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                         ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                             Date: April 11, 1996


     TO:       Vancouver City Council

     FROM:     Director of the Gathering Place, Social Planning,
               Community Services Group

     SUBJECT:  Funding for the Gathering Place Health Centre



     RECOMMENDATION

          A.   THAT Council approve the receipt of annual ongoing
               funding from the Ministry of Social Services to
               provide health/hygiene service at the Gathering
               Place, all staffing and operational expenses to be
               borne by the Province with no cost to the City.

          B.   THAT the Director of Legal Services be given the
               authority to execute the annual agreements up to
               and including the year 2000.


     GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

          The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS
          approval of A and B.


     COUNCIL POLICY

     Council, on February 3, 1994, resolved that during the term of
     the 1994-1996 Budget Management Program, any proposed
     increases in program and/or service levels be offset by
     corresponding spending reductions elsewhere in the City's
     operating budget or by increases in non-taxation revenues,
     subject to Council discretion.


     PURPOSE

     The purpose of this report is to request Council to accept
     annual ongoing funding of approximately $77,500 from the
     Province (Ministry of Social Services), and to authorize the
     Director of Legal Services to execute the annual agreements.


     BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

     The Ministry of Social Services has funded the health
     department of the City's Evelyne Saller Centre for more than
     a decade.  The ongoing funding is renewed annually, in keeping
     with the Province's fiscal year of April 1st to March 31st.

     In a similar way the Ministry of Social Services has agreed to
     fund the health department (laundry, showers, delousing) of
     the Gathering Place in an ongoing manner with contracts to be
     reviewed annually.

     The annual sum for fiscal year 1995-96 was $77,500 (report to
     Council July 25, 1995, contract signed January 22, 1996).  For
     fiscal year 1996-97 it is also $77,500.  In future years the
     amount will be approximately the same, with attention paid to
     wage increase adjustments.

     The sum stated covers all staffing and operational costs of
     the Gathering Place's health department.  There is no cost to
     the City.

     The Director of the Gathering Place requests Council's
     permission for the Director of Legal Services to execute the
     agreements on behalf of the City with the Province for the
     five years 1996 to 2000.


     CONCLUSION

     The Health Department of the Gathering Place is fully
     operational, funded 100% by the Ministry of Social Services. 
     Open since August of 1995, the health department offers a six-
     day-a-week laundry, shower and delousing service to a
     disadvantaged community.  With one staff member per shift and
     assisted by a cadre of hard-working, competent volunteers the
     health department provides a supervised do-it-yourself service
     that is much appreciated by the homeless and hotel residents
     of downtown south.

     There remains the technical step whereby the City accepts the
     annual funding and authorizes the Director of Legal Services
     to execute the agreements.  Approval of this report's
     recommendations accomplishes that step.


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