Plans for B.C. hub-based youth support model remain firm despite opposition

May 3, 2022 | 5:37 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development has launched a survey to hear more from families about the proposed funding changes for youth with support needs.

Along with the four early implementation sites for the hub model identified in BC, the province says the survey will help inform the rollout of approximately 40 additional family connection centres throughout the province, beginning in 2024.

The plan for this rollout has drawn its fair share of opposition from critics and organizations who specialize in support for youth including Autism BC.

“Many families with autistic kids won’t use the early implementation sites but they’re using these to guide and define how the whole service will be rolled out,” said Julia Boyle, Executive Director of Autism BC. “So basically they are going to lack essential information.”

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Despite the opposition to the changes from many organizations including Autism BC, Mitzi Dean the BC Minister of Children and Family Development said she remains committed to implementing a new system that will bring better care for all.

“We want to support families and make sure their children are served,” said Dean. “At the moment far too many children have services locked behind a diagnosis.

In an interview with CKPG News the Minister said she believes the end result will be good for all families, and the hub-based rollout is something that will get more kids, more care, sooner.

The survey is open until September 2022 with 550 responses as of Tuesday afternoon.

by Caden Fanshaw

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Plans for B.C. hub-based youth support model remain firm despite opposition

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