The Kenora-Rainy River District Community Care Access Centre is still struggling to recruit board members, including one from Fort Frances, after the majority of the board of directors resigned in January 2002.
“We’ve made several attempts. There’s just not much interest,” said Kevin Holder, Interim Executive Director of the district CCAC.
“We’ve advertised in the district three times in the last year,” he noted.
The CCAC mission statement “is to assist people to retain their dignity and remain as independent as possible in their community.”
The centres provide health and related social services and supplies for the care of people of all ages.
Many board members resigned when the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care announced a restructuring process across the province.
The changes, which came into effect Feb. 16 2002, included the Ministry’s decision not to renew Judi Gryschuk’s appointment to the position of executive director.
“They felt they weren’t going to be an effective board after [the restructuring,]” Holder said.
Since then, the CCAC has been trying to rebuild the board, with limited success. They are currently looking for one board member from each of Fort Frances, Red Lake, Dryden, and Ignace.
“We want some kind of geographical representation on our board,” Holder said.
The board of directors does not have the authority to elect new members. It can only recommend individuals to the Ministry of Health, which then appoints new board members by an Order in Council.
The board has recommended three candidates in the last several months, but only one has been appointed by the Ministry.
And the board has not been told why the other two candidates were not appointed.
“They don’t give reasons,” Holder said.
Interested applicants can also bypass the board of directors and apply directly to the Ministry, meaning there may be more candidates who have not been selected that the board isn’t aware of.
Also, the CCAC is not informed of the Ministry’s criteria, making it more difficult to recommend suitable candidates.
An appointment to the Kenora-Rainy River CCAC is for a term of one to three years, which may be renewed at least once.
The applicant must not have a conflict of interest with the CCAC or its service providers.
The member must attend board meetings held every fourth Thursday of the month, normally held in Dryden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The position involves some travel outside the district, to Toronto, Sudbury, or Thunder Bay.
While it is a volunteer position, all mileage, meals, hotels, and other travel costs are covered by the CCAC.
Most importantly, Holder said, “the person must be committed to serving the people of the Kenora and Rainy River districts and have a keen interest in health care, preferably home and community care.”
For more information, contact the CCAC at 1-877-661-6621.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
