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Page 22, Whitby Free Pres, Wednesday, Febnjary 8, 1995 GROUPIIIHOMES Agency will review operations afier consultants' critical report By Mike Kowalosk.i A, loca1 mental health agency will review its operations in the wake of a scathing report pre- pared for the Ont ario govern- ment.1 Directors of Whitby Ail Saints Residence Corp. have accepted a consulting teaxn's highly-critical appraisal of one of its programs and will seek provincial assis- tance in conductng the review. The agency will also continue to operate the three Whitby &rUp homes which were the focus of the consultants' report, while the review takes ace. 'The board bas deci ed to stay on» and implement the report s recommendations, Ail Saints chair Christine- Elliott told The Free Press. "We're working on, new board appointments imme4iately and we hope to hope to einbark on a strategic action plan soon," said Elliott. «We will discuss it with the Ministry of Health and we hope to engage outside consultants.» Increasing th size and com- tioni of the eight-member goard of directors is just one of many recommendations con- tained in the 49-page report on Coîborne Community Services (GOS) -- one of the eight-year- old, non-profit agency's pro- gramns. Released in mid-December, the report was prepared for the health ministry by KPMG Management Consulting and the Clarke Institute Consulting Group. Health Minister Ruth Grier ordered the report last March after allegations of improprie- ties» were raised by Ail Saints' employees during a six-week strike. Amonig their accusations, wor- kers claimed that residents had been improperly discharged; reports were altered; residents, sexually assaulted; sitaff sexually harassed, and provincial health and safety laws ignored. The workers members of Local 2936 of the danadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), pro- vide life sidîls trainin to people with mental heathg problèe who live in the group homes. Ail Saints operates 30 beds in the three Whitby homes through CCS and also offers support ser- vices to more thaxn 100 clients in Durham Region through its escHingCCSas eing inan "extreme. state of dysfunction» which puts both clients and staff at risk the consultants proposed a number of measures aimed at improving the agency. They recommended that the m inistry order the board to ,pre- pare its own "action plan' or adopt the model they suggested. Failing that the board should prepare a plan to close the agency, the consultants added. Although the board takes exception to "'some factual things» mentioned in the report the directors accept the overaîl thrust of the document, Elliott said. 0 "We will be examinigail oe- rations of the agency,» s he said. In their report, the consultants found the agency to be an "organization in a great deal of pain ... which is deeply rooted and wili require a major effort b y ail parties to return C OS to health.» jAznong its. many. problems, COS suffers from t he folioWing, the report states: 1*a deep division' in which board 'management are on "one side" and unionized staff on "the other sd" * a boad of directors that is removed from, direct input of both front-lime staff and external providers; * very mixed reports and some serious concerns about quality of client service from clients, staff and external providers' *an atmosphere of clysfunction in which both sides feel «threa- tened" 4y the other. But despite warning that the current environmient is one of «crisis proportion,» the consul- tants sate that CCS also pos- sesses "some strengths" upon which ta rebuild. These include: * a board of directors committed ta rebuilding, *a need for tiiese prograzns ini Durham Region; * clients and families who are Frateful for the servces and "some real client success stories"; * a commitment ta, clients among al parties; <* stable funclin. Meanwhile, as the board miakes prep aratnions for its opera- tional review, Ail Saints' employees are awaiting word on their first contract with the agency. The union members returned ta their jobs last March afterý the board applied ta, have the dispute settled by firat contract legisia-- tion. .Under Ontario labour laW, employees must go baek ta work after an application is made. The arbitration board that will work out* details of the contract completed its hearings in. November. The board's decision, which is. "inding on both parties, is expec-, .1 soon.