Social programs face sweeping review
Human Services first department under microscope
The provincial government is undertaking a sweeping, multi-pronged review of social programs and services offered under the Human Services super-ministry.
Human Services was formed last fall after Alison Redford became premier by combining child and family services with other ministerial responsibilities including employment, homelessness and welfare. Veteran Tory cabinet minister Dave Hancock was given the portfolio.
With the Tories back in office after the provincial election, Human Services is slated to be one of the first de- partments put under the microscope in the new results-based budgeting process, which aims to review each program from the bottom up to determine whether it is worth keeping.
At the same time, Hancock, reappointed as minister by Redford this week with additional responsibilities for the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped and Persons with Developmental Disabilities programs, is moving forward with the development of a “social policy framework” to guide the redesign of social policy and programs.
The latter process will include a step promised by Redford during the Tory leadership campaign: a program review to determine whether some programs can be moved to the private sector or community leadership, he said Thursday.
“There will be questions of, can this be done better as a government program or in a social agency or is this an individual responsibility that either is in the hands of the individ- ual or in the hands of the individual supported by a social agency or a government?” Hancock said.
Redford’s pledge of a program review has sparked concern among provincial employees and the NDP that it could lead to elimination or privatization of some government services.
Guy Smith, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, said recently that senior civil servants have reassured him the union need have little concern over privatization.
“At the same time we’re keeping our guard up in terms of that because we’ve shown over time that contracting out privatization dopes not being the intended results and ends up costing more in the long run. I think we’ve got a good case.”
NDP Leader Brian Mason said Thursday that there is nothing inherently wrong with reviewing services but his party will be watching the process closely.
“There are changes and reorganizations and improvements that can be made and if they’re made in conjunction with the people who depend on the programs with the aim of improving delivery and making them more efficient, we don’t have a problem. If it’s with a view to an ideological agenda of privatizing services to people, especially vulnerable people, then we do take issue.”
Hancock said most current programs are needed and are doing a good job within government and he is encouraging employees and the union to take part in the review.
No valuable services will be discontinued but who is responsible for them and how they are delivered may potentially change, he said. “There’s more than enough work to go around, there’s no question about that . . . rather than being defensive about the current status quo or defending a job here or a job there, let’s look and say ‘what is it that needs to be accomplished and how do we all play in doing that.’ ”