BENEFITS

I am very excited about this new opportunity to share with families in St. James Town information about resources and benefits that are available to families whose children have been diagnosed with a developmental disability including autism.

We live in a very big city and while that can be an advantage because there are a lot of supports available, it can be a disadvantage to know where to begin. I think a good starting place is for parents to become familiar with financial benefits that are available once your child receives a diagnosis. This letter of diagnosis is like a key – it opens doors to resources and funding that are not available to you or your child without it.

It is important to note that when you are applying for funding, or other agency support, a photocopy of the letter stating the diagnosis and signed by the doctor, must be attached to the application. Please remember to attach only photocopies of the letter of diagnosis to any applications. Keep your original letter of diagnosis in a secure place - you will need this letter for a number of purposes and it is not always easy to get another original letter from the doctor who made the diagnosis.

Once you have completed any application, always photocopy the application that you filled out and keep a copy for your records. Mark on the top of your copy the date you mailed the application. Keeping a photocopy is important for three reasons:

1) There have been instances where the application goes missing. If you did not take a photocopy, you would have to start all over again.
2)You may want to refer back to the application if you are speaking to someone at the Ministry or the agency about the status of your application. Your photocopy will assist you in referring back to what you requested.
3)The photocopy of your application will help immeasurably to refer back to when it comes time to reapply the following year.

What are you eligible for? This week I am writing about two types of benefits from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCSS):

1)The Special Services at Home (SSAH) program helps children with developmental or physical disabilities to live at home by providing funding on a time-limited basis to address individual needs. With this funding, families can purchase supports and services which they could not normally provide themselves and are not available elsewhere in the community. Each family is unique. You will need to describe your family’s needs, establish your goals and indicate the type of assistance you need – whether it is personal development and growth and/or family relief and support. This time of funding is not based on your income – any family whose child has a developmental or physical disability can apply regardless of income.

2)Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) – this is an unfortunate title because it makes parents feel that their child has to be “severe” in order to qualify for this funding. This funding is based on your income and not everyone will qualify. Financial and medical criteria must be met in order to receive this funding. This program provides help to assist with some of the extra costs of caring for a child who has a disability. The purpose of the benefit is to help children who have disabilities live as normal a life as possible at home and in the community. The extraordinary costs that are incurred must be as a result of the disability.

You are entitled to new funding every year. The SSAH and ACSD forms can be a little difficult to complete, at least the first time, so if you require assistance you can email or call Respite Services to find out when the next orientation session takes place. Knowledgeable staff will assist you in completing the forms.

Contact information:
For an application for Special Services at Home (SSAH) funding, call 416-325-0623.
Alternatively, you can go to the following website for further information:
http://www.children.gov.on.ca?CS/en/programs/SpecialNeeds/specialServicesatHome.htm
To download the application you go to:
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/NR/CS/developmental/1915.doc

For an application for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) funding, call 416-325-0623 to see if your family qualifies for this benefit. As stated previously, this benefit is based on your family’s income.

For assistance in completing the application(s), contact Respite Services.com at 416-322-6317 or go to http://www.respiteservices.com
They will advise you of upcoming dates for orientation sessions to assist in completing your family’s application.

Next time I will write about the Disability Tax Credit another source of benefits for families whose child(ren) have a disability.

About Lee Steel

I am the parent of a wonderful fifteen year old son who has Autism. I am the Parent Liaison at the Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children. In this role, I support parents whose children have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. I have over four years experience working in the St. James Town Community supporting families whose children have special needs. I understand the many challenges that parents often face trying to find suitable support for their special children within the community and school settings. Parenting a child with special needs is an opportunity for growth not just for our children but for ourselves.

Supporting Families with Special Needs in Our Community

Families with children who have special needs require additional support within their community and schools. There is so much we can do for our children with special needs but sometimes it is difficult to navigate the many resources available. Sometimes we need to talk with other parents who have been through similar challenges and learn what they have found helpful. As parents we need to "speak for our child until he/she can speak for themselves". This does not mean our children cannot speak, it means that we must advocate and speak out for the services and settings that foster our children's social, emotional and physical wellbeing.