ACDS is working hard to advocate for the required and proper supports for our sector during this unprecedented time. The Service Provider Partnership Committee (SPPC) met yesterday afternoon and discussed a number of issues related to the ongoing pandemic response and the challenges faced by agencies. These include challenges related to staffing, determination of essential services, flexibility in funding, extraordinary expenses, and the need for access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies.
Some outcomes of this meeting include
- An agreement that service providers are best positioned to determine essential and non-essential services for individuals at this time and should make these decisions and redeploy staff as necessary, and will have the flexibility to do so. Community and Social Services (CSS) will develop and distribute a provincial level communication affirming this approach as soon as possible this week.
- John Stinson, Assistant Deputy Minister, is going to explore any potential options for CSS to support the procurement of PPE, and other necessary pandemic related supplies and get back to ACDS.
- Service providers should create a budget mechanism for tracking increased expenditures related to supplies, as well as staffing costs directly related to COVID-19. This will facilitate the tracking and assessing of costs that will be necessary to facilitate any funding or extraordinary expenses. CSS is exploring options for creating funding options for these types of expenses.
- Contracts for 2020-2021 are expected to be completed as planned.
- The SPPC will be meeting weekly to address ongoing issues on Wednesdays and I will provide updates each Wednesday afternoon beginning this week, as well as ongoing updates from ACDS as needed.
- Please forward ongoing issues and concerns to me at Andrea@acds.ca, to allow us to address these in our regular communication with the Ministry. As well, please update us on the work you are doing to liaise with your regional PDD contacts.