The Justice Institute of British Columbia will develop and deliver a new training program for community care licensing officers to support and improve monitoring of private and public community care facilities throughout British Columbia.

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology is providing $198,915 to JIBC to support the development of an online community care licensing officer program. The ministry will also provide JIBC with $194,400 annually to offer 27 student spaces in the new program.

Community care licensing officers are responsible for inspecting and monitoring private and public facilities for child care, youth residential care, residential group care and long-term care in B.C. They also conduct investigations, provide education and support to licensees, and take action to bring facilities into compliance with the acts and regulations that govern them.

This new program is in direct response to a specific recommendation made by B.C.'s ombudsperson in the report, The Best of Care: Getting it Right for Seniors in British Columbia (part2).

The curriculum will be online and will be an open education resource.

Quotes:

Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology Ralph Sultan -

"We are announcing concrete actions to improve the lives of seniors and their caregivers. It also supports our seniors' action plan and is an investment into a priority health-education program that will benefit British Columbians now and in the future.

Justice Institute of British Columbia president Michel Tarko -

"JIBC is pleased to be given the opportunity to leverage our organizational expertise to ensure that community care licensing officers have the education and training needed to effectively maintain the safety of those served by public and private care facilities across the province."

Learn More:

Improving care for BC Seniors: An action Plan: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/year/2012/seniors-action-plan.pdf

The best care: getting it right for seniors in BC:http://www.ombudsman.bc.ca/seniors/seniors-care-investigation/seniors-report-part-two

JIBC: http://www.jibc.ca/

Contact:

Dan Gilmore
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology
250 952-6400