The Advanced Specialty Certificate in Community Care Licensing at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC), a one-of-a kind program in Canada, received a boost today with $600,000 in provincial funding.

“With the growing seniors' population in B.C. and a number of child-care facilities, there is an increasing need for residential facilities and community-care licensing inspectors to ensure that facilities provide the best and safest care,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “Investing in the certification of these inspectors now is a proactive step towards filling a future need in our communities. While this is not an overnight change, it will sustain training, consistency of practice and accountability over the coming years.”

The funding will help train new licensing officers and support existing officers in upgrading their skills through enrolment in the Advanced Specialty Certificate in Community Care Licensing.

“It’s important to have supports in place so that British Columbia’s care facilities can provide the best possible service to their clients,” said Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk. “The JIBC’s Advanced Specialty Certificate in Community Care Licensing program trains inspectors and ensures best practices at facilities that take care of our most vulnerable population.”

The specialized role of community-care licensing officers helps protect B.C.’s most vulnerable residents. These licensing officers are employed by health authorities to inspect and monitor both publicly funded and private residential-care and child-care facilities. They also provide education and support to licensees, conduct investigations, and take action to bring facilities into compliance with the provincial acts and regulations that govern them.

“We very much appreciate this funding from the ministry to support learners in our unique online certificate program,” said Dr. Michel Tarko, president and CEO of JIBC. “As the need for residential and community-care facilities continues to grow in B.C., and across the country, graduates of the program will be well positioned to use their education and training to contribute to the health, safety and well-being of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

There are currently approximately 150 community-care licensing officers working through health authorities to inspect the roughly 1,050 licensed adult and child/youth residential-care facilities and 6,000 licensed child-care facilities in British Columbia.

By investing in programs that support the enforcement of high-quality standards in residential and community-care facilities, government is helping to strengthen the provincial system of primary and community-care.

For more information on the community-care licensing officer training, please visit: http://www.jibc.ca/cclo

Media Contacts:

Kristy Anderson
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)