Increasing Support for Victims of Domestic Violence
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association seek increased provincial investment in social capital, social infrastructure and prevention and intervention services to address family violence and the abuse of seniors, and to protect vulnerable citizens.
WHEREAS Alberta has the highest rate of domestic violence in Canada and more than 27,000 women and children in our province use emergency shelter annually, and an additional 15,000 persons are turned away for lack of accommodations;
WHEREAS children who are exposed to family violence are at elevated risk of serious problems, including difficulties at school, drug abuse and the use of violence themselves;
WHEREAS this situation is increasing pressure on preventive social services and intervention programs; and
WHEREAS the funding for those programs from charities and private benefactors is not increasing in line with need and, in some cases, is being reduced or withdrawn.
May 13, 2010 - Solicitor General & Minister of Public Security
Through the Victims of Crime Fund, SGPS has provided grants to domestic violence related initiatives totaling $3,114,453 in 2009-10. In addition to this, a network of police-based victim assistance programs provides support and information services for all victims of crime across the province, including victims of domestic violence.
Jun 1, 2010 - Alberta Justice and Attorney General
With Children and Youth Services as coordination lead, nine partnering ministries are involved in providing a coordinated provincial response to family violence and bullying through implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention of Family Violence and Bullying: Children and youth Services (coordinating lead), Aboriginal Relations, Education, Employment and Immigration, Health and Wellness, including Alberta health Services, Justice and Attorney General, Housing and Urban Affairs, Seniors and Community Supports, and Solicitor General and Public Security. The goal of the Strategy is to work toward an Alberta free from family violence and bullying through a coordinated provisional response with strengthened community-based, comprehensive services and supports for children and other family members who are exposed to, or are victims of family violence or bullying, and programs to prevent perpetrators from re-offending. Significant investment by government has been made in enhancing supports for victims of family violence and to support children and youth impacted by bullying, with joint spending of over $59 million in 2008/09 across the nine partnering ministries.
The Safe Communities Secretariat recognizes that family violence, abuse of seniors and vulnerable citizens are critical issues for society as well as crime. The Safe Communities Innovation fund (SCIF) has supported several projects at the local level. They include the following seven projects from the first round of SCIF grants, in 2008, which addresses Family Violence:
- Alberta Health Services – Calgary Collaborative Services Centre $1,452,189
- HomeFront – Domestic Conflict Response Team $1,500,000
- Poverty Reduction Coalition – Family Intervention Pilot $300,000
- The Family Centre – Reaching for a Good Life Program $127,296
- Yellowhead Tribal Community Corrections Society – Red Path Living Without Violence $450,000
- Lethbridge Family Services – Integrated Domestic Violence Treatment $600,000
- Alberta council of Women’s Shelters – Walking the Path Together $994,552
Six projects from the second round of SCIF grants in 2009 address Family Violence:
- Community Crisis Society – Strathmore and Area Family Violence Prevention Coordination $223,340
- Corps of Commissionaires – Maskwacis Family Violence Unit $489,445
- High Level Community Policing Society – Domestic Violence Response Unit $1,078,000
- Calgary Counselling Centre – The Strengthening Families Project: Couples Treatment for Domestic Violence and Substance use $750,000
- City of Edmonton, Community Services on behalf of the Community Safety Coordinating Council – Enhancing Safe, Diverse Communities Through Cultural Community Groups $1,493,900
- HomeFront – High Risk Management Initiative $1,200,000
Providing safe and secure communities is one of the government’s priorities. The $60 million Safe Communities Innovation Fund (SCIF), is part f the government’s response to reducing and preventing crime in Alberta.
Jun 16, 2010 - Seniors and Community Supports
Seniors and Community supports participates in the Alberta Government’s Strategy for the Prevention of Family Violence and Bullying. The Action Plan for the Strategy has received ministerial approval from partnering ministries. Under this Action Plan, the Ministry is responsible for the development of Strategies to enhance service and supports to victims of elder abuse.
To address the issue of elder abuse in a meaningful way, collective action is required on the part of all sectors of society, including governments, communities, businesses and individuals. The Ministry of Seniors and Community Supports is in the process of completing a provincial Elder Abuse Strategy which has been informed by research and the input of stakeholders. The Strategy will set out an approach for this collective action and acknowledge the vital roles that all partners share in supporting the safety, security and dignity of Alberta seniors. It is anticipated that the Strategy will be structured around goals and associated outcomes in four key areas: improved awareness; skilled service providers; coordinated community response; and protective laws and policies.
The Elder Abuse Strategy builds on the province’s existing and ongoing efforts in preventing family violence and bullying. As part of the implementation of the Government of Alberta’s Strategy for the Prevention of Family Violence and Bullying (led by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services), a Cross-Ministry Action Plan is updated each year, setting out a series of priorities developed by partnering ministries.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was established in 2006 by the international Network for Elder Abuse. The purpose of WEAAD is to bring attention to the abuse of older adults.
Since 2006, the ministry has collaborated with the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Network to promote WEAAD and in the past two years created Alberta- specific materials to educate and support seniors and service providers. Materials such as the Financial Abuse of Seniors fact sheet, It’s Your Money rack card, and the Service Provider Screening Guide for Elder Abuse were included as part of the ministry’s WEAAD mail-out in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
For 2010, Ministry staff, in collaboration with the Network, has developed A Guide to Supported Decision-Making: protecting individual rights and reducing the risk of elder abuse. The Guide provides individuals with a board overview of the mechanisms in place to support them in making decisions in situations when their capacity may be compromised. This information will be distributed to more than 2,400 organizations across Alberta, including seniors’ organizations, victim services, family violence coordinators, hospitals, libraries, lodges, native centers, municipalities, and reeves.
In addition, the Protection for Persons in Care Act promotes increased awareness and prevention of abuse in publicly funded care facilities. The Act requires that abuse be reported to the police or to Protection for Persons in Care, and that information concerning the Act, including information on how to report abuse, be made available to all staff, residents, and the public within each agency. Revisions to the Act have been made to enhance requirements for reporting and to address recommendations arising out of investigations, and are expected to be proclaimed on July 1, 2010.
Alberta Seniors and Community Supports is also responsible for the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of accommodation standards for supportive living and long-term care facilities. Standard #17 “Prevention of Abuse”, under both the Supportive Living Accommodation Standards and the Long-Term Care Accommodation Standards, requires operators to develop and maintain polices that promote the prevention of abuse, including the reporting of suspected abuse and the education of employees regarding the identification, reporting and prevention of abuse of residents.
AUMA accepts this response.