RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GVRD REPORT:

The report makes the following recommendations to the provincial
Government:

That the Province produce a complete inventory of all types of Group Homes
within Lower Mainland Municipalities and provide this information to each
municipality.

The Subcommittee discovered, in researching the report, that information
on Licensed and unlicensed Group Home facilities was not available at a
uniform level in all municipalities. Licensed Group Homes are those
facilities that require a license under the Community Care Facility
Licensing Act. There are also other types of Group Homes that do not
require a license, such as youth homes, halfway nouses, or transition
houses which are established under programs of other ministries or
governed by other Acts.

The GVRD recommends that the Province take a coordinated approach in
assembling information on both Licensed and unlicensed group homes for
municipalities.

That the Province develop a conmunity education program to help build
supportive community relationships between neighbours and group home
residents.

Municipalities often have to deal with the concerns expressed by
individuals when a group home is located. within their neighbourhood.
Neighbourhood residents are often concerned about vandalism; personal
safety, an impact on property values. The Subcommittee recommends that
the Province develop a community education program aimed at providing
information about group home facilities and their residents as a means to
inform and break down barriers.

That performance contracts should be implemented for government funded
unlicensed facilities.

The Subcommittee recommends that the Province consider a common
performance contract for unlicensed facilities as a means of monitoring
and ensuring that standards are met. This would help to ensure that
operators of such facilities are accountable to the neighbourhood.

That the Province assist municipalities in establishing locational and
siting criteria and good neighbour policies for various types of group
homes.

The purpose of such polixies would be to ensure that group homes are
distributed thrcughout a community and are not concentrated in a
particular area. Good neighbour policies are intended to set out
procedures for group home operators to follow to facilitate integration
and interaction with local neighbourhood residents.

ITER PAGECpat 'd.-./3