MILITARY FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAM GOVERNANCE

1
MILITARY FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMGOVERNANCE
Canadian Forces Family Services Summit II
24 January 2009
2
Mission

• Strengthen the Governance of
• Military Family Resource Centres

3
System Governance
4
Review

• Consultations with Environmental Chiefs of Staff,
  Base/Wing Commanders, and MFRC Board Chairs and
  Executive Directors
• Review of DMFS audit results, Formal Site Visit
  Reports, MFSP Participant Surveys
• Review of industry standards related to
  governance of not for profit organizations
• Review of consultation held at CF Family Services
  Summit I (May 2008)
• Ongoing web-based dialogue

5
Situation

• Each MFRC is a provincially incorporated
  not-for-profit organization governed by a
  community-elected, volunteer Board of Directors
  (BoD)
• By mandate, each MFRC BoD is comprised of a
  majority representation of civilian spouses of CF
  members
• The rationale for the current governance
  construct was introduced to address documented
  barriers in CF family support

6
What the Consultations Told Us

• Significant Support for Current Arrangement
• Governance model affords agility, responsiveness
  greater flexibility to respond to local
  requirements
• Provides legitimate opportunity for engagement
  and voice of CF families
• Greater capacity to advocate/ lobby to meet the
  emerging needs of families
• Increases confidence in confidentiality of
  services received
• MFRCs ready and willing to be held to greater
  account

7
What the Consultations Told Us

• Not Everyone is Happy
• 3rd Party Service Delivery is an abrogation of CF
  leadership responsibility MFRCs not accountable
  to anyone
• Not Responsive to Chain of Command or operational
  requirements
• Lack of Central Authority MFRC Flexibility
  Inconsistent Level of Services
• No Protocol for Criticism of Central Policy
• Boards of Directors lack the sophistication/
  skills to manage complex issues
• CF families should not have to lead and shape
  their own services (or fundraise to resource
  them) they should be provided by professionals

8
What the Consultations Told Us

• Challenges
• Constant turn-over of Boards, Base/Wing
  Commanders results in erosion of capacity/
  knowledge/ skills
• Difficulty in engaging Board members to meet
  mandated composition
• Lack of resources Fund Raising for Services,
  Insufficient Resources for Employee Compensation
• DMFS has not fully exercised its authority to
  hold non-compliant/non-performing MFRCs to
  account
• Lack of awareness of current accountability
  framework, lack of understanding of non-profit
  governance model

9
Critical Facts

• Current arrangement assessed twice by Chief
  Review Services since inception of MFSP
• Current arrangement approved by Treasury Board
• IAW the TB approved Memoranda of Understanding
  the leadership, management and control of the
  MFSP is within CF Chain of Command
• CMP retains authority for the MFSP on behalf of
  the Minister, and is accountable to the CDS for
  the achievement of its aims.
• Collaboration with and responsiveness to the
  local BComd/WComd is included.
• CMP has authority to effect corrective action
  including, but not limited to, withholding funds.
  

10
DMFS Assessment

• MFRC Staff Pay, Pension, Benefits ? Governance
  Model
• Requirement to Fund Raise ? Governance Model
• Achievement of MFSP objectives for families is
  currently high amongst MFRC participants
• Current MFSP Accountability Framework meets or
  exceeds provincial/ federal/ best practice
  standards
• Individual MFRCs currently meet or exceed MFSP
  Accountability Standards

11
Current MFSP Accountability Framework
12
CF FAMILY SUPPORT TEAM
Chain of Command for Mandated Policy, Program and
Central Funding
13
Proposed Way Ahead

• Strengthen existing Military Family Resource
  Centre governance model
• Maintain current MFRC governance arrangement
• Enhance MFRC accountability and effectiveness

14
Enhanced Governance Framework
15
Enhanced Governance Framework
16
Desired Effects and Strategies
17
Desired Effects and Strategies
18
Desired Effects and Strategies
19
Desired Effects and Strategies
20
Desired Effects and Strategies
21
Discussion