Community Respite Service Inc. (CRS) provides parents and caregivers of individuals with intellectual and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to take a much-deserved break. CRS provides support, companionship, and assistance whether the individual is living with their caregivers or independently in their communities.
Caring for a child or adult with a disability takes time, energy, and support. After rising to meet the challenge that goes with caring for someone with a disability, time off to rejuvenate becomes a necessity.
For 40 years, Community Respite Service Inc. has helped individuals with physical and/or intellectual disabilities to live with dignity and independence.
Helping the caregiver is also our priority!
CRS is designed around the Participant’s particular needs and interests. CRS listens to the needs of the individual and encourages both the caregiver and Participant to be a part of the activity planning to ensure the respite is enjoyable for the Participant and the caregiver is at ease.
Unfortunately, CRS does not have the mission or funding to provide respite to individuals who become disabled due to aging at the present time.
Mission
Community Respite Service Inc. provides quality respite in parts of southern Manitoba, especially Winnipeg and the Westman regions, for the caregivers of and to individuals with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
Vision
To provide support to caregivers and individuals to foster independence and participation in the community.
Goals
Well trained staff, Participant directed polices and individual or family centred care.
CRS’ History
Originally, Community Respite Service Inc. was started by parents of children with physical disabilities because in the early 1980’s there was only respite for families of children with intellectual disabilities. By June 5, 1985, when CRS was incorporated, CRS provided respite to children and adults with both intellectual and/or physical disabilities.
The CRS Apartment in Winnipeg was leased October 1, 1985, to provide an out of home location for families with individuals with disabilities in Manitoba to have overnight respite, learn life skills, provide trial roommate experiences, and have access to recreation in Winnipeg’s downtown area.
Initially, CRS provided respite with part time Coordinators in Thompson, Flin Flon, Brandon, and Winnipeg. Due to a funding crisis, the Thompson and Flin Flon positions were eliminated in 1995-96. Negotiations with the Department of Families in 1997-99 lead to a significant increase in the Administrative Grant that funds all administrative and program support positions.
In 2000, funding to the Administrative Grant was increased to allow for an Executive Director, a Winnipeg Respite/Fundraising Coordinator, a part-time Assistant Winnipeg Coordinator, a part-time bookkeeper, a Westman Coordinator, and a part-time Assistant Westman Coordinator. With decreased CRS respite hours up north, by December 2000, CRS ceased providing respite in Flin Flon and Thompson, and concentrated on providing respite in Winnipeg and the Westman regions.
Instead of the Westman office operating out of the Westman Coordinator’s home, an office space was leased in Brandon, inside the Career Connections Inc. building – 710 3rd Street. In Winnipeg, the office expanded from one room at 825 Sherbrook Street to a four-room office that could accommodate the four Winnipeg staff and an Interview room. The respite hours provided and Participants and families in both Winnipeg and the Westman region grew.
CRS’ head office in Winnipeg was asked by the Department of Families to relocate to the SSCY (Specialized Services for Children and Youth) Centre in the 2000’s and after several years of preparation, CRS moved into the building at 1155 Notre Dame Avenue in Winnipeg along with Rehabilitation Centre for Children, Integrated Children’s disABILITY Services, SMD (Manitoba Possible), WRHA Pediatric Homecare, Audiology, and several other organizations in 2016.
CRS began to see a decrease in Respite worker retention due to lack of wage increases prior to Covid19, but the decrease accelerated after March 2020 when the pandemic occurred in Manitoba. CRS went from 120 Respite workers to 80 and from 200 Participants/families to 136. Participant/family respite hours funded by the Department of Families decreased by over 25,000 hours from its peak in 2018-19 to 2022-23 in part due to the pandemic and the uncompetitive wage situation.
In April 2022, for financial reasons, the CRS Board of Directors made the decision not to renew the CRS Apartment lease that CRS had operated for Participants and families for 36.5 years.
A significant Respite Worker wage increases was received April 1, 2023, that CRS hoped would solve the Respite Worker recruitment and retention issues. There has been progress with attracting Respite Workers, but significant Worker and hour increases have not rebounded in the way CRS expected.
