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PAGE 10, WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 7.1985, WHITBY FREE PRESS New government ha8 broken its promise, Thibeau sayse... Union wiJi fight to keep centre open By SUSAN LESJAK The unlonized staff members et Durham Centre for the Developmentally Han- dicapped have no Ien- lion of siting back idly and watchlng their facility closed down. The centre, the lest of six in Ontario 10 le closed by the provincial goveremnent under its de-institutionalization program, le scheduled to shut ils doors March 31, 1986. But the employees are dolng everythlng in their power 10 prevent that from happening. "We're planning to hold a public inquiry in- bo the closing," saye Ken Thibeau, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union Local 332, based at the centre. "We're going to make il an election issue locally, and OPSEU president, Jim Clancy has echeduled a meeting with Premier David Peterson and NDP leader Bob Rae. " Accordlng 10 Thibeau, the Lileral goveremnent has letrayed the party's election promises by golng ahead with the previous government's plan 10 shut down the centre. "When Petereon toured Durham Centre during hie campaige lasI epring, he said he didn't favor its closing until other services were in place. He's gone back on his word," says Thlbeau. Ie an interview with the Whitby Free Press, Community and Social Services Minister John Sweeney coefirnied hie government'e intention 10 stick tb the simoun- ced closing date. "For Sweeney 10 say il'll close March 31 15 stupid," eays the local's president, who predicts that the eecessary ser- vices won't le je place tirn at least October. Thibeau le concerned about the future of the centre's 128 residents and the future of ils 90 fuil-time employees. Both, he dlaims, will suifer when the facility is shut down. The government's plan is tb introduce as many of thie residents as possible into group homes in the com- mnilty. Thibeau dlaims, however, that only 25 to 30 of the cen- tre's residents are "'group home material". The rest, who llkely wil require, life-time in- stitutionalized care, wil be moved to elther D'Arcy Place le Cobourg or Huronia' Centre ie Orifila, two of the area's centres bo remain open. le a smali centre like the one ie Whitby, patients get more par- sonalized, higher quality care, explains Thibeau. in a larger in- stitution, like the one ie Orilia, he fears "they will get lost in the shuf- fie." While the ueion president admits that it's more expensive to operate several smal centres than fewer large ones, he argues that the segment of society should not be sacrlficed for the sake of saving dollars. "What concerna me is that the people of Durham will have no place bo send their MR (mentally retarded) people. Many are now living at home with parents. When their parents pass away, what wil happen to them?" Thibesu says he doesn't care if the cen- tre is down-sized, but he's adamnant that those residents who require continued institutional care be allowed to stay le the community. For those Durham Centre residents that could cope in a group home situation, Thibeau fears there won't le a home for them by March 31. Ac- cording bo him, there have only been 3-4 homes in the region that have been opened 10 ac- commodate those residents who will sud- denly fmnd themnselves on the street tbis spring. He is hoping that the Oshawa Association for the Mentally Retarded or the Whit- by/Ajax/Pickering as- sociation, who also mun homes, wil l e able 10 take some. Thibeau, who himself works at a group home (affiiated with Durham Centre), speaks proudly of that home's succees. Il has introduced more than 30 of the centre's former residents mbf the community and has home at any given lime. For such a * com- munity program 10 work, however, Thibeau emphaslses the need for a full complement of highly trained staff. He is sceptical that the governmnent wll come up with the funding for such community ser- vices. "lIt's certainly been the trend of the Conser- vative government 10, cul social services, MR and psychiatric beda. We'll have to see how this eew goverement behaves." The Minister of Coni- munity and Social Ser- vices notes that while the governiment je saving $23 million a year because of the closures, i111e spending $33 million on new living situations and programe for the retarded. The $11 million that the minister je talking about, sys Vicky Scott, OPSEU co-ordinator for MR closures, is set up funding for the new communlty programe and services designed 10 replace institutionalized care. Il has been spread over five years (as the centres have been closed down), and does not, in her estimation represent a lot of sup- part for MR services. "'They can say they're spending $11 million - that's fine. But that's only start up money. We have people working ie those services hitting up United Way and other charitable organization for funde to keep their A TURMBERG KENNELS REG'D Where They Get Tender Loving Care FALL TRAIN ING CLASSES Staîts Aug. 13185 Reglster Now! ALSO PET FOOD - 100% Frozen Beef (Govt inspected - 30 Ibs. ln 32 15-oz. blocks) 655-4721 PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL Compllmentary consultations by a certif lad eloctrologlat. M*Mber Ot the Eloctrolysis Assoc. of Ontario. 209 DUN DAS ST. E. 6 62 5 SUfTE2O1,WHITBY. 6 62 5 programs runnlng. "There has been no provision in the gover- mnent's five-year de- institutionallzation plan for continued fundleg of these services." As for the centre's employees, Thlbeau describes their mood as "4stressful." Although the province le offering thein other positions, since Durham Centre la the lest MR fadlllty bo close, he fears the pickings may be slim. Ie reference tb Sweeney's comment that the regular staff membere would le of- fered et least one other position and most of them two or three, Thibesu says he'll believe il when he sees ft. 1 Since the provincial goveremnent has an- nounced no plans to open other group homes in Whitby, staff meni- bers will likely have 10 re-locate if they are to take up the gover- nnient's offer of em- ployment, Thibeau poin- ted out. While the centre will not begin 10 lay off staff until later this fail, many employees have already quit, leaving the centre severely short- etaffed. New employees have been brought ie on a temporary basis, but Thlbeau says they are generally legs qualified. The shortage of em- ployees and leck of ex- perienced professionals is 1"exposing staff tb len jury and 10 patient aeeault," he says. "The staff are getting im- paired left right and centre. We've had 30-40 injuries." Employees are also being told that they have 10 work longer hours, and sometimes even double shi.fts due 10 the shortage of labor. "They are cheesed off," says the union president. But Thibeau dldn't dwell overly-long on staff concerne. "0f course, we're worried about losing our jobs, but we also went b su the care of the residents maintained. "This le happening because MR people are an invisible minoriby. What would people say if the Durham hospital closed down? "These people can't speak for them- selves. . .but the generas] population doesn't give a dame. 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