NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE The Medicine Hat office for Vision Loss Rehabilitation services, under the umbrella of CNIB has closed. The decision came after a request for an increase in government funding was not approved. Pictured are Norma Smith, facilitator of the local support group, and Judy Miller, who has low vision and attends the support group.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
CNIB says its decision to close the local office for Vision Loss Rehabilitation services had nothing to do with government cuts to funding.
“To clarify, this was not a cut to existing funding but rather a denial of additional operations funding required to provide the level of service that we have been providing to our clients,” reads an email statement from Shelagh ODonnell, CNIB.
Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, confirmed there had been no change to existing funding.
“The UCP government has maintained the same level of funding for CNIB, which provides services through Vision Loss Rehabilitation,” said Barnes. “I recognize the importance of the great work that is provided to so many Albertans.”
About 250 clients of the local office were informed recently that a “request was not approved in the government’s current fiscal budget” and as a result offices across Alberta would be closed. Medicine Hat’s office, which had been open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., is already closed.
A statement from CNIB stated that funding had not been approved “in the government’s current fiscal budget”.
“This funding shortfall required a difficult re-evaluation of how we deliver our client services … the cost to operate all existing ‘bricks and mortar’ facilities is simply not feasible under the current fiscal reality.”
Norma Smith, facilitator of the local support group – Spectacular – said the news was a complete surprise. She says clients with no vision or limited vision depend on the service as part of their health care.
“We as clients are really taken aback at the short notice, about a week,” said Smith. “We feel a little put out – discarded.”
Smith says the office was a place to go if there were forms that needed to be filled out or you needed an appointment for assistance from staff coming down from Calgary.
The News asked CNIB for information on how much additional funding it had applied to the government for and what the increase was to address. There has been no response to that request.
Smith says the support group will continue to meet at the library and they have been told by CNIB that the rent for that meeting room will continue to be paid for another year.
Staff from Calgary will also still come to Medicine Hat as required to provide assistance on how to use equipment, for those who are experiencing vision loss.
CNIB has pointed out that Vision Loss Rehabilitation Alberta is a separate entity from CNIB but under the same umbrella.
