What is the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)?
Sometimes called simply “disability support,” the ODSP is a government-funded program in Ontario for anyone who is older than 18 and has a disability. The entire program is funded by public money and comes under the auspices of MCSS, the Ministry of Community and Social Services. Your options can be confusing. Here we have Ontario disability benefits exlained.
The legislation that created the program, the “ODSP Act of 1997,” defines all the pertinent terms of the program. The key points to remember are:
- The disability must be “recurrent” or continuous in nature
- The disability, according to a medical professional, can be expected to last more than 12 months
- The disability has been attested to by a valid health professional
- The disability causes the person to be unable to work, take part in community life, or take care of themselves
Sometimes, people who receive ODSP benefits wish to work. If that’s the case, there is a no-cost referral to employment counseling. The goal of ODSP is to replace lost income. The person’s disability must be the primary reason that they are no longer able to work or support themselves financially.
Who Receives Benefits Under the Act?
Unlike many other social service programs that pay monetary benefits to recipients, the ODSP pays to groups of recipients, not just individuals. The act speaks of “benefit units,” which is a legalese way of saying that monetary benefits go to those who are disabled and to those who rely on the disabled person in some way.
Disability Benefits Explained: Eligibility
Regardless of who receives the benefits, groups or individuals, it is the disabled person who must apply for entry into the ODSP program. Based only on the applicant’s eligibility, the government will approve or reject an application.
There are four criteria you must meet to get into the program.
Every applicant must:
- Have a disability as defined by the program
- Have financial need
- Currently, be a resident of Ontario
- Already have celebrated their 18th birthday
Financial Need:
Note that the disability can be either physical or behavioral/mental and must be severe enough that it impedes your ability to work. The program administrators have various tests to determine financial need. If they determine that an applicant’s income or assets are too high to justify inclusion in ODSP, then the application will be rejected.
It’s important to note that all forms of income will be considered to determine eligibility in this part of the application. The financial need criteria can be complicated and often lead prospective applicants to seek legal help with the process of applying for ODSP. Prospective applicants who want disability benefits explained in Ontario often turn to an experienced lawyer.
Disabilities:
Program administrators rely on medical professionals to make assessments about how severe a disability is, or whether one exists at all. Generally speaking, doctors, nurses, psychologists, optometrists and similarly skilled specialists are the ones who determine whether an applicant meets the act’s legal definition of “disabled.” Sometimes a discussion with your physician is a good way to have disability benefits explained.
How to Proceed
It always makes sense to hire a lawyer when you need disability benefits explained to you and you want your application to be successful. There are a lot of details involved. A lawyer can make sure your application is filled out correctly and completely. And if you are rejected, an experienced disability lawyer knows what other avenues to pursue. Consider speaking with a competent lawyer when you are considering making an application for disability benefits in Ontario.
