What is the Ontario Disability Support Program?

 

Program -Overview

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The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) provides income support and employment supports to enable people with disabilities and their families to live as independently as possible in their communities. ODSP is designed to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities while recognizing that many can work and want to work.

 

Eligibility

 

Everyone has a right to apply to ODSP. Eligibility for ODSP is based on an applicant's individual circumstances, including his or her financial situation and disability status.

 

To be eligible for ODSP an applicant must:

• be a resident of Ontario

• be 18 years of age or older

• be in financial need; and

• have assets no greater than the limits set out in the program.

 

The ministry takes into account a variety of factors related to an applicant's circumstances, including assets and income from all sources, family size and make up, and type of accommodation.

 

Financial Eligibility

 

Applicants or recipients must demonstrate reasonable efforts to obtain available income, including child and/or spousal support

 

A person is ineligible for ODSP Income Support when their income from other sources exceeds the amount they would otherwise receive from ODSP, after all exemptions and deductions have been taken into consideration.

 

The allowable asset limits are as follows:

• $40,000 for a single recipient

• $50,000 for a couple

• $500 for each dependant (other than a spouse)

 

(With prior approval, the allowable asset limit may be increased to permit the purchase of an item that is necessary for the health of a member of the benefit unit, or for disability related items or services)

 

Definition of Disability

 

To receive ODSP Income Support, a person must be financially eligible and meet the definition of disability in the ODSP Act: www.mcss.gov.on.ca

 

(a) the person has a substantial physical or mental impairment that is continuous or recurrent and expected to last one year or more,

 

(b) the direct and cumulative effect of the impairment on the person's ability to attend to his or her personal care, function in the community and function in a workplace, results in a substantial restriction in one or more of these activities of daily living; and,

 

(c) the impairment and its likely duration and the restriction in the person's activities of daily living have been verified by a person with the prescribed qualifications (a medical doctor or other specified health professional).

 

The ministry's Disability Adjudication Unit is responsible for reviewing the medical information provided by an approved health professional and determining whether the applicant meets the definition of a person with a disability as outlined under the ODSP Act, If a person's condition is expected to improve, a medical review date is set. Others may qualify for the program as members of a "prescribed class" if they are financially eligible. Members of a "prescribed class" do not require medical adjudication.

 

The Disability Adjudication Unit (DAU) is responsible for determining whether an applicant is a person with a disability. Where an applicant is determined to be financially eligible the local office provides a referral to the DAU (unless the applicant is a member of a prescribed class*), and the applicant is given a Disability Determination Package (DDP), to have an approved health professional complete and return to the DAU. If the applicant is receiving Ontario Works and wishes to apply for ODSP Income Support, the Ontario Works office makes a referral to the DAU. The applicant is provided with a DDP to have an approved health professional complete and return to the DAU. The DDP consists of:

• Health Status Report and Activities of Daily Living Index

• Self-Report Form

• General Consent to the Release of Medical and Related

• Information to the Disability Adjudication Unit

• An Instruction Sheet

 

The role of the DAU is to determine whether an applicant is a person with a disability under the ODSP Act using the information provided in the DDP, and any supporting medical

documentation submitted. Once the DDP has been received by the DAU, a determination

is made within 90 days. If the person is determined to be a person with a disability under the ODSP Act: An applicant who applied directly to an ODSP office is granted Income Support after the local ODSP office re-confirms financial eligibility.

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•    Where the person is receiving Ontario Works, the applicant is granted Income Support based on a review of the financial information in the electronic file provided by the Ontario Works Administrator.

 

Cases referred from Ontario Works to ODSP are prioritized for a full financial eligibility review within 12 months of the last full Consolidated Verification Process (CVP) review, or the date

that Ontario Works eligibility was determined, whichever is later.

 

If determined to be not eligible for ODSP Income Support, the applicant may request an Internal Review Applicants have thirty days from receipt of the decision to request an internal review.

