Health
Health Minister Terry Lake today has announced an increase in hourly rates for the Choice in Supports for Independent Living (CSIL) program, meaning more choices when it comes to care options for British Columbians with significant disabilities.
CSIL is a self-managed model of care where individuals receive funds directly to hire their own workers to provide home support services. This includes help with daily living activities such as getting up and around, meal planning, lifts and transfers, bathing and grooming.
“The CSIL program empowers clients by allowing them to hand pick the workers who provide these vital services,” said Lake. “This rate increase will help them attract and keep support staff through competitive wages, allowing individuals to stay independent in their own homes for as long as possible.”
The hourly rate will increase 5.5% over five years:
- Jan. 1, 2016: $29.80 per hour (retroactive to April 1, 2015)
- April 1, 2016: $29.94 per hour
- April 1, 2017: $30.39 per hour
- April 1, 2018: $30.85 per hour
- Feb. 1, 2019: $31.16 per hour
People in the CSIL program receive funding each month from their regional health authority. The number of hours funded varies by person and is based on a clinical assessment by the client’s health-care team.
CSIL employers assume full responsibility for covering wages and costs for advertising, recruiting and hiring a bookkeeper for financial reporting.
"On behalf of CSIL employers, I thank the provincial government for working with our organization to facilitate these rate increases, which we believe are the building blocks for ensuring equal wages and parity between CSIL and agency employees,” said Ken M. Kramer, QC, principal with KMK Law Corporation and co-chair of the CSIL Funding Working Group and CSIL employer.
British Columbia has 976 people who receive home support through CSIL, making up approximately 2% of all home support clients, but accounting for approximately 23% of total home-care support service hours.
For an audio clip of Health Minister Terry Lake discussing the rate increases, please visit:
https://soundcloud.com/bcgov/minister-lake-choice-in-supports-for-independent-living
Learn more:
More information on CSIL: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/choice-in-supports-for-independent-living.
