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As a follow up to the email I sent earlier in February, I am pleased to share with you some important updates regarding the transition of the Gladue program from Legal Aid BC to the BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC).
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The Gladue Services Department (GSD) team at BCFNJC is working to finalize the Gladue Information Management System (GIMS), which is a centralized system we have designed to manage the Gladue Report ordering and writing process. We are currently on track to have the system built, tested and ready to accept reports for April 1.
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GIMS has been built to follow the First Nations principles of OCAP®. These principles ensure that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be stored, interpreted, used, and shared. The Gladue Services Department is client consent focused, in that all information collected about clients requires their consent to be gathered, shared, and used in any form.
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GIMS has been designed with bank-level security and encryption, and is read-only for all file disclosures, meaning all information is available to be viewed but not saved or shared, including Reports to Crown Counsel, CPIC, and Justin Accused History Reports.
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GIMS was designed to make it easier for users who are requesting a Gladue Report to upload disclosure directly with the intake form using a secure file transfer system. The secure file transfer system includes read-only functions so the disclosure does not leave GIMS.
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To ensure the integrity of the system with respect to user identities and permissions, requests for role-based access, as well as subsequent report requests from Defense or Crown, will be reviewed and approved by GSD staff working closely with our partners at the BC Prosecution Service, the Provincial Court, and other appropriate actors, as may be established in operational agreements and information-sharing agreements soon to come. Once a user has been approved, they will be able to request a report at www.bcfnjc.com/gladue-reports/.
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The system will also include an external access module with a portal for submission of Gladue product requests and transmission of secure materials, including disclosure, which will improve overall information security, while allowing flexibility as the options for a Gladue approach grows in BC.
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GIMS also contains a separate module for the GSD to manage a Gladue Resource Database which will serve as a resource for writers and will contain open-source, non-personal information, research, and templates.
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Finally, GIMS and the BCFNJC Gladue Report program represent a significant reduction in the administrative burden on Counsel and Gladue Writers. GSD staff will manage the signing of consent forms and the submission of disclosure, along with the processing of payments, transferring the responsibility of paying Gladue Report writers from lawyers to the BCFNJC.
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Within the next two weeks, you can expect another email that will explain the process for report ordering, highlighting the changes from the existing process. However, in the interim, please don’t hesitate to connect with me if you have any questions or would like more information.
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Thank you,
Mitch Walker
Director, Gladue Services
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