The Mayor of Bancroft is calling on the province to reverse a cut to funding for Centennial Manor.
$48,213 in funding is being slashed from the long-term care home, as part of a reevaluation under the Case Mix Index (CMI), which determines how much money each home gets. Mayor Paul Jenkins, who also is the chair of the committee overseeing long-term care homes in Hastings County, says this cut is equivalent to losing two full-time staff members.
The CMI formula is implemented once a year and is designed to determine which homes need a funding increase. However, because the funding pool doesn’t change, giving money to one home means taking it from another. Jenkins called the system antiquated and wants it scrapped. With long-term care budgets set in February, he says it makes no sense for the system to make these changes in the middle of a fiscal year. With the Pandemic still a risk for long-term care residents, the changes make even less sense.
In addition, the funding change will have a direct effect on the level of care offered at the home. Despite the province’s pledge that all residents at long-term care homes will have 4 hours of care per day, Centennial Manor is delivering closer to 2.7. As the cuts have been made directly to staffing, this number will deteriorate further.
However, Jenkins hopes that this is an oversight brought about by the change in the Ministry of Long Term Care. Talks were underway under Minister Fullerton to do away with the CMI formula, And Jenkins wants the talks to continue under the new minister, Rod Phillips. He says Hastings County has done its part and is urging the province to do theirs.