Daily Archives: February 27, 2010

02.27.10
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Band-Aid Funding an Injustice to Vulnerable Children: Local Children’s Aid Workers to Raise Issue With St. Thomas and Elgin MPP


ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO and ELGIN, ONTARIO– Feb. 26, 2010) – Today, front line Children’s Aid workers will ask local MPP Steve Peters to come to the aid of vulnerable children and families by pressing the government to fix a faulty funding formula that has kept Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) in a funding crisis for years.

“In 2006, the government legislated CASs to do much more to improve safety and better outcomes for children and families, but has not kept up its side of the equation with adequate funding,” says Marcia Andkilde, Unit Chair of CUPE 841.5, representing front line workers at the St. Thomas and Elgin Children’s Aid Society. “We’re calling on our MPP to step up and advocate for long-term provincial funding in the coming provincial budget to sustain child welfare programs in our community.”
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02.27.10
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Enhanced patient care — sorry, not in the budget


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In the midst of the Christmas hustle and bustle, St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital announced it was shutting 20 transitional beds in Unit B of the Continuing Care Centre.

The beds weren’t needed, layoffs would be minimal and the process would be completed some time In February. One option, noted CEO Paul Collins, was to move acute medical units from the fourth and fifth floors into Unit B and the already-vacated Unit A.

A funny thing happened along the way, however.

The alternative level care patients were out of the beds in the CCC unit the first week of January, in advance of two reports dealing with the proposed relocation of the acute medical units.

Why the rush to displace these patients?
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