues that affect living and working and also respect the cultural differences involved. Unfortunately, most discussions around access or increased availability to provincial services are limited to off-reserve. On-reserve residents must depend on federal services or those provided through the band councils. This may change with inclusion of disability issues in the course of the ongoing B.C. treaty negotiations.

WORKING GROUP ON TRAVEL, LODGING AND ACCOMMODATION

This working group has developed a Treasury Board submission on "Reasonable Accommodation," which will go forward to the ADMs’ Committee on Disability Issues for discussion and final decision on resource allocation. The working group is recommending that a policy statement on Reasonable Accommodation be inserted in all policy manuals and that an awareness/education campaign be undertaken to ensure that all government staff are aware of their responsibilities and the procedures involved in providing accommodations for employees with disabilities (e.g. interpreting services, attendant services, alternate formats).

Complementary to the policy statement, the working group is recommending that adequate resources be provided to ensure that a full-time position be designed to oversee implementation, training, ministry liaison, evaluation, information dissemination and advocacy.

WORKING GROUP ON DISABILITY LENS

As touched on in the last issue of ABILITIES, The Disability Lens Working Group is involved in the creation of a practical, analytical framework to be used by program and policy developers and analysts and their divisions to ensure that disability issues are considered in government planning and policy development. The analytical framework will facilitate increased opportunities for equity, as well as reduce the possibility of unintended negative effects of government policies and programs.

The Disability Lens acts as a resource guide to educate and raise awareness of disability issues. It also emphasizes the importance of access, inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in the development of policies and programs. Additionally, it encourages new partnerships between government and the community of persons with disabilities.

This working group is designing an orientation process and package to train program and policy developers in the use of the Disability Lens and in understanding disability issues.

THE OFFICE FOR DISABILITY ISSUES

#100, 333 QUEBEC STREET

VICTORIA, BC V8V 1X4

PHONE: (604) 387-3813

FAX: (604) 387-3114

TTY: (604) 387-3555