A substantial failing of the transition from institutional life at Tranquille to community

care facilities around the Province has been the lack of proper monitoring of the quality

of life heing provided in the community. No system should be allowed to operate without
a comprehensive monitoring system to ensure that programs and services for the
mentally handicapped or the mentally ill are achieving their desired goals. We believe
that the appropriate monitoring mechanism would guarantee high quality care in a
community care model and would protect against abuse, neglect and lack of adequate

care.

The Committee is very concerned about the current de-institutionalization plans of
government because it sets into place a timetable which is not based on the needs of the
mentally handicapped and the mentally ill. The transition period for evolution from an
institutional care model to a community care model must be based on one criterion - that

is the needs of those in care.

This summary of the main points or principles upon which de-insciitutionalization should
be carried out are important to all those associated with the existing care system. We
believe that a central and coordinated planning process can take these various principles

into account when planning a system to replace the existing one.

Current Situation

At the present time the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Health are
separately going about to develop and implement a de-institutionalization plan. Our
greatest concern is that the government will in the final analysis lack an overall plan
which will do justice to the quality of care and take into accaunt the concerns of other
interested parties at the same time.

e
We therefore seek to send a strong. message to the provincial government that
coordination and planning are essential for the success of any de-institutionalization
process, for if careful and cooperative planning is not done with all of the interested
parties, we will be doing a great disservice to our populations in the mentally ill and the
mentally handicapped communities.