Disability Support Program areas to be reworked

The story carried in today’s Guardian was reported on January 26th as ‘Minister…stalls on cutbacks’.

The Department promises some changes to the DSP but does not tell us where the money went or better still when they are going to put the $1 million back.

It’s the same old story of let them eat cake, crumbs from the table of Chester Gillan. Mr. Gillan – where did the money go? When will you stop taking money from people in wheelchairs? You cannot take $1 million from a program like the DSP and not hurt people.

The changes in the scanning tool are overdue and can be attributed to the complaints to both the Human Rights Commission and the Privacy Commissioner. No doubt during an election year the government would like this one to go away. Are you ‘sexually inappropriate’ might be the new catch phrase of this election.

Changing the appeal process will be a boon to those whose files are being mishandled. However, the appeals should not be heard by the same departmental people who made the bad decisions. They should be independent otherwise there is no justice.

One notable omission from our article and the government press release is scooters. This assistive device is banned in PEI but safe everywhere else. On Thursday the Minister said he was considering them but they are out of the picture on Friday. Since the Minister has a $35,000 government car free, he seems unconcerned about those who just need to get to church or the grocery store.

Guardian February 7, 2007
Disability Support Program being reworked
Some of the more contentious portions of the provincial government’s Disability Support Program could be headed for a change.

The program was set up with the aim of giving more autonomy to people with intellectual and physical disabilities by giving them regular support allowances by allowing the individual to decide how that support money would best be spent.

But the system has come under fire from its clients and their advocates over decisions some say are unrealistic in their assessment of people’s needs and inflexible in their decisions.

On January 26 the Department of Social Services and Seniors confirmed that the DSP is being re-worked in two major areas.
First, a questionnaire that assesses clients on the basis of everything from their mobility to their lucidity is slated to be redesigned.

Second the DSP appeal process is being strengthened to allow unhappy clients a chance for reconsideration of decisions they think are wrongly made