Should Group Homes for People with Developmental Disabilities Have Family Councils?
Official title: Resident and Family Councils Act – PDD consultation
Why This Matters
Have a family member in a group home? This law gives you a formal voice. Councils let families raise concerns about care quality, safety, and daily life. Without inclusion in the act, PDD residences wouldn't have guaranteed these rights.
What Could Change
The decision was made: PDD residences are included under the Resident and Family Councils Act. Residents and families can now form self-governing councils at any facility serving 4 or more people. A simplified toolkit was also developed to make the process accessible.
Key Issues
- Should PDD residences be included in the Resident and Family Councils Act or exempted?
- What implementation considerations are needed for PDD residences?
How to Participate
- This consultation is now closed. Engagement was held through telephone conferences, face-to-face meetings, and webinars in February and March 2018.
- Review the presentation for residents and families to see what was discussed.
- Learn more about the RFCA Toolkit and Operator's Guide that resulted from this consultation.
What Happened
Based on feedback from residents, families, guardians and service providers, PDD residences were included under the Resident and Family Councils Act when it came into force on April 1, 2018. The input also led to the development of a simplified toolkit for residents and families to ensure accessibility, and informed operator education sessions conducted before the act came into force.