Low income families on the Island in need of support will have the assistance of a new cross ministry team which aims to cut down on bureaucracy and the cost to the taxpayer, said Health Minister Patrice Minors on Friday.

The new programme called CMIT, which is being run as a pilot programme, has been set up by the Ministry of Health and Family Services to provide a support service to help families who may be exhibiting risk behaviours.

The goal of the programme is to develop a family's ability to support themselves independently and to prevent behaviour which could lead to eviction as well as assistance to people who may have long standing arrears.

It also helps to provide families with one person to manage their case rather than different supervisors from different departments, said Mrs. Minors.

The team of public servants will work to help families better manage their money with budget counselling classes, a parenting programme, and a life skills programme

"In order to remain in the programme it is mandatory that each family participate in all agreed programmes as outlined in their case plan," said Mrs. Minors. "The team will provide more effective case management and will ensure that no family is receiving duplication in services or resources. The benefit to this initiative is that every family that is referred to the team has the potential to become self-reliant and independent of any Government assistance programme."

The team to help families involves the Department of Financial Assistance, Child and Family Services, Court Services from the Ministry of Health and Family Services, and the Bermuda Housing Corporation, from the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

Mrs. Minors said during a recent review of the families involved with the helping service, it was identified that over 100 were involved with two or more of the helping agencies or departments and these families were using a substantial portion of the resources of each service. In some cases, as a result of approaching each agency in isolation, a duplication has occurred she said.

All assessments conducted by agencies will now be reviewed by one team with one plan established in conjunction with the family.

Families are required to participate in all agreed programmes, as outlined by their case plan, and in order to allow them to complete the programme Mrs. Minors said the Ministry of Health will provide for their rent and basic needs during this period. "This will make certain that no family involved with this programme will face eviction as a result of full participation. Please note, this is not a joy ride or a be all end all for any family, they must, be actively involved in the programme to receive benefits of it," said Mrs. Minors.

Families who believe they no longer need services as agreed in the case plan, will be asked to leave the programme, vacate the rental unit, and in doing so, take responsibility for outstanding arrears they have with the BHC, she added. Mrs. Minors also told MPs that the social agenda was designed to offer assistance to those in need, but it did not replace the responsibility of people and make them dependent on Government.

The programme has been operating as a pilot programme for several months, said Mrs. Minors, who told the House the results were "exciting". "We must continue to express that it can only be successful if the families in need of it are motivated and take full advantage of the programme to promote their self-sufficiency," she said.