This year, the BCHPCA collaborated with VIFOH, CCS – BC, CMHA – BC on this year’s budget committee submission; focussing on the need for funding support for bereavement care.

Pablita Thomas, ED at BCHPCA worked with Canadian Cancer Society, Charles Aruliah (CEO) and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Jonny Morris (Advocacy Manager), to develop common recommendations about funding and recognizing the need for grief and bereavement care.

Good news is that the Budget committee is recommending that bereavement care be funded. (Page 63)

There are several references to hospice bereavement care throughout the report, but here is the recommendation:

Hospice and Palliative Care

138. Increase funding and adopt a provincial approach to providing culturally respectful grief and bereavement supports to build capacity for community hospices across the province.

Also of interest:

Community Social Services, Not for Profit Sector, and Social Policy

202. Provide increased, predictable, multi-year funding to the community social services sector, including administrative funding and supports to address compensation challenges.

203. Expand social service delivery and the continuum of care to improve response to mental health, addictions, and other complex social issues.

Although these recommendations do not automatically roll into government policy, they provide important indicators of public priorities as budgets are developed and Ministers’ mandate letters with more specific recommendations are developed.