The future of a permanent emergency homeless shelter in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, is in limbo after city council voted to rescind the development permit for the project. Despite having land secured and funding from the province, the project has faced opposition from some residents who have raised concerns about its location and size. The decision has left advocates for the shelter disappointed and uncertain about what comes next.
The Alberta provincial ombudsman has released a report criticizing the government’s Persons with Developmental Disabilities program, which denied a 21-year-old man with autism the supports he needs. The ombudsman says the program’s eligibility rules are unfair and rely heavily on intelligence tests, which have been criticized by medical clinicians. The report recommends that the government review the program’s rules and consider Zenari’s case for reconsideration.
Indigenous Services Canada is failing to meet Jordan’s Principle deadlines for providing urgent medical care and social services to First Nations children, putting lives at risk. Data shows that compliance rates have dropped significantly, with the department meeting the 12-hour deadline only 33% of the time during the 2022-23 fiscal year. The Assembly of First Nations and First Nations Child and Family Caring Society are calling on the federal government to immediately address the issue and ensure that First Nations children receive the timely care they need.
California officials have awarded Marin County nearly $19 million to help combat homelessness. The funds will be used to provide interim housing, social services, and permanent homes for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
A jury has ordered Catholic Charities to pay at least $960,000 to the estate of a 4-year-old boy whose body was found buried in the backyard of his Cleveland home while his mother was enrolled in social services from the corporation. The jury found that Catholic Charities was negligent in hiring and supervising its employees, a negligence that partially caused Jordan Rodriguez’s death in 2017. The jury assigned the majority of the blame to the boy’s mother, Larissa Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is serving a 28-year prison sentence. Other agencies involved in the family’s life were also found to be partially responsible, including Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, MetroHealth, and Larissa Rodriguez’s boyfriend, Christopher. The case will resume on April 30 for a hearing to determine if Catholic Charities is liable to pay punitive damages.
