NEW CENTRE OFFERS EASIER ACCESS TO DISABILITY SUPPORTS

VICTORIA – Seniors and people with disabilities will now have easier access to programs that offer equipment and assistive devices thanks to $858,000 of funding and donations for the first Personal Supports Centre that officially opened today, announced Rich Coleman, Minister of Housing and Social Development.

“By working with our local partners, we’ve created a simple way to access a wide range of disability supports and services through the Victoria Personal Supports Centre,” said Coleman. “We want all community and government programs to be accessible for everyone, making it easier for British Columbians to participate more fully at home or in the community.”

The Victoria Disability Resource Centre is partnering with the Province to operate the Personal Supports Centre as part of an 18-month pilot project that began in August. The centre will help the Province and community determine the best methods to help people obtain the personal supports they need to reach their goals, such as finding employment or participating in recreational activities. These supports may include equipment and assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, speech-generating devices or specialized computer programs.

Residents can contact the centre where a personal supports worker will discuss their needs and work with them to identify the best programs that can assist them. For example, they may help people start an income assistance application, connect them to an employment program, and refer them to the Red Cross, the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre and other community supports.

“When people come into the centre, uncertain about the types of supports available to them, and then leave later with a sense of accomplishment because they now know how to accomplish their goals, we know we’ve done our job,” says Mike Hanson, executive director of the Victoria Disability Resource Centre. “We’re making our community more accessible and inclusive for adults with disabilities.”

The Province is providing $657,000 in funding to the Victoria Disability Resource Centre to set up and operate the Personal Supports Centre through to 2010.

Community partners, including the Disability Resource Centre, have donated an additional $201,000 in goods, services and funding to date, as well as hundreds of volunteer hours into the design and implementation of the Centre.

Located at 817A Fort Street, the centre demonstrates how the community can modify public buildings and private residences to make them more accessible for people with disabilities. The centre has wheelchair-friendly flooring with varied texture that acts as cues for people with low vision. Peak Advanced Interiors donated a disability-friendly kitchen with adjustable counter and cupboard heights, and AbleTech Assistive Technologies donated a talking microwave for people who are blind or have low vision.

Established in 1990, the non-profit Victoria Disability Resource Centre offers a range of services to help people with disabilities lead independent lives. In addition to the Personal Supports Centre, services include a peer support program, employment services and access to specialized computer technology for people with disabilities.

The Personal Supports Centre builds on other provincial initiatives to provide easier access to information on equipment and assistive devices. The Personal Supports website was launched in August 2008 and is available at www.personalsupports.bc.ca. The Personal Supports Information Line was launched in February 2007 and can be reached at 1 888 818-1211 or

1 800 661-8773 (TTY). The Province is also working with other communities to design and test Personal Support Centres based on different service delivery models.

All of these projects are part of the government’s total investment of more than $4.3 billion annually in more than 80 provincial disability services and programs. The vision of the Province’s Disability Strategy is to make B.C. a leader in Canada as a place where all British Columbians with disabilities receive the supports and services they need.

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Media contact:	Seumas Gordon Media Relations Officer Ministry of Housing and Social Development 250 387-6490

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