ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 19, 1995
Dept. File No.: CC19-95
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Medical Health Officer
SUBJECT: Healthy Beginnings Program
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the establishment of the following
regular full-time and regular part-time positions for the
Health Care for Childbearing Families Program, with costs 100%
recoverable from the Ministry of Health, at an annual cost of
$204,800.
2.0 FTE Nursing
0.4 FTE Nursing
0.4 FTE Nursing
0.7 FTE Nursing
0.5 FTE Nursing
B. THAT Council waive the City's normal 15% administrative charge
for the Health Care for Childbearing Families Program.
C. THAT Council approve the establishment of the following
regular part-time position for the Maternity Care at Home
Program (MCAH), with costs 100% recoverable from BC Women's Hospital and
Health Centre Society, at an annual cost of $25,600.
0.5 FTE Nursing
D. THAT Council approve the receipt of $20,075 from the Richmond
Health Department to be used to support the Newborn Hotline for
1995/96.
E. THAT Council approve the receipt of $23,375 from the Burnaby
Health Department to be used to support the NewBorn Hotline for
1995/96.
The positions are subject to job evaluation by the General Manager
of Human Resources.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A,
B, C, D and E.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council on February 3, 1994 approved a motion that any recommendations
for increased staff or enhanced programs be offset by corresponding
spending reductions or by increases in non-taxation revenues, subject to
Council discretion.
Council on March 14, 1995 approved the following recommendation:
That Council approve the receipt of ongoing annual funding from the
Ministry of Health for the Health Care for Childbearing Families
Program. Total 1995/96 funding is in the amount of $350,398. The
Medical Health Officer will report back on the allocation of the budget,
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and the establishment of positions when negotiations with other partners
of the program is completed.
Council on May 17, 1994 approved the following recommendations:
That Council approve the ongoing annual receipt of funding from the BC
Women's Hospital and Health Centre Society for the Maternity Care at
Home (MCAH) Program, 1994/95 funding is in the amount of $83,400.
That Council waive the City's normal 15% administrative charge for this
program.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council's approval with regard to
establishing the equivalent of 4.5 FTE nursing positions, at no cost to
the City, to support the Health Department's Healthy Beginnings Program
and to receive funding of $43,450 to support the Newborn Hotline which
is an integral part of the Healthy Beginnings Program.
BACKGROUND
The Vancouver Health Department, BC Women's Hospital (BCWH) and St.
Paul's Hospital (SPH) have formed a partnership to integrate and improve
the continuum of services available to Vancouver childbearing families.
An evaluation of the Maternity Care at Home Program (MCAH), a
partnership between the Vancouver Health Department and BCWH, identified
a need to expand the services available through this program to all
postpartum women in Vancouver regardless of site of delivery, risk
status, or time of discharge.
DISCUSSION
The operating funds from the Ministry of Health for the Health Care for
childbearing Families Program, combined with resources that currently
support both the existing MCAH program and other Health Department
postpartum services, will provide for the expansion of services to all
postpartum families in Vancouver seven days per week and will support
the establishment of a home care program for high risk antepartum women.
This overall service is now referred to as the Healthy Beginnings
Program.
An integral part of the Healthy Beginnings Program is the Newborn
Hotline. This line is staffed twelve hours per day. Calls are received
from families in the various parts of Greater Vancouver. Having one
phone number for families to call provides the best and most cost
effective service. The Richmond and Burnaby Health Departments have
committed to providing funding to the Vancouver Health Department toward
this service beginning in the 1995/96 year.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
This proposal will involve establishing the following regular full-time
positions on an ongoing basis:
2.0 FTE Nursing positions
This proposal will involve establishing the following regular part-time
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positions on an ongoing basis:
0.7 FTE Nursing position
0.4 FTE Nursing position
0.4 FTE Nursing position
0.5 FTE Nursing position
0.5 FTE Nursing position
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Health Care for Childbearing Families Program is fully funded by the
Ministry of Health. Total 1995/96 funding is in the amount of $350,398.
This is a collaborative program between the Health Department, BCWH and
SPH with each partner contributing resources and sharing results. For
these reasons, the Medical Health Officer recommends waiving the 15%
administrative cost for this program. The Health Department anticipates
that it will be able to absorb the program within current space.
Funding from the Richmond and Burnaby Health Departments will be used
towards nursing time coverage for the Newborn Hotline.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Services and supports to childbearing families promote a positive
transition to parenthood and encourage healthy behaviours (e.g.
breastfeeding). A healthy beginning is documented to be an antecedent
to better health throughout the lifespan. Community health programs for
both postpartum clients and high risk antepartum clients is safe and
cost-effective both in the short-term (because of decreased
hospitalization) and long-term (through prevention and health promotion
activities). Both also permit families to be together in their own
environment while still receiving the support of health professionals.
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNICATION PLAN
A copy of this report has been sent to the B.C.N.U.
CONCLUSION
Council should approve the proposals recommended by the Medical Health
Officer.
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