Presently, there is a lack of community education programs which would help to allay fears and
build supportive community relationships between neighbours and group home residents. The
Committee feels that the Provincial Government, in implementing its deinstitudonalization
policy, could develop a strong community education program which would help to alleviate
concerns and counter misinformation and fears. The elements of such a program are outlined
in the attachment and summarized in the next section.

ANALYSIS
I. Methodology
In this report Group Homes are defined as:

“Residential facilities which provide group living arrangements for persons with
physical, mental, emotional or related disabilities and/or problems, that provide
food and/or lodging and that is developed for the personal rehabilitation of its
residents through self-help and/or professional care, guidance, and supervision.
Facilities can be orientated towards either children or adults.”

Licensed group homes refer to those facilities which require a community care facility licence
and have three or more residents.

Unlicensed group homes refer to those facilities which do not require a community care facility
licence.

Foster homes have specifically not been included in this discussion because a community care
licence is not required and they are essentially viewed as a family unit.

While the initial intent of the group home inventory was to include both licensed and unlicensed
group homes, this was not possible given the lack of data available at the local level. The
analysis presented in the next section is limited to licensed group home facilities. _However, the
Committee notes that the community impact of such facilities is similar to that of licensed
facilities. In some instances, the use of the term “unlicensed” heightens public perception that
no regulation, supervision or monitoring of such facilities (and its residents) is being undertaken.
The Committee noted that information on the number and type of unlicensed facilities which the
Province funds would be available from each ministry. A more complete future inventory
should, -herefore, include both unlicensed and licensed facilities. The Social Issues Committee
feels that the Province would be in the best position tc undertake this task, building on what has
been assembled to date.

The Committee had also anticipated being able to identify the major funding agencies for group

homes, and whether such facilities were public, non-profit or private. However, ihis more
detailed information was not uniformly available for each jurisdiction.