Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC)

 

For the past five years IDEA Regina has been a member of the Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC).   DISC is a coalition of disability advocates, consumers and over 35 organizations from across Saskatchewan who are committed to advocating for a respectful, dignified and adequate income support system for citizens who have a disability.  DISC believes that this can only happen when we have a stand-alone income support program designed to meet the unique and varied needs of citizens who have a disability.  For more information on DISC go to http://www.saskdisc.ca/.

As DISC has developed its vision of a distinct income security program for people with disabilities, it has done so on the principles of :

· Adequacy- People with disabilities should have an adequate income that truly meets their needs without the indignity of having to justify their needs. Lifelong disability and subsequent economic insecurity needs to be a consideration. What does DISC consider adequate? A disability income should be enough financial support to meet individual needs, not just basic needs. Our primary aim is to see an income system that offers both an adequate baseline income for people with disabilities and a user-friendly mechanism to address individual financial needs based on the impact of disability.

· Hope and Security- People with disabilities must have financial accommodations so that they can live their lives with hope, respect and dignity instead of a system of disincentives.

· Person-Centred and User Friendly- People with disabilities should be able to expect a dignified service that focuses on their individual financial needs as its reason for being. Financial accommodation should be easily accessible with consistent, respectful income workers who have the mandate and power to respond quickly to individual discretionary needs.

· Higher Income Exemptions- People with disabilities need to be adequately accommodated as they move into training or employment. Income exemptions need to be increased to eliminate disincentives to employment and independence. Rapid reinstatement needs to be a working principle that allows people with disabilities to feel secure as they move in and out of employment opportunities.

· Consistent Implementation- People with disabilities should be able to expect a portable and flexible income system that meets their individual needs no matter where they choose to live in the province.

 

So what has happened?

The coalition has been successful in building a collaborative relationship with the Ministry of Social Service which resulted in the development of SAID, the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability.  DISC has been involved directly in both the planning and implementation of SAID.  In the planing phase a committee of community members and civil servants created 50 recommendations related to income support for people with disabilities. (http://www.socialservices.gov.sk.ca/Backgrounder-ODI.pdf).   These recommendations lead to the announcement of SAID.

During this implementation period the Minister appointed members, based on the nominations of DISC to Program Implementation Advisory Committee (PIAT) that is charge with the implementation of SAID.

SAID, an income support program, specifically for people with significant and enduring disabilities, began in the fall of 2009..

The program is being phased in and the first group to be eligible for SAID is people:

18 years of age or older; and live in either:

- a residential care facility or family home and have an assessed level of care of 2 or higher; or

- a Community Living Division or Mental Health group home; and Meet financial eligibility requirements.

SAID Fact sheet http://www.socialservices.gov.sk.ca/SAID-factsheet.pdf\

It is estimated as many as 10,000 people who currently are receiving income assistance will qualify for SAID.   In the fall of 2009 about 3000 individuals who meet the above criteria where invited to enroll in SAID.

For the people who are now enrolled in SAID there are few differences from when they were enrolled in the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan.  In SAID you are not required to do report as frequently i.e. you don’t have to prove every year you are still disabled. Also within the Ministry SAID clients will be served by Assured Income Specialists who receive additional training related to disability issues and customer service.   Also SAID has a policy manual separate from SAP but  refers back to the SAP policy manual as required. The SAID policy manual can be found at  http://www.socialservices.gov.sk.ca/SAID-policy-manual.pdf.

 In the last few months Social Services has also announced some changes to inheritance exemption for people who receive SAID.  As of February 1, 2011 people on SAID will be able to inherit up to $100,000.00 with out it affecting the money received from SAID.  This is nice, but will not matter to most people who are on SAID.

At the same time Social Services announce that all people on SAID as well as people on SAP who are disabled will have their earnings exemptions raise to a maximum of $325.00 from $225.00.   The December 2, 2010 news release said it would benefit about 540 people.

Where is SAID going?

At this time there appear to be two predominate issues: to have the base level of funding raised for people on SAID and to have more people enrolled in the program.  With respect to the first DISC has asked the Minister to immediately increase the base rate for SAID by $200.00. The long term goal is to have SAID at the low income cut-off rate or LICO rate.  Current the LICO rate is about $22,000.00 per year.  Of course this is what DISC wants and what Social Services will do in the short and long run is unknown.

The question of enrolling more people is being held up awaiting the development of ways to determine who should qualify and who should not.  The assessment being develop is one that does more than just identify if a person has a disability, it will also assess  the impact of the disability.  The assessment tool is being developed and is now ready for testing.  The people doing the research and development of the assessment tool expect that it will be ready in the fall, perhaps as early as September.

When the tool is ready the enrollment process can begin again.  DISC hopes that  that for people who have already been receiving income assistance for years  this process can happen quickly.  By quickly they mean before the end of 2011.

DISC’s timeline is that all people who may currently be eligible for SAID will be assessed and enrolled in the next two years.  They also have set there sights on having SAID made full independent of the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan Act.