 

Requests for an Internal Review regarding: A financial decision must be made in writing and sent to the local ODSP office. A disability-related decision must be made in writing and submitted to the DAU. If the applicant does not agree with the results of the Internal Review,

they may file an appeal with the Social Benefits Tribunal (SBT). During the appeals process, applicants may request interim assistance from the SBT. If the appellant loses an appeal to the SBT, the amount of interim assistance that exceeds the amount the recipient would have been

eligible to receive may have to be repaid-

 

Applicants who appeal a financial eligibility decision are issued an OOP. This enables the applicant to proceed with their disability determination process while appealing their financial eligibility ODSP employment supports clients may ask to have a decision related to eligibility, or the suspension or cancellation of services, reviewed by an independent Dispute Resolution Committee. ODSP employment supports clients may ask to have a decision related to eligibility, or the suspension or cancellation of services, reviewed by an independent Dispute Resolution Committee

 

ODSP Rates

 

Eligible recipients receive monthly cheques/electronic bank deposits to cover basic living expenses. Monthly income assistance benefit: (effective September 1 2017)

Single Person

Basic Needs                                          $662

Shelter Allowance                               $489

 

Single Person living at home

Board and Lodge                                 $821

 

         Couple; both with a disability           

Basic Needs                                        $1,318

Shelter Allowance                               $768

Couples may receive an additional shelter allowance of $70, but the maximum support may not exceed $1,950

 

The ODSP monthly income support includes:

Basic Needs - This component is intended to assist with the cost of food, clothing and other necessary personal items for the recipient, and a spouse and any dependent adults, if applicable

Supplements are included in the basic rate for dependants aged 13-17 and sole-support parents with dependants under the age of 18. Eligible recipients may also receive the Ontario Child Benefit and/or Transition Child Benefit for their children.

 

Shelter Allowance- This component assists with the actual cost of heat, utilities, mortgage or rent, property taxes, home insurance premiums and condominium fees, up to the maximum amount based on family size, which includes dependent children

 

Costs related to a person's disability: Recipients may qualify for a Special Diet Allowance, Guide Dog Allowance or a Mandatory Special Necessities Benefit.

 

ODSP benefits may be increased.

Adults living with their parent(s) receiving the “Board and Lodge” monthly income assistance benefit may qualify to increase in their monthly benefit. To learn more about how to increase their monthly income assistance benefit contact….Lifetrust@rogers.com

 

Health Benefits

Eligible individuals of an ODSP benefit unit can receive supplemental health care benefits such as drug coverage, coverage for basic dental services, and assistance with the costs of vision care hearing aids, medical transportation, diabetic supplies, assistive devices and mobility device repairs and batteries

 

Ontario Child Benefit, in the 2007 provincial Budget, the government announced a provincially funded, non-taxable Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) for low-income families with children under 18 years of age.

 

Eligibility is based on family income, so low-income parents need to file annual income taxes whether they are working or not. Each child must be registered for the Canada Child Tax Benefit for their family to become eligible for the OCB

 

Transition Child Benefit, A Transition Child Benefit (TCB) may also be provided to eligible families on social assistance who are not receiving the OCB or who are receiving less than the maximum amount of the OCB. Eligible recipients may receive the TCB while waiting for OCB payments to start. When their monthly Ontario Child Benefit payments start, they may receive a lump-sum Ontario Child Benefit/NCBS payment that covers the months they waited. Since the Transition Child Benefit was already paid for the same period, the next social assistance payment is reduced to avoid a duplication of benefits.

 

Liquid Asset limit

Assets are taken into consideration when assessing financial eligibility. As noted, the prescribed asset limits is $40,000 for a single recipient and $50,000for a couple and $500 for each dependant other than a spouse. Liquid assets include, but are not limited to: Cash; bank accounts; Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), if funds are accessible, bonds, investments; other assets which can be readily converted to cash (e.g.: stamp collection, coins, jewellery etc.)

 

Certain assets are exempt when assessing financial eligibility. These include: Principal residence; primary vehicle; RRSPs where funds are locked in; Registered Educational Savings Plans (RESPs); Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs); prepaid funerals; tools of the trade for those who are self-employed or require them for employment; some trust funds

 

With approval, the allowable asset limit for a benefit unit may be increased to permit the purchase of an item that is necessary for the health of a family member or for disability

related items or services.

 

Assets in access of the asset limit can be exempted!

To exempt up to $100,000 from the liquid asset limit contact us: