Disability funding delay stressful for mother

Tracy Van Sloten has no idea where her adult daughter with Down syndrome will end up come the fall, thanks to a series of non-answers about support funding.

Melanie Vander Vinne, who functions at the level of a child aged between six and 10, receives funding for supports through the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program.

The 20-year-old just graduated high school and is currently at a summer camp run by Adaptabilities, an Edmonton-based non-profit that helps people with special needs develop essential life skills.

Van Sloten said the plan after high school was to get her daughter enrolled in full-time programming with a goal of picking up a parttime job down the road. She might also volunteer at a kindergarten.

But at a June meeting with Vander Vinne’s case worker, Van Sloten was told not to expect funding anytime soon.

That meeting, she said, was “heartbreaking.”

“I really don’t know what to do. Do I have to quit my job because I have to stay home with my child? I have no idea,” Van Sloten told Postmedia.

“I feel she should have the same opportunities my other kids did to a degree ... but I don’t know what to do with her in the fall. I really don’t.”

Van Sloten isn’t alone.

Trish Bowman is the chief executive officer of Inclusion Alberta, a non-profit that advocates on behalf of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.

Bowman told Postmedia between 60 and 80 families have contacted Inclusion Alberta over the past eight weeks with similar stories about funding requests, and more have reached out to other support organizations.

“It’s pretty clear something has shifted,” she said.

“What people are hearing across the province is we’re in a period of interim supply and the government is trying to get a sense of the fiscal situation.”

And while the result has been confusion, fear and anxiety for families, there is some good news.

At a meeting with Community and Social Services this week, Bowman said senior officials acknowledged the delays but told her applications would soon be assessed more quickly.

“We’re hopeful that families should start to hear back on those requests, but I think it’s unfortunate that there is a large number of families that really couldn’t get a clear answer,” Bowman said.

Postmedia was not granted an interview with Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney. The government also wouldn’t speak to Van Sloten’s case, citing privacy concerns.

In an email, Sawhney’s press secretary Natasha Kornak said the ministry continues to process new funding requests and service agreements for PDD and FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) services.

“Eligibility and funding has not changed for these programs and has not been frozen. As is normal practice, Albertans with the most critical and urgent needs are prioritized for services,” Kornak stated.

“Approvals normally occur within three weeks of meeting with a caseworker to discuss service needs. Families with questions should contact their caseworker who can provide them an update on the status of their application.”

The government has also set up a special hotline for families with questions (780-644-9955 or toll free at 310-0000).

Bowman said her organization will continue to monitor the situation.

“As we go into a budget, we’re really hoping the government does understand how important these supports are not just to people with disabilities, but their families and extended families and the community, and factors it into their decision-making,” she said.