Table of Contents s493

Table Of Contents:

Architectural Barriers...... 2

Environmental Barriers...... 4

Attitudinal & Community Integration Barriers...... 5

Communication Barriers...... 7

Financial Barriers...... 8

Employment Barriers...... 9

Transportation Barriers...... 9

Accessibility Plan 2010-2011

Architectural Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: I. Cascade House is a home to two women. One of the ladies has lost vision in one eye in 2010 and required architectural accommodations made in the home. There are steep steps leading from the ground level entrance way of the home to the living area upstairs; second rail on the right side of the stairs and gated half door will need to be installed as soon as possible. In the meantime a wooden gate has been installed temporarily until the work can be completed.

II. The Fleetwood Day Services began supporting individuals who are completely non-ambulatory and require a full mechanical lift for personal care supports, require wider ramps installed to maneuver their wheelchairs in and out of the facility and require an automatic wheelchair door installed in the front entrance of the building.

III. Bethayne House supports four women; one of the women has a clubbed foot which makes lifting her leg up while walking difficult. The carpet in one of the rooms at Bethayne House has loosened which has been difficult for one of ladies to step over the carpet lip and is becoming a fall hazard for her. Bethayne is a BC housing home, all repairs and maintenance to the home is completed by their contractors. A formal request to repair the loose carpet has been made by the Bethayne House Facility Manager.

Specific Barrier: I. Second side railing up the stairs needs to be installed & Half door installed at the top of the stairs II. Mechanical Lift installed in the bathroom, widening of the sidewalk ramp and automatic door opener installed III. Loose carpet needs repair

Priority: I. A II. A III. B

Solution: I. Milieu will hire a contractor to install the railing and half-door at top of stairs II. Milieu will hire a contractor to widen the ramp, install automatic door opener and purchase and install a mechanic lift at the Day Services. III. Milieu will work with BC Housing contractors to fix loose carpet

Anticipated Cost: I. 2, 000.00 II. 15,000.00 III. $500

Funding Source: I. Repair and Maintenance budget

2 II. Repair and Maintenance budget & additional Agency Funds III. BC Housing

Completion Date: I. April 2010 II. April 2010 III. March 2011

Person Responsible: I. Agency Director II. Agency Director & CEO III. BC Housing

3 Environmental Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: I. Fleetwood House is a home to four men. Their living room area has lots of natural light during the day but on cloudy days or in the evening the lighting in the room is not sufficient and is still too dark. The Home is a BC Housing Home; Milieu will work with their contractors to have the fixtures installed. II. Orion House is a home to five men. Their entire home is dark throughout due to the north exposure and high fences around the home. More in set lighting is required throughout the home. The Home is a BC Housing Home; Milieu will work with their contractors to have the in set lighting installed.

Specific Barrier: I. Additional light fixtures required in the living room II. Additional in set lighting needs to be installed throughout the home.

Priority: I. C II. C

Solution: I. Milieu will work with BC Housing to install light fixtures in the living room II. Milieu will work with BC Housing to install in set lighting throughout the home.

Anticipated Cost: I. $1,000.00 II. $3,000.00

Funding Source: I. Repair and Maintenance budget & BC Housing II. BC Housing

Completion Date: I. Under Review with BC Housing II. Under Review with BC Housing

Person Responsible: I. BC Housing II. BC Housing

4 Attitudinal Barriers & Community Integration Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: I. The Day Services has experienced attitudinal barriers from families and caregivers around their family member learning how to use public transportation independently. II. One of the men that live at Fleetwood House periodically exhibits severe aggressive behavior, some of the staff within the home have spoken to the manager stating they do not feel comfortable working with him.

Specific Barrier: I. Families resistant to their family member being independent on transit. II. Staffs are not confident working with one of the men living at Fleetwood House. Milieu will need to improve its orientation and training in the home.

Priority: I. C II. B

Solution: I. Continue working with families to change this attitudinal barrier by explaining the safe guards and training process and continue to provide families with examples of successes and benefits to individuals who now use transit independently. II. Training and support to staff around the use of positive behavioral supports and Mandt conceptional and technical skills will be implemented in the home to foster staff’s confidence when working with the individual.

Anticipated Cost: I. $0 II. Under review (costs with training)

Funding Source: I. Milieu Family Services II. Milieu Family Services

Completion Date: I. March 2011 II. June 2010

Person Responsible: I. Management Team II. Management Team

5 Communication Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: New staff that have entered Milieu do not have the sign language skills necessary to communicate with the individuals who require it. Therefore they were limited to work in programs that do not require staff with sign language.

Specific Barrier: More staff with sign language to work in the programs that require it.

Priority: I. C

Solution: Milieu will retain the services of a communication consultant to set up a sign language class based on the needs for the individuals in Milieu programs.

Anticipated Cost: $2,000.00

Funding Source: Milieu Family Services

Completion Date: March 2011

Person Responsible: Management

Financial Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: I. As gas prices rise each programs vehicle usage has had to alter due to no increased funding for gas allowances.

Specific Barrier: I. Gas allowance funding has not increased with current gas prices.

Priority: I. C

Solution:

6 I. Continue to monitor program’s gas costs and efficiency of van usage with respect to destinations chosen, car pooling and alternative transportation

Anticipated Cost: I. $0 but, individuals are more restricted in the distance of the driving.

Funding Source: I. Milieu Family Services

Completion Date: I. On-going review to ensure budgets are with set limits

Person Responsible: I. Agency Director / CEO

Employment Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: New employment programs have been created in our Day Services in the areas of Supportive Employment, Customized Employment and Social Enterprises. Management and staff have received training in the implementation and outcome expectations of these types of programs. It has been a barrier to train new staff in becoming Employment Specialists as it requires specialized training and the competency of the staff must be high.

Specific Barrier: Hire and train competent, specialized staff to work as Employment Specialists in our Day Services.

Priority: C

Solution: Send additional staff to the Douglas College Supportive Employment course. Create an internal training program to competently train Employment Specialist.

Anticipated Cost: Under Review (depends on amount of staff that require training)

Funding Source: Program Funding

7 Completion Date: On-going

Person Responsible: Agency Director

Transportation Barriers Priority A – Immediate, B – 3-6 months , C – 1 yr or more

Background: Yale House supports 5 individuals; one of the women that live in the home health is deteriorating and struggles getting in and out of the existing mini-van. She uses a wheelchair for long outings and would benefit in having a wheelchair lift vehicle at her home. She can get in and out of the current vehicle but in can take up to 3 staff members to safely support her in and out of the vehicle. Currently she is using handi-dart to get to and from her activities in the community.

Specific Barrier: Yale House would eventually need to have a wheelchair vehicle to accommodate one of resident’s health/ mobility needs as she will be permanently in a wheelchair soon.

Priority: C

Solution: Milieu will look into the costs of purchasing a Wheelchair Van for Yale House to meet the identified individual’s future needs. Staffs are to continue whenever possible to use handi-dart to transport her community activities.

Anticipated Costs: $25,000.00

Funding Source: Agency Funds

Completion Date: Unknown – ongoing review

Person Responsible: Agency Director & CEO