Increased funding for N.B. adult residential facilities arrives three months early

The New Brunswick government says an increase in funding for adult residential facilities is being advanced by three months.
A permanent increase of $10 per resident per day was previously supposed to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, but will now be retroactive to Oct. 1.
The province says implementing the increase on Jan. 1 would have represented an annual increase of $27 million in funding. The three-month advancement puts that number up by $6.8 million for 2022-23.
“We decided to advance the implementation date because of the inflationary pressures facing this vital sector,” said New Brunswick Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard in a Tuesday news release.
“Adult residential facilities play a key role in providing essential services to 7,000 seniors and adults with a disability. Thanks to these facilities, residents get the care they need in their own communities, thus avoiding more costly services such as nursing home placements and hospitalization.”
The Department of Social Development provides per diems to adult residential facilities for subsidized clients and those who are unable to pay the full cost.
About 90 per cent of long-term residents in special care homes are subsidized, according to the province.
The Department of Social Development says it has been working with its partner, the New Brunswick Special Care Home Association, to evaluate the per diems and establish a funding model.
The province says, after the increased funding, the per diem will vary between $100.86 and $163.91, depending on residents’ level of care.
“Our members are dedicated to providing quality services to our residents, but they are not immune to the rising costs of food, supplies and many other things. This added support will help to address some of the pressure,” said Jan Seely, president of the New Brunswick Special Care Home Association, in the release.
“We look forward to continuing our work with government to ensure this valuable sector is adequately funded and our employees are compensated fairly.”
There are about 475 adult residential facilities in New Brunswick.
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