Family & Individual Support Program - Handbook Welcome to the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living (SFSCL). The SFSCL is an accredited not-for-profit, charitable organization that has been serving the communities of New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra since 1954. SFSCL offers a range of services and supports for children who require extra support, adults with developmental disabilities and their families. SFSCL offers services to families and their children / family members of all ages, through: Family & Individual Support Program Transition Planning Services SFSCL Family and Children Services: Infant Development Program Supported Child Development Program Key Worker Services Family & Individual Support Program SFSCL Adult Services: Community Inclusion Employment Services Skill Development (short term supports for independence) Outreach (on-going support to people who live independently) Shared Living Housing Respite Each program provides different types of service to individuals and families. Over time, you may access one or more of the programs. This program handbook provides you with general information about how our programs work and more specific information about the Family & Individual Support Program you are participating in. We look forward to getting to know you. We welcome your questions, comments and ideas about this handbook and our services. FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 1
Our Philosophy and Values Our Vision is that: Everyone s welcome Everyone belongs Everywhere Our Mission is... We promote options and opportunities for people to have meaningful relationships and fulfilling lives. The SFSCL provides services based on its values: Access for all people to all opportunities. Belonging we all deserve to be included at home, at work and in the community. Integrity we ll always do the right thing, even when it s not easy. Living well includes emotional, physical, spiritual and material well-being. Individuals matter everyone counts; we celebrate diversity. Total commitment to quality service and the highest standards. You make a difference Global change starts with one person and that s you. The SFSCL protects and advocates for the rights of people while they are receiving services from the Society. We believe that families and individuals have the right to request services and supports for themselves and their family members. The role of the staff of the Family & Children s Services Department is to support families and individuals in accessing the information they need to make informed decisions. All families and individuals receiving supports from the Family and Children s Services Department and the Adult Services Department of the SFSCL have the right to: Receive information about community services. This may include information about any Government programs that may provide financial or other assistance. Make decisions and choices about services and supports for themselves and/or their child/ren. Participate as an advocate in the decisions about the supports and services provided to their adult children with their consent, or as a legal representative for their adult family member. Receive information in a way that they can understand. See and access their own files and records. Have their lifestyle, spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions respected. Provide feedback about the service. Make a complaint about the service. Refuse service. Confidentiality Your Rights FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 2
As we work with you, we will do our best to ensure that we respect and uphold your rights. In addition, we will: Work with any advocates or personal representatives who you wish to have speak with you or on your behalf. Support you in making informed choices including any that have potential health and/or safety risks, as long as these are legal and do not pose risk of harm to others. Keep all information you tell us confidential, unless you give us permission to share it or when the law requires us to do so. About Health and Safety Our staff are required to follow the policies and procedures of the SFSCL. As we begin our work with you, we would like you to be informed of some key information from these policies that will influence what our staff does: The health of our staff and people we provide services to is very important. For their protection and that of yourself and/or your family, we require that they be off work if they have a communicable disease or other illness that may be contagious. When this happens, appointments or visits with you will be re-scheduled. We also ask that if you or anyone else in your family is ill, you inform our staff to discuss the possible need to reschedule your visit. The safety of our staff is very important. There are laws through Work Safe BC that require our staff to be aware of their surroundings at all times when they are in the community and to leave any situation they believe could be harmful and dangerous. They must also check in with our office at regular intervals so we know they are safe. They may need to do this if a visit goes longer than planned. They must also follow an emergency plan of the Society when required. Tell Us How We re Doing We want to hear from you! It is important that you tell us what we are doing well and how we can improve. We will ask you for feedback in a variety of ways. For example, we will do so informally on visits and more formally through annual surveys and workshop evaluations. On occasion, and with your permission, program coordinators may join you and our staff in order to see our services directly. If you have a concern about our services, you can speak directly to the staff person or contact us at any time through our complaint process. This process is described in detail in the Program section of the handbook. We also believe that it is important to involve the people we support wherever possible in planning for and reviewing our services. You may be interested in participating in program advisory committees, organization-wide committees, and staff selection panels. If so, please let FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 3