ý Maycomments on ferretTownbylaw By Steve Leahy Last weeks- story about Baldwin . Street's Laurie Wilhamson having ta get rid of his pet ferret, Kizzit, resulted'in quite a few phone calîs. Ail of the cailers, including one from Louise' OReiily in Peterborough, thonght the bylaw should not apply ta ferrets.. The 'real probiem When it cames ta pets, Most people thought, is not the animais but how wel owners control their pets. Everyone said that doge and cats can be' much more of a nuisance to neighbours -- and a bigger threat ta the natural environent. Cats. for example, kill millions and millions of songbirds every year. 'If you would like ta change the bylaw, phone your Town councillor or cail the PAW animal control centre at 427-8737. SCOUTS' WINTER CAMP You can blame the bitterly cold weather last weekend on the Broodlin Scouts. They set'up their tents under the cedars at EnnisIilen Conservation Area last Friday and, sure enough, the temperature went into the deep freeze -- as it always does when they go winter camping. Senior Scouts Ian Kudryk and Derek Leahy, both 13, took it in 65 BALjWI ST *ROKI LOB 100 905- 655- 3301 »Winter anc What type of soap is best for dry skin? Try a mild, superfatted type of soap such as Neutragena, Dove, 1 Caress, Petro-phylic, Allenbury's or Lowila. Avoid deodorant and antiseptic soaps. What type of cream or oil is best for dry skin? Cocoa butter, minerai oil and lariolin are very effective, 1 Dry Skin' especi 'ally' if applied to damp skin.' Moisturizers, hand and body creams and night creams ail work by trapping water and providing a protective layer on top of the skin that prevents dryness and cracking. Consuit.your pharmacist for skincare products for dry skin. srdhaving done ail the required preparation and planning. They had learned from. winters past that forgetting one or two things can make for a very unpleasanlt experience. So when flrst-year scouts David Buldyke and Mark Swedlo, bath 11, tramped in on Saturday morning, it was ta a cozy, well-established camp. After a day spent sledging and hiking, and an evening caxnpfire, the junior Scouts could see that winter camping wasn't that crazy an idea. Wihile everyone was toasty warmn sleeping in tents, Sunday morning's wind and extreme cold posed some problems with virtually everything, including boots turning into blocks of ice. It was a struggle, but the boys persevered,- brake çamp and headed home. None of this would have been possible without the support and dedication of Scout leader Bill Kudryk. And Marty Buikyke served as adult volunteer for this weekend -- one that hie won'lt forget for some time. CBilDRmEN'SCLUB February is Mouse Month at the Broolin library branch Children's Club, Saturdays between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. for ids aged four and up. There wil be stories,, crafts, games and funi every Saturday. No iregistration is required. Special note ta parents: with the little one downstairs, it can be very relaing to, read the paper or browse through the stacks of books upstrs groaner courtesy of the club: Q.What do mice wear in the gym? A. Squeakers! Just a reminder that four- and five-year-olds have a special Tuesday evening storytiMe starting Feb. 21. Registration must be done in person on Tuesday, Feb. 14, noon to, 8 p.m. SAINT VALENfTNEýS BINGO Seniorsa are invited -ta play bingo at the Broolin Commumity The Reform Party Durham Riding held a meeting on 'Cri- minai Justice and Gun Contrai' on Monday night, Feb. 6 i Brooklin. The Reform Party wants severe punishment for the cri- minai misuse of firearms whiie p ratecting the rights of citizens town and use fire-armst. » ... it le thne ta stop penalizing Centre on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1:30 P.m. There will be cash prizes and refreshments served. The Brooklin Community Centre is open for seniors' drop-in every Tuesday 1:30 to 4 p.m. For more information, oeil 668-1424. eeffoeffk Ik8eNacMjdI ât ifé5-1898or6~ô8bfx law-abiding peaple, whiie- cri- minais laugh at aur *utc sys- tem,"» states Evert Vroeg]h, pre- sident of the Reform Dra constitiuency. Speakers at Monday night's meeting included representatives of the Ontario Federation of Ane- 1er.; and Hunters, the Ontario Hand Gun Assocition 'and the Ontario Council of Shooter. Gun contro is. discussed by local Reform Imembers