HomeMy WebLinkAboutESD-007-04
REPORT 113
REPORT
. EMERGENCY AND"IRE SERVICES
Meeting: COUNCIL
Date: Apnl 5. 2004
Report~ ESO-OO7-04
FiI&.' 10.12.6
By-law #
SUbject: Funding - Tapp C ProgtWJt
Recommendetlons
It is respectfully fflCOmmended that the ~ Purpose and Administration Comnlittee
recommend to Council the following: . ,
1. THATR$pOIi<ES~-04 be~;
THAT the al1lQUnt of $2,374.36 reqQinKf for 2004, be drawn ff'9l1l the Fire
Prevention R$SefVe Account No. 1~-2908 (formerly 2900-8-x);
and
3. THAT a new line item for this funding. set up for future CutTent Budgets.
-""~t () .~""O,..~~
,.... G. _,~,.->. . F_W."C,I.P.
Dirvctor Emergency & Fire SeMees. Chief Ai:lmiflIistrative Officer
MGC/BHlsr
March 25, 2004
.~ ~CF THI!MUNlC~WTY OF ClJI-JltIIi/GT_.
4G T.. . . E :s'rREEf, BOWMANVILlE, . t.1C 3M ,..Jft3,.3319 F (9&5)62a.6506
, ,,~~ ~
REPORT NO.: ESO-OG7..Q4
PAGE 2
BACKGROUND AND COMMENT
The fIre departments in Durham Region have struggled for years on how to deal with parents of
children who want help because their child has been involved in fIre play.
In 1994 the TAPP-C program was launched to Durham Region Fire Departments and Mental
Health Agencies. At that time each department operated the program independently and relied
on their own staff to co-ordinate fire education and mental health assessment with the families of
youthful fIre setters.
This was a good fIrst step but we still encountered many inefficiencies. These were largely due
to the co-ordination between agencies and families.
In 1997 a TAPP-C Steering Committee was established. One of the objectives of this committee
was to look at ways we could centralize the requests to attend this program and then co-ordinate
the services in a timely manner. In 1999, the Durham Family Court Clinic agreed to provide this
service as a temporary measure until the Steering Committee could work out a more permanent
plan.
In 2002 the committee was able to secure $l2,500in donations to hire a co-ordinater for this
prowam.
In 2003 the Steering Committee was successful in their bid to secure a $25,000 grant from the
Ontario Trillium Foundation. This grant was used for co-ordination and fundraising for the
program.
The Taoo-C PrOlU"am
About 50% of all arson fIres are started by clrildrei1. Most of these children are motivated by
curiosity and their fascination with fire; and for others, fIre play or fIre setting can be a symptom
of other problems and can lead to tragic conseq\KlnCes. Children can start fIre setting at any age
and it is often a progressive behaviour. This means that without help and fire education, fIre play
can quickly progress into fire setting which could threaten the safety of the child and others.
The 1\Tson Prevention ProIl1"lllll. for Children
(TAPP-C) helps families deal with children who may be involved in fire play or fIre setting. The
aim of the TAPP-C Program is to reduce fIre involvel.1lent and to promote fIre safety among
children and youths aged 2 to 17 years.
TAPP-C is effective because it combines fire safety elhIcation with an assessment, which
provides a more comprehensive approach to the problem of fIre setting. The TAPP-C Program
brings together the fire department and counselling professionals who work closely together to
educate young fIre setters and their families about fire safety and to conduct an assessment
regarding the risk of continued fIre setting.
\. ~
REPORT NO.: ESD..oo7..o4
PAGE 3
Children involved with fIre are referred to the program by parents or caregivers, local fIre or
police departments, schools, mental health agencies, probation officers, crown attomeys, judges,
or any other concemed individuals or agencies. TAPP-C is the only program of its kind in
Ontario.
The Assessment
An assessment through a child and youth service is intended to determine why a child is involved
in fire setting and whether further support is required. The TAPP-C assessment evaluates a child
or youth's risk of further fire setting and the risk offutw"e injury or fatality. Recommendations
for risk reduction may then be made. Once assessed, children and their families may be referred
for appropriate supports.
When a referral to the T APP-C Program is lIIlIde, the parents are contacted to arrange for
individual interviews. All personal information gathered during this program is securely
maintained and cannot be disclosed to anyone without signed consent.
The Fire Det>artment
Local fire departments will provide professional fire safety education training for both the
parents and the child/youth. The fIre safety educatiQna1 component of the TAPP.C program
focuses on certain fire safety behaviours that include such things as reducing hazards in the home
and understanding the power of fire.
To start the program a Fire Safety Educator will visit the home. The Educator will work with the
child and family to complete a fire safety audit of the home. Once completed, recommendations
are made to make the home as fire safe as possible. Also, a fire safety plan is developed so that
the family will know what to do should a fire start.
Following the home visit, there are usually 3 to 4. forty-five minute sessions of instruction held
in the local fire station and are arranged to suit the family's timetable.
Once the child/youth has completed all the sessioDJl, he or she is presented with a certifIcate.
They are also required to sign a contract with the local Fire Department stating that they will not
be involved with fire play again. The child and family can contact the Educator at any time after
he or she has graduated and they are often encouraged to come by the fire hall for a visit.
The Role of th~ Co-Ordinator
Despite the support of many community partners, including local fIre departments and youth and
social service agencies, the program is only.cratching'the surface. When fully operational,
TAPP-C can effectively address community needs in Durham Region. It is anticipated that once
T APP-C becomes a fully co-ordinated service, there will be an increased number of community
and professional referrals.
