ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 6, 1995
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Continuing Care
SUBJECT: Enhanced Psychogeriatric Care Transfer Project
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the establishment of the following two
(2) regular full-time positions with costs 100% recoverable
from the Ministry of Health, at an annual cost of $86,700:
1.0 FTE geriatric mental health educator position
1.0 FTE clerical position
B. THAT Council approve the establishment of the following
three (3) temporary full-time 10 month positions with costs
100% recoverable from the Ministry of Health, at a cost of
$126,400.
3.0 FTE geriatric mental health educator positions
These 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 and B.
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 September 13, 1994, approved the following recom-
mendations:
A. That Council approve the receipt of ongoing annual
funding from the Ministry of Health Continuing Care
Division under the Enhanced Psychogeriatric Care
Transfer Project; 1994/95 funding is in the amount of
$414,996.
B. That Council approve the receipt of ongoing annual
funding from the Ministry of Health Continuing Care
Division under the Psycho-geriatric Care Transfer
Project on behalf of the City of Richmond; 1994/95
funding is in the amount of $75,000.
C. That Council approve the establishment of the following
permanent full time position, at no cost to the City:
1.0 FTE Project Co-ordinator Position.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council's approval to establish
two regular full-time positions and three temporary full-time
positions at no cost to the City to support the Enhanced
Psychogeriatric Care Transfer Project. This is a coŸordinated
training and education program for staff in care facilities who are
providing care to residents with persistent and complex dysfunctional
behaviours.
BACKGROUND
In connection with the downsizing of the Riverview facility, the
Ministry of Health initiated the transfer of funds to health
departments for new geriatric mental health programs which will
enhance the capacity of Continuing Care to provide care to the
increasing number of geriatric clients with mental health problems.
The Vancouver Health Department, in partnership with the Richmond
Health Department, received a total of $489,996 in annualized funding
to operate the Enhanced Psychogeriatric Care Transfer Project. A
multi-agency advisory committee has been established. A Project Co-
ordinator was hired in March 1995. A detailed needs assessment has
been conducted. An inventory of relevant educational resources has
been compiled. The framework for the educational program has been
developed, along with interim personnel requirements to support the
project.DISCUSSION
The goal of the project is to develop and provide an active,
consistent and coordinated education and coaching program, delivered
at different levels of sophistication for different groups of
residential facility staff. The training will be on-site and
developed in collaboration with Greater Vancouver Mental Health
Services.
Under the direction of the Project Co-ordinator, the team of educators
will participate in the development of educational modules, and will
deliver geriatric mental health education and coaching to staff in
care facilities. Their knowledge base will include geriatric
psychiatry, gerontology, teaching and counselling skills, and skills
in geriatric mental health crisis prevention education. The clerical
position will provide clerical support to the project.
As the education program has not been replicated or evaluated in other
regions to date, it is critical that the configuration of personnel
resources be evaluated at the end of a year. An evaluation of the
ongoing staffing requirements of this program and other regional
education programs has been arranged in collaboration with the
Ministry of Health. For this reason, the Director of Continuing Care
proposes to establish one permanent geriatric mental health educator
position and three temporary 10 month geriatric mental health educator
positions at this time. At the end of this ten month period, an
evaluation of the required personnel resources will take place. Upon
completion of this evaluation, the Director of Continuing Care will
report back to Council with regard to establishing two regular full-
time positions. This extensive review and consultation period will
ensure that the appropriate complement of personnel resources is
established to support the front line care workers of a fragile and
fast growing population.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Vancouver Health Department supports the need for better training
and education of staff in care facilities to meet the needs of persons
with persistent, dysfunctional behaviours.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
This proposal will involve establishing the following two (2) regular
full-time positions at no cost to the City:
1.0 FTE geriatric mental educator position
1.0 FTE clerical position
This proposal will involve establishing the following three (3)
temporary full-time 10 month positions at no cost to the City:
3.0 FTE geriatric mental health educator positions
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The project is fully funded under the Enhanced Psychogeriatric Care
Transfer Project of the Ministry of Health. This is annualized
funding. As with other Ministry of Health funded programs, an
administration fee of 3% of personnel costs will apply.
The annualized funding allows for the establishment of four regular
full-time positions. The program is able to afford to establish two
regular full-time and three temporary 10 months positions due to
program start-up savings.
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNICATION
The Health Department staff will continue to work closely with the
Ministry of Health, Richmond Health Department, care facilities and
the Greater Vancouver Mental Health Services to operate the project.
A copy of this report is to be sent to the B.C.N.U. and V.M.R.E.U.
CONCLUSION
Council should approve the proposal recommended by the Director of
Continuing Care.
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