- Ontario Disability Support Program
-
The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is means-tested income support paid to "persons with a disability" as defined in the ODSP legislation. It is paid monthly, with the main component consisting of a fixed amount for basic needs, and a variable - though capped - amount for shelter. Income support is payable to the "benefit unit" collectively, which is an aggregation of co-resident, usually related persons. The larger the benefit unit, the higher the amounts allocated for basic needs and shelter. Similarly, and with some minor exceptions, the total income and assets of the members of the benefit unit are assessed for financial eligibility purposes.
A range of additional benefits are also available. The recipient must be at least 18 years of age to receive the benefit. Single persons make up the majority of beneficiaries, while an increasing number of people on this disability program live with their parents, spouse, or other family members.
Persons who may have trouble managing their money may have their income support administered by a trustee, who can be any of a number of people such as guardians, relatives acting under powers of attorney, or even community service agencies such as the Salvation Army.
Some additional ODSP benefits include:
- free prescription medicine (for medications listed on the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary)
- free dental care
- free eyeglasses (every 2 years for lenses or every 3 years for both lenses and frames)
- free hearing tests
See also
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
External links
Categories:- Healthcare in Ontario
- Government of Ontario
- Disability
- Ontario stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
