idia_banner.png

Terms of Reference- 
Department of Families’ Intellectual Disability Issues Advisory Council


Mandate

The Intellectual Disability Issues Advisory Council is an advisory body with responsibility for considering issues and advising the minister on the following:

  • services provided to adults with an intellectual disability
  • the Adults Living with an Intellectual Disability Act
  • the implementation of the recommendations of the Vulnerable Persons’ Task Force (December 2021)
  • additional issues that the council considers relevant, including the items identified in Appendix A

The council may create subcommittees to work on specific issues as required.

Membership and Responsibilities

The council will be comprised of the following members:

  • assistant deputy minister of Corporate Services (Families) (chair)
  • a representative from service delivery organizations
  • a representative from disability advocacy organizations
  • a representative from families of people with an intellectual disability
  • two representatives of self-advocates, of which at least one must be an adult with an intellectual disability
  • a representative of Indigenous stakeholders

Members will be appointed for a period of two years, and will be chosen to represent the diversity and regional distribution of Manitoba’s population.

At the invitation of the council, the executive director of Disability and Specialized Services and the commissioner for adults living with an intellectual disability will attend meetings in non-voting roles. 

Members will be responsible for:

  • attending and actively participating in council meetings
  • proposing agenda items
  • carrying out tasks agreed to at meetings
  • ensuring that discussion reflects a balanced analysis of issues and a variety of perspectives
  • seeking additional information or input as needed
  • making recommendations to the Minister

Meetings

The council will meet at least three times a year, at the call of the chair.   

Honoraria

The following members will receive honoraria for their participation in council meetings, based on criteria established in the General Manual of Administration:

  • representatives from families of people with an intellectual disability
  • two representatives of self-advocates, of which at least one must be an adult with an intellectual disability
  • representatives of Indigenous stakeholders

Honoraria are not applicable for the work of sub-committees.

Consensus

The council will attempt to seek consensus among its members on the recommendations made to the minister. Consensus means substantial agreement of members, without persistent opposition, through a process taking into account the views of all members.

Term

As set out in The Executive Government Organization Act, the council is being created for a period of two years, beginning January 1, 2023.  After two years, the minister will reassess the council and the department’s priorities.  



APPENDIX A

 DETAILS OF ADVISORY COUNCIL AS PROPOSED IN THE VPA TASK FORCE’S FINAL REPORT

Composition:

The advisory council would be appointed by the minister and comprised of:

  • assistant deputy minister (co-chair)
  • representative of the minister (co-chair)
  • representative of parents of disabled person(s)
  • representative from advocacy organizations
  • representative from services agencies
  • representative from People First
  • Representative of Indigenous People

Frequency of Meetings:
The council will meet at least three times a year: June (annual return date) October (business planning for next fiscal year) and February (previous annual year statistics)

Duties:
The council will review a report from the commissioner for adults living with an intellectual disability on the:

  • number of people currently under substitute decision maker appointments during the fiscal year
  • findings of spot checks and reviews
  • status of backlogs
  • impact of the amendment and changes
  • number of renewals of substitute decision makers
  • efforts to find assisted decision makers to replace substitute decision makers
  • number of hearing panels conducted and the disposition of the recommendations
  • number of monitoring reports requested and received from family, private and Public Guardian and Trustee
  • progress of Indigenous Relations and related recommendations
  • emerging issues
  • administrative changes to make the website, processes and forms more user friendly

      The council will review additional information, as needed, related to:

  • the Training Advisory Committee on implementation of the comprehensive training plan and online training
  • individual planning
  • abuse issues, the number of investigations and dispositions, deficiencies and plans
  • current practices for transition to adulthood, the number of people involved and the status of the working relationship with Child and Family Services and Community Living disABILITY Services
  • the assisted decision making pilot project
  • the Public Guardian and Trustee working group

The council may also meet with advocacy groups and have presentations as it desires or as requested by the minister.