Making do with little or none

Times Contributor       

 

Family and Community Services Support (FCSS) offices across the province are running out of  belt notches to tighten, as no new funding has been designated for them in the provincial budget.

“FCSS has had no increased provincial funding for the last six years,” said Lynn Walker, coordinator for the Wheatland FCSS.

The last increase was in 2009, and the current provincial budget shows no increases are designated for 2014-2015.

Jeff Carlson, President of the Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta, said in a province-wide media release that cost pressures on preventive social services agencies continue to grow, due to tremendous population growth in Alberta.

The residents of over 320 municipalities, including the Town of Strathmore and the County of Wheatland, are served by FCSS.

“FCSS funding to community agencies provides services to Alberta’s most vulnerable seniors, children, youth, adults, newcomers. In many rural communities, the municipal FCSS program is the first line and the last line of contact for residents,” said Carlson.

In times of tight finances, often groups are asked to form partnerships to make ends meet. The associations already have a cost-share contract with the province and their municipal partners, who supply 20 per cent of costs. Walker said that Wheatland County has stepped up in the past to aid with service delivery, but she is waiting after their the FCSS annual general meeting to see what will be needed for the coming year.

Carlson said some municipal partners have contributed more than their fair share, to make up for front-line budget shortages. In turn, Carlson said that municipalities have a reasonable expectation that the province will provide needed funding to the programs offered by FCSS offices.

“I am proud of the all of the municipalities that have stepped up to the plate. We are concerned that all our citizens are taken care of. I was surprised at how many people, especially from our villages, do use the services of FCSS. The County of Wheatland has doubled their share to help in the past,” said Wheatland County Reeve Glenn Koester. 

“Other areas in that sector have gotten increases from the provincial government. I was wondering if it is because there is not a lot of complaining and they interpret that as no need. For a lot of people, it is the only place they go for help. There are a lot of smaller centers that get a little bit of money from the government and they try to keep a door open for people, but they may not be able to do that anymore. I would hope they (the provincial government) look at this.”

Carlson is sending out a warning call.

“Sustainability of the FCSS Program is at the tipping point. A flat-lined budget for eight years equates to a budget cut that doesn’t account for population growth, or annual inflation. Not only is Family and Community Support Services falling farther behind in its ability to simply maintain its level of preventive supports to Albertans… in many cases, services must now be reduced or eliminated – there is no room for expanding the important work,” said Carlson. “If the provincial ministry is increasingly investing in prevention across its program areas, and all program areas received a budget increase, why is Family and Community Support Services not included?” 

There is an annual general meeting for all the provinces FCSS offices scheduled on April 11. This discussion is expected to be on the agenda, with more information for front-line offices anticipated following the meeting.