The B.C. government has boosted services to the developmentally disabled in more than half the cases in which a senior team has completed reviews, according to figures released Monday.

The cross-ministry team, which was set up to deal with growing criticism of Community Living B.C., has completed reviews of 21 cases. In 13 of those, the level of service was increased, while in eight, it remained the same. A further 42 cases are still under review.

Social Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux said the figures confirm that some things have gone wrong, but that the number of problems "is not maybe as large as some would like us to believe it is."

"I think it's good that we're seeing some results from them coming forward and getting some solutions for people that are needing some support that isn't there," she said.

But NDP critic Nicholas Simons said the fact that more than half the completed reviews have resulted in increased service points to a much larger problem. He also noted that many people would be reluctant to complain to the same officials that provide their service, while others would have no family or advocates to press their case.

"This reaffirms in my mind the need for an external review," he said.

B.C.'s representative for children and youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond recently criticized the client support team for suggesting a that a 19-year-old man contact the team from jail to get his case reviewed. Turpel-Lafond said the man is severely developmentally disabled, has no advocate and is unable to make such a call.

In other cases, family members have complained that the client support team simply adds another layer of bureaucracy and delays getting their problems fixed.

Shelley McGarry of Quesnel said the team has done nothing to assist her ongoing efforts to secure proper care for her 18yearold daughter Chelsea. The team took on her case after it was reported in the Times Colonist last month, but Shelley McGarry said she's been getting the same runaround.

Cadieux acknowledged that the client support team does, in some cases, result in extra bureaucracy in the short term. "But the reality was they weren't getting what they needed from CLBC directly and we felt we needed to put some folks in there that could address those issues right now," she said.

The team includes staff with experience working with individuals and families, Cadieux's ministry as well as the children's, health and education ministries when required.

The reviews are handled first at a regional level and then moves up the ladder to more senior officials, if no solution is found. In rare cases, it will go to an executive client support team, the government said.

The team can be reached by telephone at 18776602522 or by email at info@ communitylivingbc.ca.