Planned Parenthood fears Saskatchewan budget cuts, opposition calls for clarity

Saskatchewan's community-based organizations that provide health care services in the province are in limbo, waiting to find out which of them will be facing budget cuts.

The provincial government has instructed health regions to cut their spending on CBOs by 10 per cent overall, which adds up to about $1.5 million.

Instead of cutting costs across the board, cuts will be done specifically, meaning some groups could have funding eliminated while others won't be cut at all.

• Health regions to cut money for community-based groups by 10%

Health regions must tell the minister by the end of June what they want to cut, leaving those in charge of CBOs fearing the worst.

Shelley Svedahl, executive director of Planned Parenthood Regina, said budget cuts would likely mean a reduction in services, like providing contraceptives such as IUDs.

"I suspect that if there is an unplanned pregnancy that the cost to the health care system would be extremely high, compared to just having access to contraceptives," said Svedahl.

'They feel pretty helpless'

Svedahl said the medical professionals who work at Planned Parenthood are already worrying about the cuts they may face this summer.

"They feel pretty helpless because they know how important the services are that we provide and they are really afraid that if we cut those services that some of those people who rely on us as a lifeline will be without service," she said.

On Tuesday, Opposition health critic Danielle Chartier asked for clarity on behalf of the CBOs.

She said cutting funding for community-based groups such as Planned Parenthood, and the Lighthouse Supported Living in Saskatoon, means higher costs in the long run.

"The Lighthouse loses some of its funding...what ends up happening? People get turned away. They show up at the ER, Saint Paul's Hospital or jail cells," she said.

"You might save some money, apparently a small amount on the front end, but then you end up costing [the Health ministry] further money or [the Justice ministry] further money just down the road."

The Saskatchewan Health Ministry has pledged $150,673 to Planned Parenthood for the 2017-18 fiscal year as well as for the next two years after that.

The Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region has been asked to cut costs on CBOs. The Region usually provides $184,726 per year, or about 29 per cent of Planned Parenthood's budget, and has asked Planned Parenthood what it needs most in terms of funding.

"When we receive news that we need to go back and revisit our budget because Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region is reviewing theirs, we are alarmed," Svedahl said.

"We have hired nurses, we've hired physicians to provide the care and the services that are needed.

"If that funding doesn't come through, and we find out in August, we are going to have a pretty tough time maintaining services and also paying for those services that we've already incurred."

Chartier said this is a poor position for both the CBOs and the regions to be in.

"The government isn't providing proper resources to health regions in the first place so health regions are cutting where they have to, to provide services we expect when we go to the emergency room," said Chartier.

"We need to ensure that all available resources are directed into the most effective...kinds of care."

Minister says decisions to be made quickly

Health Minister Jim Reiter has accused Chartier of fear mongering.

He says the government won't just leave it up to the regions, but are asking them to do the leg work in making recommendations on where they could cut costs on CBOs.

"The ministry will still look at it," Reiter said. "Obviously we'll take their suggestions very seriously but we'll still make the final call."

The cuts will be retroactive to the current fiscal year, meaning some organizations could be facing large implications.

"We recognize it's difficult for them right now. The unknown is always difficult," said Reiter.

"That's why it's we're trying to move this along as quickly as we can so people do know what the final decisions are.
As soon as the budgets are submitted we're going to want to make those decisions as quickly as we can."