Families

Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Task Force Report and Implementation Plan

In September 2020, the Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Task Force was appointed to review policies and practices around services for adults with intellectual disabilities, and provide a report and recommendations to the Minister of Families. Several community experts worked diligently over nine months to explore the breadth of issues related to services for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Through subcommittee work, research and consultations, the Task Force touched on 16 major elements of the system and made recommendations in these areas. A wide cross-section of Manitobans, representing thousands of people connected to this work or affected by The Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act, provided depth to the recommendations.

In November 2021, the minister released the final report, titled “Pathways to Dignity: Rights, Safeguards, Planning and Decision Making”, which addresses recommendations to the services that directly affect the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. These services are delivered by government departments, and community and service delivery agencies.

Recommendations from the “Pathways to Dignity: Rights, Safeguards, Planning and Decision Making”, were made in 16 theme areas, including:

Establishing an Advisory Council
Developing a Comprehensive Training Strategy
Recognizing and Promoting Assisted Decision Making
Updating the Principles of the Act
Establishing an Appeal Process
Strengthening Abuse and Protection Policies
Monitoring Performance of all Substitute Decision Makers in a user-friendly manner
Improving Practices around Transition to Adulthood
Consulting with Indigenous Communities and Leadership
Clarifying the Role of the Vulnerable Persons Commissioner
Improving Hearing Panel Practices
Improving Individual Planning Practices
Clarifying the Role of Community Service Workers
Seeking Improvements for Families
Establishing a working group with the Public Guardian and Trustee to improve practices and discuss community issues
Strengthening Community Capacity

Along with the report, the minister released a two-year implementation plan (PDF), which sets out areas of responsibility for implementing each of the recommendations and timelines for implementation in the short- medium- and long-term. The work includes:

consolidating changes to current practice;
exploring solutions and beginning policy review;
continuing policy review and beginning fundamental changes;
implementing new structures; and
legislative and long-term changes.

Leads have been assigned and teams will be developed to focus on specific areas of work for each recommendation, including initiating work where additional discussion is required.