On Reforming Nova Scotia’s Disability Support Program (Continued)

 By Kendall Worth

Regular readers will remember my recent BLOG where I talked about how Nova Scotia’s Disability Support Program needs to undergo a major reform. The DSP is not only inadequate in terms of funding but it is also hugely confusing to prospective clients such as persons with disabilities, Income Assistance recipients and their individual and organizational advocates.

In today’s blog, I will provide an overview of the different elements under the DSP. These are all summarized online on the official DSP Webpage. There you can find a summary list of the different benefits and services, with links to more details on each.  I will then share some feedback from four individuals I have interviewed who are Income Assistance recipients as well as DSP clients.

This is the list of Programs and Services found on the DSP website:

·       Standard Household Rate

·       Disability Support Program (DSP) Policy

·       Alternative Family Support Program

·       Independent Living Support

·       Licensed Homes For Special Care

·       Direct Family Support for Children

·       Flex Program

·       Adult Service Centres

·       Protection For Persons in Care

·       Wheelchair Recycling Program

·       Personal Directives Act (on the Department of Justice site)

·       Workplace Support Program

·       Community ACCESS-Ability Program 

At first glance, this seems an extensive list, covering a lot of ground and different community needs.

But my interviews with four Income Assistance recipients who are also DSP clients tell me that there are MANY issues with these programs. 

First of all, just learning about these different programs is a challenge. All four IA recipients told me that they have never been offered any of the above programs and their case workers seem reluctant to explain the features and availability of these programs, even when clients ask directly and express interest.

Qualifying for these programs is an even bigger challenge. DSP clients tell me that it feels like their regular caseworkers and DSP staff make applying to these programs difficult and as a result very few individuals actually do access these services.  (I am not able to name these clients as they have asked not to be named.)

It is frustrating to note that other persons with disabilities I have spoken with have told me that they are actually relieved NOT to be part of DSP, because the terms and conditions of that Program are so problematic. They say that they will only apply to access DSP services once major changes are made to DSP rules and processes by the Government.

Different DSP programs:

Starting in July, when the Income Assistance benefit was indexed to the cost of living, the original Standard Household Rate of $950 a month was increased by 2.5% to $974. This was supplemented with an additional $300 a month in the form of the Income Assistance Disability Supplement to disabled individuals on Income Assistance who are not currently in the DSP. Some clients who are part of DSP tell me they receive an extra $125 allowance for “Accessibility”, however I cannot find any written policy and no one seems clear on who qualifies for that extra $125 and how.

Of course, none of this is adequate when you look at the cost of apartment rentals today as well as the impact of inflation on food prices and other costs.

There are also issues facing DSP clients who want to re-enter the work force. It seems like DSP workers and policies believe that DSP clients should not be working or be active members of their community. This is both unfair and very discouraging.

A related issue raised in my interviews concerns Adult Service Centers. These Centers are more widely known as sheltered employment workshops. Clients of DSP have the impression that DSP staff feel that these Centres are the only places where DSP Clients should work. But persons with disabilities who work at these Centres tell me that they do not get paid real wages, but only a small training allowance much lower than minimum wage. This is unfair and heart breaking, and why DSP clients should be actively supported to find alternative employment sources.

The so-called Independent Living Support Program has a great name but it is in fact highly restrictive in terms of what it is designed to support. As a result, it does not really encourage or facilitate independent living.

There are some obvious advantages for clients to have many services and programs under the same roof at Community Services. But the Income Assistance and DSP clients that I interviewed question the capacity of Community Services to manage some of these programs, given the Dept’s history, capacity and culture. Maybe it would be better to have the Dept of Health and Wellness oversee licensed Homes for Special Care as well as protection for persons in care. Similarly, maybe the Workplace Support Program would be more effective if placed under the jurisdiction of the Dept of Workforce and Labour Development.

The Bottom Line …

The four DSP clients I have interviewed want to see a brand new Disability Support Program that is completely de-linked from Income Assistance. Most importantly, they want Government, both federal and provincial, to improve the level of benefits and allowances, to something closer to the $2000 a month level that was provided by CERB through the COVID pandemic.

Needless to say, persons living with disabilities and struggling to survive below the poverty line appreciate ALL increases in benefits that they are able to access, such as Nova Scotia’s new Disability Supplement as well as the recently announced Federal Disability Benefit that will launch in July, 2025. I reported on this in a  Recent BLOG post, in the context of a visit to Halifax by the Director of the national advocacy organization Disability Without Poverty.

Replacing the old, ineffective Federal Disability Tax Credit with the new Federal Disability Benefit is a victory to be celebrated. Similarly, the announcement that Nova Scotia will not claw-back this federal benefit from Income Assistance is good news. But to be honest, the $200 monthly benefit will only be a drop in the bucket if the goal is to lift disabled persons out of poverty.  And it remains to be seen if there will be the usual issues qualifying for the program.

It is clear that much remains to be done to fully reform DSP!

So, rest assured, Readers - there will be more to come on this issue!

Kendall Worth is an award-winning anti-poverty activist who lives with disabilities and tries to make ends meet on income assistance.