SSCY Status Report November 2005

November 2005

Accomplishments

Using a project management approach, seven task teams have been established to address specific aspects of SSCY. Representatives from SSCY agencies participate on the task teams. They meet regularly to work through detailed work plans. Progress reports are made to the Intersectoral Working Group at the monthly meetings and teams gain approval from the IWG on key decisions. Participant representatives communicate with their departments and agencies to inform them of SSCY decisions. SSCY participants maintain final approval authority for all strategic and policy decision.

The following outlines the work of the task teams to date.

1. Leadership, Partnership, Human Resources and Environment

The team’s mandate is to develop mechanisms for joint planning, the administration of shared service delivery, joint operating guidelines, internal and external communications, evaluation of SSCY and staff relations.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • The development of an approval process which supports the existing governance structures
  • The development of an overall communications plan.
  • The development of a draft Framework Agreement. This has been based on a similar agreement used to guide the implementation of the Winnipeg Integrated Services Initiative. This intent of this agreement is to confirm the commitment of each party in moving forward with the vision of SSCY. Further, the agreement will provide guidance in the development of operating guidelines as the initiative progresses. The agreement is currently under review by each of the SSCY partners. Following final revisions, it is planned that the Agreement will be signed by all participants. Commitment to the Agreement will ensure that each of the participants as voting members to the Intersectoral Working Group.

Next steps

The team will be addressing fund raising for SSCY, the development of a quality improvement/risk management/evaluation framework and a building occupancy agreement.

2. Front End Services

The team’s mandate is to develop a centralized client registry and intake system to fulfill the vision of integrated service delivery in accordance with the principles of family centered care.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • The articulation of an ideal reception, intake and referral work flow,
  • The identification of appropriate space and equipment requirements to support the proposed reception, intake and referral work flow
  • The development of integrated intake instruments, procedures, and standards
  • The development of a receptionist and greeter position descriptions
  • The identification of a multi-agency intake team mandate and composition, staffing requirements, principles.

Next Steps

Develop a transition plan, identify work to be completed before occupancy and identify supports required to manage change.

3. Direct Services

The team’s mandate is to design an integrated delivery system of specialized services for children with physical and developmental disabilities and their families and make recommendations for an implementation process. Without an integrated system, children and families can experience fragmented service, gaps in service and inconsistent service recommendations.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • Hosted an interactive information session with service providers in April 2005 to elicit feedback on emerging work flows and models. 40 staff from the participating agencies attended this session.
  • The completion of a draft Family Centred Practice philosophy and Families’ Bill of Rights & Responsibilities. This has been shared with families at a family forum held in October 2005 for their input.
  • Completion of a draft Lead Service Coordinator principles and operating guidelines. Input will be sought from participants and families.

Next Steps

The team will be developing a service guide for families which will describe all services and programs offered through SSCY by the various participants.

4. Family Resources

The mandate is to provide a comfortable and accessible Family Resource Centre that has a range of current resource materials for children, youth and families, a play area, meeting space for groups, trained staff to collect and maintain materials and to assist individuals with access to materials.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • The team has successfully established a Family Resource Centre temporarily at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children until a new facility is ready. The SSCY Family Resource Centre opened in June 2004 with $65,000 in grant and donor raised funds. It is equipped with computers for Internet searches, a toy lending library, 800 resources (books, videos, etc.), play structures and comfortable seating arrangements. There are currently 168 library card holders. The Centre is open to the public.
  • A tour of the Centre was provided for families preceding the interactive information session held in April 2005.

Next Steps

The Family Resource team will be preparing an annual budget to maintain and grow the Centre and will continue to seek private funds for support. Because SSCY serves all of Manitoba, funds will also be sought for two-way postage so that families may borrow materials and not have to pay for the shipping.

5. Family Engagement

The team’s mandate is to create mechanisms for ongoing consultations with families. Several different methods will form the strategy and may include questionnaires, newsletter, comment cards, a collaborative management style and adherence to family centered care, and issue specific focus groups.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • An interactive information session was held in April 2005 for families and service providers to obtain feedback on the architectural space plan.
  • A second session was held on October 25th in Winnipeg to gain feedback on the Family Centered Care Philosophy, Family Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, proposed intake and centralized client registry systems and the draft Lead Service Coordinator model.
  • The team has also held sessions for service providers in several rural and northern communities including 10 throughout October 2005.

Next Steps

The team plans future rural and northern family engagement sessions before June 2006 to provide SSCY information and to elicit feedback on specific issues.

6. Information Management

The team’s mandate is to develop a range of information management processes for SSCY that will address issues including but not limited to confidentiality, information technology, file management, coordinated record management and internal communication. Current and future information management needs will not be met without proper processes.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • Information has been gathered from each of the participants to assist with the architectural space design.
  • The team has identified preliminary information management processes related to information technology, file management and internal communications
  • The team participated in the WRHA RFP process for a primary care and community care IT solution. This work identified that the SSCY data requirements are closely aligned with other community care services. This close alignment will further assist assuring that SSCY can link closely with other community services.
  • A privacy impact assessment is nearly complete pending decisions regarding integration of electronic and paper records.

Next Steps

  • Further work on the privacy assessment will be deferred until IT solutions are further delineated.
  • A subgroup has recently been established to investigate the establishment of a web site.
  • The team is meeting with the WRHA e-health staff to develop a business case to address the IT needs of the future as well as the immediate needs of some of the participants.

7. Capital Planning

The team’s mandate is to prepare, review and advise on plans and design of a facility to house co-locating SSCY service providers.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • A preliminary functional plan was completed in 2001 and updated in 2005
  • A detailed adjacency plan and functional plan has been completed for a new facility that will house
  • all of RCC programs and services,
  • Community Respite Services,
  • SMD’s POTC therapists and service coordination/case management,
  • St. Amant’s POTC therapists, Family Care and the ABA program,
  • The HSC Child Development Clinic (including New Born Follow Up and Clinic for Alcohol & Drug Exposed Children),
  • Children’s Hospital OT and PT
  • The SCCY Family Resource Centre,
  • The RCC Foundation,
  • Some Family Services programs (Behavioural Day Support, First Connections, FAS/E Outreach team), Integrated Services (e. g. Home care, CSS Family Service Worker),
  • WRHA Communications Disorders and
  • some space for use of the non-co-locating itinerant participants’ use.
  • A meeting has occurred with Ministers Sale and Melnick to review the capital and operating requirement for SSCY
  • Several briefing notes have been prepared for government officials

Next Steps

The team continues to dialogue with government officials with the objective of arriving at a capital solution for SSCY

8. Capital Campaign

The team’s mandates is to oversee a feasibility study to determine the scope of a major fund raising campaign, identify community leaders and prime donors and provide direction for a fund raising strategy.

Accomplishments to date include:

  • $25,000 has been raised from private sources to fund the feasibility study.

Next Steps

The study will be launched following government approval of operating cost estimates and confirmation of a capital commitment. 

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