INCOME MAINTENANCE: INCOME MAINTENANCE: A MODEL FOR TRANSITIONA MODEL FOR TRANSITION

March 5, 2013

Bev Clarke, Executive Director647 Ouellette Avenue, Suite 101Windsor, Ontario N9A 4J4(519) 252-7889

bclarke@ldawe.cabclarke@ldawe.ca

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AGENDAAGENDA

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5-Year Contacts 5-Year Contacts TrendTrend

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5-YEAR SERVICES REQUESTED 5-YEAR SERVICES REQUESTED TRENDTREND

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5-Year Client Age 5-Year Client Age TrendTrend

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Services Requested Services Requested 2011/20122011/2012

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PROGRAMS & PROGRAMS & SERVICESSERVICES

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ONTARIO WORKS ONTARIO WORKS REFERRALS – WHO ARE REFERRALS – WHO ARE THEY? THEY?

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ONTARIO WORKS ONTARIO WORKS REFERRALS TO THE LDAREFERRALS TO THE LDA

Adults referred by Ontario Works are usually:

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IN ADDITION TO COGNITIVE IN ADDITION TO COGNITIVE DEFICITS…DEFICITS…Ontario Works clients also present with other barriers such as: addictions mental illnessphysical health problems inadequate life and/or social skills incomplete or inadequate education involvement with child protection serviceslanguage barriers and immigration issuesinsufficient work experiencedomestic violencecriminal recordchildren with disabilities…

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DIAGNOSIS TYPESDIAGNOSIS TYPES

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SOCIAL BARRIERSSOCIAL BARRIERS

ONTARIO WORKS REQUIREMENTS: ONTARIO WORKS REQUIREMENTS: CHALLENGES FOR PERSONS WITH CHALLENGES FOR PERSONS WITH COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND COMMUNICATION DISORDERSCOMMUNICATION DISORDERS

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ONTARIO WORKS REQUIREMENTS: ONTARIO WORKS REQUIREMENTS: NON COMPLIANCENON COMPLIANCE

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WHY TRANSFER TO WHY TRANSFER TO ONTARIO DISABILITY ONTARIO DISABILITY SUPPORT PROGRAM?SUPPORT PROGRAM?

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BENEFITS OF TRANSFERRING BENEFITS OF TRANSFERRING FROM ONTARIO WORKS TO FROM ONTARIO WORKS TO ONTARIO DISABILITY SUPPORT ONTARIO DISABILITY SUPPORT PROGRAMPROGRAM

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE!IT TAKES A VILLAGE!

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The process requires a community partners to be successful…

STEP 1STEP 1

Clients participate in an intake interview to determine where existing documentation can be accessed (e.g. school boards, hospitals, treatment facilities, police departments, Children’s Aid Society, corrections)

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STEP 2STEP 2

Documents requested are reviewed, if there is sufficient information, the client is assisted with an application for Ontario Disability Support Program

If there is no or insufficient documentation, the client is added to the waiting list for a psychological assessment.

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STEP 3STEP 3

When sufficient documentation is received, the client is assisted with an application for Ontario Disability Support Program or assisted with developing an achievable Participation Agreement.

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SOUNDS SIMPLE???SOUNDS SIMPLE???

Issues associated with the process…The participating clients are non compliant by nature. The application must demonstrate long term severe disability. How is severe disability determined? The older the client, the more likely it is that agencies have purged supporting documents

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Windsor is the only municipality with a contract with the Learning Disabilities Association to provide client intervention services and psychological assessments.

The waiting list for psychological assessments is always growing!

Training staff to have an understanding of legislation, systems, and psychological and medical documents is challenging… and takes time.

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PARTNERSPARTNERSCity of Windsor – funding and referrals

The University of Windsor – recommending psychology students for positions related to the project and providing affordable psychological assessments

Community Agencies – provide access to documentation without fee (e.g. Greater Essex County District School Board, Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board, Canadian Mental Health Association, Children’s Mental Health Treatment Facilities, Local Hospitals)

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QUESTIONS TO BE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWEREDANSWERED

What are the long term outcomes of stabilizing income?

Is the process both practical and therapeutic?

What are the long term cost savings?

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Questions???Questions???

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