Simplify ODSP process

Published on Fri May 29 2015

 

Re: Ontario rethinks complex disability reviews, May 17 

Ontario rethinks complex disability reviews, May 17

In her interview with Laurie Monsebraaten, Mary Marrone of the Income Security Advocacy Centre gives us pause when she describes the process of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) medical reviews as flawed, wasteful, and “careless with people’s lives.” 

As a physician and a member of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, being careless with people’s lives is the last thing Helena Jaczek, the Minister of Community and Social Services, would want.

That’s why Ontario’s registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students urge her to simplify the ODSP application process. Right now, it is so complicated that more than half of community legal clinic cases involve ODSP appeals. 

With more than half of these appeals being eventually approved by the Social Benefits Tribunal, this is not accountability but “denial by design.” We can and must be ever careful with the lives of every Ontarian, especially those most in danger due to health and disability challenges.

Doris Grinspun, CEO, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Toronto

Source: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2015/05/29/simplify-odsp-process.html

 

Holding on to disability benefits an unfair struggle

They say the character of a society is judged by how we treat the most vulnerable amongst us. Those who live with a disability, whether physical or mental, that restricts their ability to work to support themselves and their families fall squarely into this group. The purpose of the Ontario Disability Support Program is to provide income to these individuals so they can survive. It's not a lot of money, and the benefits are notoriously difficult to obtain, but it serves as a crucial lifeline for many people in this province.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/05/28/holding-on-to-disability-benefits-an-unfair-struggle.html

Ontario may need to spend more to fix faulty social assistance program

TORONTO -- Ontario's minister of community and social services can't say whether the government will have to shell out more money to fix a support payment system that has already cost the province an additional $29 million.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ontario-may-need-to-spend-more-to-fix-faulty-social-assistance-program-1.2353911

Liberal government ‘truly sorry’ for bungled welfare system rollout

Community and Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek has apologized and admitted that case workers weren’t properly trained on how to use the province’s new problem-riddled welfare caseload software.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5598726-liberal-government-truly-sorry-for-bungled-welfare-system-rollout/

People with disabilities deceived

The provincial system for disability assistance for those who require some assistance (either permanent or temporary) has many, many deceitful regulations. 

In 2009, the Wesley Urban Ministry group produced a study called "No Community Stands Alone" and one sad reality from that study is adults end up on assistance for a variety of reasons, including a sudden illness, car accident or work injury for which there is no coverage.

http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/5593153-people-with-disabilities-deceived/

"Put food in the Ontario budget" information picket

Ontario is a wealthy society — and Kathleen Wynne is imposing austerity on people who work for low wages and who receive social assistance, rather than raising revenue by making the wealthy pay their fair share.

http://nupge.ca/content/12232/put-food-ontario-budget-information-picket

Hard times on ODSP In Toronto

By: Joe Fiorito Columnist, Published on Thu Apr 23 2015

 

The Ontario Disability Support Program is designed to help those of us who are, for one reason or another, unable to earn a living. Last year there were 42,700 ODSP applications in Ontario.

More than half of these were denied.

On appeal — and it is a long, twisted, frustrating process — roughly a quarter of these initial denials end up being overturned.

I say roughly a quarter, but I am not taking into account all those people who, for one reason or another, simply give up in despair....

Source / more:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/23/hard-times-on-odsp-in-toronto-fiorito.html

 

Clinics bogged down by disability support applications

A deluge of disability appeal work rooted in flawed Ontario Disability Support Program application and medical review processes may eat up a big chunk of newly available funds for expanded legal aid services, according to legal clinics.

More/source:

http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201504064592/headline-news/tribunals

 

 

ACORN calls for a hike in disabled Ontarians' housing allowance

Members and volunteers of ACORN Ottawa gathered near the Human Rights Monument Wednesday to shine a light on problems with the Ontario Disability Support Program.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/03/18/acorn-calls-for-a-hike-in-disabled-ontarians-housing-allowance

Hundreds of ODSP workers rally across Ontario to protest SAMS breakdown

TORONTO, Feb.12, 2015 /CNW/ -

Hundreds of frontline workers with the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) rallied in towns and cities across the province today in a show of solidarity with recipients of the program whose social assistance payments have been compromised by a deeply flawed computer system.

"It's painfully obvious: SAMS has introduced chaos into Ontario's social assistance system placing an incredible amount of pressure on frontline staff and depriving social assistance recipients of essential income, employment and medical supports," Ontario Public Service Employees Union President Warren (Smokey) Thomas told a crowd of ODSP workers and supporters in downtown Toronto today. OPSEU represents more than 2,000 ODSP caseworkers and support staff in 30 communities across the province.

"For months prior to the launch of SAMS, OPSEU members were incredibly vocal about the shortcomings and deficiencies of the flawed software. You warned the government multiple times that SAMS was incapable of administering critical program functions and that the software was not ready to be implemented," said Thomas. "Unfortunately, those warnings were ignored."
The OPSEU president repeated his call that Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne should fire Helena Jaczek, minister of community and social services, for her failure to heed the warnings of ministry staff that launching SAMS last autumn was premature and that the system contained flaws that required correcting.
The rallies coincided with the union's application today to seek a Court order to suspend the SAMS program from use until it can provide reliable, timely and accurate benefits to those in need. OPSEU was joined in its application by community groups and affected recipients.

Thomas said OPSEU has no intention of letting up pressure on the government to thoroughly examine the troubled computer system and what steps must be taken to fix the problems.

And he paid tribute to the tireless work of those OPSEU members who ensure that ODSP and Ontario Work recipients are treated with the dignity to which they are entitled.

"You carry the weight of your client's hardships," he said. "You put in the time and energy to try and resolve problems created by SAMS. You work to ensure vulnerable people are not forced to go without."

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
For further information: Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931



Source: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1486465/hundreds-of-odsp-workers-rally-across-ontario-to-protest-sams-breakdown