New Ministry Special Diet Bulletin - April 2006

The Ministry has issued two new bulletins and an instruction sheet for physicians and health professionals clarifying that in situations where recipients have been granted a special diet allowance to help them reach a healthy body weight, the allowance should be continued to help them maintain their weight.

The bulletins apply to those with HIV or AIDS; Crohn's disease or Ulcerative colitis; Cystic fibrosis; Malignancy, Marasmus or Kwashiorkor or Anorexia; Ostomies; Pancreatic insufficiency; Short bowel syndrome; and Extreme obesity.

The instruction sheet for physicians and health professionals will be included as part of the special diet package mailed or given to recipients who are being reviewed or who have requested the special diet forms. Recipients with any of the above weight-related conditions who feel they would be entitled to a higher amount under these latest clarifications can request new special diet forms.

According to the latest bulletin, recipients who receive the Special Diet Allowance for any of the weight-related conditions listed above will not have to undergo any future reviews.

To read the bulletins and the Instruction sheet for Physicians and Health Professionals: http://www.odspaction.ca/special_diet.htm#apply

Special Diet Allowance Resource Materials

• The ODSP Action Coalition
  http://www.odspaction.ca/special_diet.htm
  
  
• Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) Pamphlets
  Information is available in pamphlets such as "Need Welfare? How to Apply to Ontario Works for Assistance"; "Ontario Works and Having a Job"; "Under 18 and on your own - How to get Social Assistance"; and "Disability Benefits in Ontario. Who can get them. How to Apply." Some of these pamphlets are available online at: www.cleo.on.ca. Others can be ordered through CLEO. They are also available at many community legal clinics.
  
  
• Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) Special Diet Allowance Action Kit
  The kit is designed to assist medical practitioners and their patients to speak out against changes to the Special Diet Allowance. It contains helpful letter templates, telephone scripts and background information on the links between ill-health and poverty. The full kit is available on the ODSP Action Coalition's website at: http://www.odspaction.ca/special_diet.htm (in the "What you can do to fight back" section).
  
  Source: Dana Milne, ISAC
  
  

Changes to the Special Diet Supplement
http://dawn.thot.net/special_diet_supplement.html

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