REPORT NO.: ESD,,0o7..o4
PAGE 4
In the last three years at least 138 youth and theirfatllilies from across Durham Region were
directly assisted through TAPP-C. Of these 138 youth, 65% resided in Clarington, Oshawa and
Whitby. (See Attachment 1).
Co-or<lination is required as there are unnecessary delays in children and youth receiving service
due to the lack of disseminated information i:o professionals (doctors, school authorities, llU;.) and
the general public. It is acknowledged by front linewOIkers that many parents are not aware of
TAPP-C and try unsuccessfully to manage difficult situations seeking professional help only
after problettlS have further escalated.
In the past, the T APP-C Steering Committee was successful in receiving funding for the co-
ordinator for one year. The committee needs to ensure funding over the long term so that TAPP-
C can continue to benefIt from co-ordination. FlI1lding is requjred for a dedicated individual, a
T APP-C Project Co-ordinator, to regionally co-ordinate the program; specifIcally, the
development of a central in-take process with a dedicated telephone number to co-ordinate
between the clinical partners and the Durham Fire Services; to provide community and public
education and to establish a database to track child/youth fIre play and fire setting in Durham.
The co-ordinator's position is a part-time ~elve month contract. The co-ordinator will
ultimately ensure that T APP-C is successfully imple.ttlented as a system model allowing children
andyouth with fIre play and fIre setting behaviou:rtoreceive timely and appropriate professional
service to address their problem behaviours.
In the near future, it is anticipated that children anda40lescents who come to the attention of
authorities due to their involvement with fire play Ol'nre setting will be refened to T APP-C
through a central intake system to determine the apptQpriate action. A central intake process will
ensure that careful evaluation is made when conducting an assessment to estimate a child's risk
of future fIre involvement. The central intake process.w:ill ensure that the appropriate
assessments and referrals are made, that there is tr.g of a client as he/she moves within the
region and that important arson behaviour data in Dll1bam is collected.
SUMMARY
Based upon the efficacy of this specifIc intervention and the obvious community benefIt, the
DurluItn T APP-c program has diligently wOIkedto co-ordinate the eight (8) Fire Services and
eight (8) community based children's mentallsocialservice organizations.
This has proven to be extremely challenging and l.abcIur intensive and was only fully
operationalized over the last year as a result of a Trillium Grant from the Province of Ontario.
Unfortunately, this money was only available On a one (1) time basis, and as such the T APP-C
program faces the possible loss of its co-ordinator ~on unless permanent funding in the sum
of $18,000 anliually is available. .
REPORT NO.: E$D.007..Q4
PAGE 5
In 2004, the Ste mng Committee is looking:1it WayBw,secure more permanent fup(Jing for this
position. Since this is a fire department propun tlJllt is supported by mental health agencies at
no cost. all municipalities in Durham are being ~to COASider providing financial SllpJlOtt for
a TAPP-C co-ordinator. .
The estimated cost for this position is abom SlS.OOOto $18.000 per'year.
Clarington has benefited by the use of the TAPP..C PI9gram 18 times ov<<lhe past three years.
(See Attachment 1).
. The TAPP..C Steering Committee is seekin$ i.,.~ial support from the Municipality of
Clarington in the lUUOUD.t of $2,374.36. (See A~ 2).
This monetary request only represents a fraction offhe.tnle financial cost of running the program
as the various social service agencies do not c!,lIlp4tlr their service.
Should the TAPP-C plQgram be uusuccessfulin ijs Il'iq!lCSt for funding a co-ordinator position,
the loss of this service will seriously undernlliae dte~ty of this initiative to deliver a truly
multidisciplinary service to the children and f_~ of this region.
More specifIeally, the capacity to provide a ~trlllimpoint of intake, referrals to the
appropriate Fire Service and mental health ~genci_.~g of partieipants, problem solving
of service issues, the provision of training for fire ~e1 and social aer\'iee staff, u well as
the planned expansion of the program will aU ~ ~ps1y undermined.
Aftar,:hments:
Attachment #1 .. T APP-C Proposal
Attachment #2 - Traddng ofTAPP..C Qa8ea'ftRi'e Departments.
"
ATTACHMENT 1/1
TAPP - C PROPOSAL
CITY I TOWN POPULATION MUL TIPL YING T APP - C
FACTOR COMMITMENT
Ajax 78000 $0.034 $2652
Brock 12500 $0.034 $425
Clarington 69834 $0.034 $2374.36
Oshawa 147000 $0.034 $4998
Pickering 92000 $0.034 $3128
Scugog 20000 $0.034 $680
Uxbridge 17380 $0.034 $590.92
Whitby 100000 $0.034 $3400
TOTALS 536714 $18248.28
ATTACHMENT 112
.^
Tracking of T APP-C Cases in Fire Departments:
Fire Department: 2001 2002 2003 Total per Department:
Uxbridge 1 1
Brock 2 2
Scugog 4 3 3 10
Ajax 4 2 6 12
Clarington 6 5 7 18
Pickering 2 9 12 23
Whitby 9 9 8 26
Oshawa 12 17 17 46
TOTAL 37 48 53 138
Annual Cases Per Fire Department
60 ~~F
50
14
:3 40 "' W
"
"'
"' '"
'" 30 u
u "0
"0
.. 20 ..
10
0 O+-
2001 2002 2003
Year
IilIUxbridge IIIBrock DScugog IilIAjax IIIClarington llIPickering IIIWhitby DOshawa IIITOTAl
% of Cases Per Fire Department
Oshawa
33%
Whitby
19%
Uxbridge
r 1%
Brock
1%
Scugog
7%
Clarington
13%