I would like the world to see what Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's Budget reforms have done for the people of Alberta regarding Social Services:
From The Edmonton Journal, July 12, 1998: Letter of the Week (Sunday Soundoff) ALBERTA DISPLAYS MISERLY ATTITUDE TO THE POOR RE: TRANSFER payments to Alberta. At the end of May 1998, Alberta Family and Social Services mailed a notification to welfare recipients stating the federal government was implementing a program that would increase the Child Tax Credit for families and children living in poverty. The letter explained that the federal child tax credit cheque was going up. When this increase occurs in July, the provincial government will reduce its welfare cheques by exactly the same amount. The notification specifies how much money per child it will remove from the provincial cheque. (It specifies exact amounts for first child, second child and additional children after that.) Many people are outrages by the nullification of this federal program, as it applies to those on assistance and our most vunerable citizens - children. Alberta has experienced harsh cutbacks in the last few years. Ralph Klein's Government is responsible for a reduction in the welfare rolls by 50%. There has been no monitoring of where these people have gone. Some have gove to other provinces, others live in extreme poverty, some live on incomes of less than $12,000 per year with two children. Our food banks are overused, there has been an increase in the number of apprehensions of children because their parents are "unable to provide the necessities of life," and our health system is the worst in the country. The Aboriginal Health Management Association has documented many cases of hardship. The federal and provincial governments are going to pay a high price for these cutbacks in the future. Jail costs are $75,000 per year per person in 1998. What will these costs be in the future? It costs $20,000 for the provincial Child Welfare Department to proceed through the courts to obtain apprehension orders and then there are foster care costs. Families which are now mainly classified as "unemployable" or "long-term assisted" because of health issues, deserve the few dollars the new federal program would supply to them. This program was launched to assist children in poverty. We do not believe it is right that the provinccial government takes this money away from children living in poverty. The Aboriginal Health Management Association makes the following request: If the Alberta government reduces welfare cheques by the same amount that the federal government increases the Child Tax credit - the amount of the federal transfer payment used for health, education, and social services should be reduced by the same amount that they take away from poor children.Donna Shannon
Social Services Adviser
So what is wrong with Social Services and what is the Ralph Klein Government doing about it?
You probably will not find out. Alberta Social Services is under a "gag order". What this means is that Alberta Social Services cannot offer information on their policies or regulations, unless asked a specific question. Then it is questionable if any recipient will get a proper answer.
If you would like more information on your rights, then Alberta Social Services is governed under THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ACT. You can find a copy of this act in any public library and a librarian will be glad to help you find it.
I am disturbed by a rumor I have heard as well. Without prejudice, I am appalled at rumours of Edmonton North Social Services (Fort Road) office holding a weekly "pool" on who can get rid of the most Social Assistant recipients. Whether this pool once existed, or still exists, and whether the rumor is, in fact, true or not should be up to proper authorities to investigate. If true, this type of profiteering and 'games' is of the worst kind - at the expense of human beings, particularily those who cannot defend themselves.
Let's have a further look at the Alberta Social Services situation.
Social Services considers a telephone a luxury. They once supported it but due to budget cuts, this benefit was lost. So when it comes to emergencies, one cannot even phone 9-1-1. In the case of the disabled and especially children, this is deplorable. I can see banning adults who abuse long distance as sensible, yes. So why not offer basic service with a long distance ban?
So that does bring us to medical recipients. Is the staff of Alberta Social Services educated enough to deal with "medical cases"? Take, for example, mental health patients who are on benefits. The staff are not trained to treat patients, of course, but are they properly trained to communicate/deal with mental health patients? Are the staff up-to-date on new treatments and therapies? It does not seem so. Most Social Workers tend to keep to regulation and bureaucracy to deal with sometimes difficult medical cases, which is not in the best interest of, say, someone who is depressed. The training of Social Services Workers is something that definately has to be looked at.
Now we come to budget cuts - and staff cuts thereof. I do not think I would find any disagreement with district offices, that workers are overextending themselves due to overfull caseloads. More importantly, does this lead to certain deficits in the public services? How much are recipients suffering because workers have not had time to read their files thoroughly? How many have to wait until an overworked social worker finally gets to their file and case?
Yet, can the workers be faulted for cutbacks and overfull caseloads? Could they do their job more efficiently if the Klein Government had not intervened the way it did?
Let's go in the other direction. Is there a chance to get off Social Assistance in the province of Alberta?
What about those that want to reenter the workforce after being on medical benefits? There is no transition period to see if working pans out. It is sink or swim - you work, you're off benefits. If you find you cannot handle the work (ie. bad back, mental health, etc.) you have to go through the whole process of intake registration once more. Which means you had better have had a doctor standing by to back your claim of 'inability to work', because once you 'quit' a job, you are not eligible for assistance.
For those not in the know, if you wish to try and work, get a doctor to write a report out as attempring to re-enter the workforce is part of 'your therapy'.
So let's try something different. Education. Well education becomes "iffy" when it comes to social services. Student loans or bursaries are considered income. Income means you are not eligible for assistance. If by some miracle you find a course, social services limits how much education you can get, by limiting your courses. For someone, say on medical or disablity, the education trail could prove to be more a detriment than a positive asset.
A final note on the social service workers. I wonder how aware they are of other cross-policy organizations? Are they trained in the policies of Blue Cross, such as when it comes to what medications are covered - or what forms are used for an appeal.
You cannot really fault Alberta Social Services. They do their best when it comes to the public. But they are bound by bureaucracy and regulation. They are underfunded, and underpaid. This is because of Ralph Klein's Government and his idea of making a once prosperous province, better. For whom?
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