A letter issued to the residents and families of Ard Greine Court, Stranorlar has sparked outrage.
A new plan called ‘Time to Move On’ has been issued by the HSE this week.
Families were invited via letter to a meeting on Tuesday last to learn about the plan, but were shocked to read of the de-congregation of Ard Greine over the next 3 years.
Speaking on this mornings Nine ’til Noon Show, Aontu representative Mary T Sweeney says the letter lacked any emotion:
HSE Response:
In 2011 the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings – A Strategy for Community Inclusion report was published and adopted as national HSE policy. This report identified that over 4,000 people with disabilities in Ireland were living in congregated type settings, defined as, “where ten or more people reside in a single living unit or are campus-based”. It is a Government and HSE priority to ensure that all residents in existing congregated settings are actively supported to move into the community with person-centred support that will enable them to lead the life of their choice and participate as equal citizens in their local community. Residents will be supported to live in their local communities with no more than four people with a disability living together.
Community Healthcare Cavan Donegal Leitrim Monaghan Sligo (CH CDLMS) Disability Services have a Communication & Engagement Strategy in place which sets out how services engage with all relevant people on decongregation – residents living in congregated settings, their agreed family members or other support persons as well as staff. Residents living in congregated settings are supported through the decongregation process by the multi-disciplinary staff team, family members and other support persons so that the necessary wrap-around supports will be available to support them as they move to community living.
The moves to new homes in the community for residents of Ard Greine Court will take place over the coming years. Moves will take place when engagement processes and plans are completed for each individual resident and new homes are procured and ready for occupancy. Homes will meet the residential standards as regulated by the Health Information Quality Authority. Each resident will be at the centre of the decision-making process for their move. Under decongregation, residents will be supported in all decisions such as where their new home will be, who they will live with and the type of house they will live in. CH CDLMS Disability Services and the multi-disciplinary staff team will ensure people moving to their own homes will receive the support they require to live the life of their choice. Staff have availed of specific training programmes as to how best to support people moving to and living in the community. CH CDLMS Disability Services staff will engage with the person and their family, as agreed by the person, in relation to the arrangements that will be put in place.
Disability Services CH CDLMS and the multi-disciplinary staff team will continue to regularly review the support arrangements for each person to ensure that they are meeting the person’s needs. Staff from the current residential setting may continue working with people as they move into homes in the community and in some cases there may be new support staff.
The decongregation of Ard Greine Court is at an early stage and engagements will continue ongoing throughout the process. The family engagement sessions held on Tuesday 18th April 2023, which were attended by family members of thirteen residents, will be followed up with further engagements and communications throughout the decongregation process.
