Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Needs Reform


Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Needs Reform!
	Income Support for People with Disabilities WHAT IS ODSP? Financial assistance for persons with physical, intellectual and/or mental health disabilities. WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH ODSP? 1. Benefits are grossly inadequate causing poverty People cannot afford their most basic needs of rent, utilities, food, transportation, clothing and medical expenses. Rates have been frozen for 10 years during a time when the cost of living has soared by 18%. Benefits for a single person with a disability ($930/mo) and families with children are little more than about ½ of the poverty line. 2. Denial of access to disability benefits Thousands of deserving people with disabilities are denied access to assistance. Only about 35% of people who start the application process succeed in getting assistance. Application process is too complicated and lacks accommoda tions for special needs e.g. visual/hearing impairments, literacy, itellectual problems. No personal assistance available to complete application and to navigate system - system by it's design, denies access. 3. Barriers to employment and rehabilitation Earnings cap for a single ODSP recipient of $160/mo fails miserably to close the poverty gap Employment rules, earnings cap and harsh penalties impose undue hardship and barriers to work and rehabilitation. Therefore unemployment rate for people with disabilities is unacceptably high. 4. Inadequate/poor quality client services People are unable to receive help from individual caseworkers - bounced from one worker to the next. Local ODSP offices are not designed to be responsive to per sons with disabilities and fails to meet their unique needs. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? Raise the ODSP income support rates. Simplify the application and adjudication process: provide help to guide applicants through it. Enhance the approach to work with higher earnings exemptions, better reinstatement rules and avoidance of work related overpayments. Restructure local offices so clients receive better service. Bring back individual workers. Source: Peterborough ODSP Action Coalition Relevant Links NOTE: External links open in a new browser window Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) - Fact Sheet http://dawn.thot.net/odsp5.html Access to ODSP Campaign - Ontario Disability Support Program Summary of Forum Reports http://dawn.thot.net/odsp.html Denial by Design - Ontario Disability Support Program © Income Security Advocacy Centre 2003 http://dawn.thot.net/denial_by_design.html Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) Committee http://www.odacommittee.net Inquest into the Death of Kimberly Rogers http://dawn.thot.net/Kimberly_Rogers/kria.html Recommendations of the Rogers Inquest Jury http://dawn.thot.net/Kimberly_Rogers/kria118.html Ontario Election 2003 Information & Resources http://dawn.thot.net/ontarioelection2003.html
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