us know and we will happily provide more information about these options. Finally, we sincerely hope that our staff will develop a strong, positive working relationship with you. We consider them to be professionals who provide services that you are entitled to. As such, we discourage families and individuals from purchasing and giving gifts to staff. A simple thank-you would be most appreciated if you would like to recognize someone. Some Things We re Required To Do Our Funding Contracts: The funding for most of our services comes to us as part of a contract from the BC Government Ministry of Children and Family Development, under their services to Children and Youth with Special Needs. Our contracts have rules we have to follow. We give the Ministry statistics about our services. The information we provide does not identify specific children and families. It focuses on numbers of people accessing our service and the number of visits and other services we provided. Our Adult Services are mostly funded by Community Living BC and they refer individuals to us for service. Our contracts require that our organization is accredited. SFSCL is accredited through the Council on Accreditation or Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CARF visits our agency every 3 years to make sure we are meeting the standards for service. They review child and family files and also like to speak to some of the people we serve. Prior to their visit to our agency, we will ask for your permission before we share your file with them. Legal Requirements: Earlier we told you about some of your rights and what we need to do to honour them. Some of these things are required by law. These laws are put in place by the Governments of British Columbia and Canada through legislation or acts. This section tells you a bit more about them. Privacy and Confidentiality: The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requires that we keep information about your family and child / family member confidential. This means that we will not share information with anyone else without your permission, unless we are legally required to do so. This can happen with a court subpoena or in the case of a child protection concern (see below for more information). We will ask for written permission from you to share any information with others. Exception - Child Protection: The Child, Family and Community Services Act is legislation to protect the health and well-being of children in British Columbia. The Act requires that we report to the Ministry of Children and Family Development if we have concerns that a child may be, or is at risk of being, abused or neglected. This is legally required and we must do it if need be. FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 4
FAMILY & INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PROGRAM (FISP) What FISP Does The SFSCL Family & Individual Support Program provides support, information, group networking, learning sessions and workshops, and referral support to families with children or a family member with a developmental disability and to adults who do not have family to support them. The program aims to provide services to strengthen and support families and individuals with the extraordinary challenges that come with disabilities and works toward the following goals: To assist families and individuals to access information and referral services. To deliver service in a range of ways to meet the needs of families and individuals (i.e. phone support, one on one support, groups, workshops). To facilitate family-to-family networking and connecting opportunities. To provide information and support to families and individuals about life changes and stages, such as transitions through the school years and to and through adulthood. To support families and individuals to advocate. To encourage families and individuals to develop support networks. To coordinate workshops, presentations, information sessions, and to research topics that are of interest to families and individuals so that they are informed. To facilitate discussion among families, individuals and professionals on current issues and concerns. To build community connections and partnerships. To raise awareness of disability issues in the community and advocate when needed. How We Do This The Family & Individual Support Program is partially funded by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, Children and Youth with Special Needs. Our service is free and your involvement with the program is voluntary and determined by you. This means that we recognize that people request different support throughout their life. FISP is offered as a resource to you. How often and for how long supports and services are provided is based on the unique needs of you and/or your family. This is called Family/Person Centered practice. We are also flexible to meet with you at times and locations that work best for you & your family. FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 5
Based on your preferences and priorities, we offer supports and services that include: individual support, community-based support, group networking and support, life transition planning, and workshops / information sessions on topics of interest to you. These supports and services are accessible in a variety of ways, including: Phone contact, home visits, support attending meetings, email contacts Information and referral to other resources or services Information sharing through E-Bulletins, newsletters, resource handbooks Networking and support groups Information sessions and education workshops Sharing solutions & problem-solving Research resources and provide information Support coordinating services with other service providers Facilitating opportunities for connecting people to share experiences and learning There may also be other supports or services you want to access that we do not provide. We can assist you to request these services from other community agencies. You may choose to contact them directly or, at your request, we can do so on your behalf. At your request and with your written permission we will work with any of these service providers to coordinate our supports and services with theirs. Confidentiality Any information you share with us is strictly confidential and will be used only to help you plan for and coordinate services and supports. We will not share verbal or written information with anyone unless we have your written permission, or unless the law requires us to do so. All written information such as notes from visits or phone calls or support plans are kept in a confidential file for you and your family. You are welcome to read your file at any time by asking your Family Support contact person. He/she will answer questions about any of the information in your file and provide copies of any items you ask for. What We Ask Of You To assist us in providing the best quality service possible, we ask that you: Let your Family Support contact person know in advance if you would like to cancel a scheduled visit or meeting. Cancel and reschedule your visit if you, your children, or anyone in your household are ill and may be contagious. This will help us to avoid spreading the illness to Family Support staff and other families or individuals they work with. We expect our staff to do the same for you. Refrain from smoking during visits. Sign in at the front desk of the SFSCL office if you are here for an appointment or meeting. This helps us to know who is in the building in the event of an emergency. FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 6
From time to time, your Family Support contact person may have a new staff member, a practicum student or a volunteer with him/her. He/she will ask your permission before bringing this person on a visit or to a meeting. We ask that, if you are comfortable, you allow this person to participate in your visit with your Family Support contact person to support learning and enhance services in the community. Frequently Asked Questions 1. How do I make contact with a staff in the Family & Individual Support Program? You can call us at 604-528-3950 or email us. We are happy to speak with you. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. If you are interested you can be added to our email contact list and we will regularly send you our e-bulletins and information about any of our up & coming networking groups, events, information sessions and workshops. We invite you to attend these group sessions and encourage opportunities for families to connect, as families are a great resource to one another. 2. Is there a cost for service? There is no cost to you. For some activities or workshops there may be a small fee to cover materials, guest speakers, refreshments, etc. If there is a fee and you cannot afford it, please talk to staff so we can ensure you are able to participate. 3. How often will I get service? How often you have contact with a staff person is up to you and what you wish. Some people are involved for a short while and then not again until something else arises. We welcome you to attend any of our group networking sessions and workshops. We like to say we have an open door and that you can contact us at any time. We are happy to meet with you individually as well at a time and location that best meets your needs. 4. Is my information kept confidential? Any information you share with us is confidential. We will not share information with anyone unless you ask us to and give us your written permission, or unless the law requires us to do so. 5. What should we do if we re ill and we re supposed to have a visit? Please call and reschedule the appointment if you re sick. We will call and reschedule the visit if we are sick. 6. Are there wait lists? We work to respond in a timely manner to all families and individuals who request information and or support. If we cannot respond to your requests immediately, we will do so as soon as possible. While families and individuals are waiting, (or to avoid having them wait) we may: assist you to find more appropriate services; suggest group support / networking opportunities with other families; make a one-time visit to look at other supports or resources and make referrals; and provide telephone or email consultation. FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 7
If You Have Concerns We want to hear if you have any concerns and/or compliments about the services we provide or the way we provide them. If you want to tell us we re doing something well and/or have a concern or disagree with a decision, the first step is to talk with the FISP staff person this involves. If it s about a concern, the FISP staff person will work with you to understand the concern and find a solution. If, after this, you feel that your concern is not addressed or you are not satisfied you can talk to their supervisor. They will talk to you and the staff person about what s happened. They will work with both of you to try and find a solution. If your concern is still not addressed, the staff person will give you information on the next steps and who to contact. This will include talking to the Department Director and, if you are still not satisfied, the Executive Director. If, at the end of the process, you are still not satisfied with the result or final decision, you may wish to contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development. We can give you this contact information for this. We appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention. Again, let us reassure you that you have a right to complain about services without jeopardizing those services and have confidentially maintained throughout the complaint process. You are welcome to have someone support you at any step in the process....supporting people across their life span. Family and Children s Programs: Infant Development Supported Child Development Key Worker Services Family & Individual Support Adult Services: Community Inclusion Employment Services Skill Development & Outreach Shared Living & Housing Respite For more information on SFSCL services, please visit our web site at: www.sfscl.org. The Simon Fraser Society is a CARF accredited Organization. The Simon Fraser Society is partially funded by Ministry of Children and Family Development, Community Living BC, and the United Way. 204 Blue Mountain St., Coquitlam, BC V3K 4H1 Phone: 604.528.3950 Fax: 604.525.3013 www.sfscl.org FISP Family/Individual Handbook/revised Oct. 2014/ca Page 8