Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Decision Information

Decision Content

P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e A p p e l l a n t a p p e a l s t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n I n n o v a t i o n ( M i n i s t r y ) d a t e d M a r c h 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 i n w h i c h b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s a s a h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r t h e D i s a b il i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( ' E A P W D R ' ? . T h e M i n i s t r y f o e l i g i b l e a s t h e r a p y , m e d i c a l s u p p l y , m e d i c a l e q u i p m o u t u n d e r s e c t i o n s 2 , 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 , 3 , o r 3 . 1 t h r o u g h 3 . 1 2 E A P W D R a n d , f u rt h e r , t h a t t h e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k o u t l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g n e e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 9 o f t h e E A P W P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b a n d S c h e d u l e C , H e a l t h S u p p l e m e n t s , s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )� A P P E A L # o f t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l t h e M i n i s t r y d e n i e d t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h u n d t h a t t h e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s a r e n o t e n t o r h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s w i t h i n t h e c r i t e r i a s e t , 4 , 4 . 1 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 a n d 9 o f S c h e d u l e C o f t h e c u r t a i n s d o n o t m e e t t h e l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a a s a D R . i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( " E A P W D R " ) s e c t i o n s 6 2 , 6 9 , 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 , 3 , 3 . 1 -3 . 1 2 , 4 -9 .
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e M i n i s t r y a t t h e r e c o n s i d e r a • A M i n i s t r y M e d i c a l E q u i p m e n t R e q u e s t a n d J A p p e l l a n t o n J a n u a r y 4 , 2 0 1 4 , w i t h s e c t i o n 2 c o m p l e t e d b y t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n o n J a i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t s u f f e r s f r o m t h e t r i g g e r e d b y b r i g h t l i g h t " a n d " P T S D s e v e r e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t r e c o m m e n d e d i s " b l a c k o a s s e s s m e n t t o b e c o m p l e t e d b y a n o c c u p a t i • A J a n u a r y 7 , 2 0 1 4 r e s p o n s e f r o m a n o c c u p a t r e q u e s t b y t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t i n p r o c e s s e d a s t h e A p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e , s t a s e r v i c e s . " • A l e t t e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e A p p s e t t i n g o u t h e r n e e d f o r b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s a n d a n d J u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r m , n o t i n g t h a t s h e i s u n a o c c u p a t i o n a l t h e r a p i s t f o r t h e r e a s o n g i v e n t o p r o v i d e d b y t h e m e d i c a l d o c t o r . " I n h e r l e t t e r a n O T s i g n o f f o n t h e r e q u e s t f o r m , o r c a n s h • C o p i e s o f q u o t e s ( 3 p a g e s ) f r o m d i f f e r e n t s u p A p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t . • A l e t t e r d a t e d M a r c h 4 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e A p p e l l a p h y s i c i a n s t a t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n A p p e l l a n t s u f f e r s f r o m s e v e r e i n s o m n i a a n d m h a v e e x h a u s t e d a l l m e d i c a t i o n s t o t r e a t h e r i r e q u i r e s b l a c k o u t l i n e r s f o r h e r w i n d o w s . T h i n s o m n i a a n d m i g r a i n e s a n d a l l o w h e r t o c a r • T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n o n r e c o n s d i s c u s s e d f u r t h e r b e l o w . T h e A p p e l l a n t i s a r e c i p i e n t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e a b a s i c e l i g i b i l i t y r e q u i r e m e n t f o r h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s u E A P W D R . I n h e r s u b m i s s i o n s o n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d M a r c h " u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t b l a c k o u t l i n e r s a r e n o t a n e l i g i b l e S h e w r i t e s t h a t l i v i n g w i t h o u t b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s c a u s e p u r p o s e o f t h e b l a c k o u t c u rt a i n s i s t o b l o c k o u t " a n y s l e e p . S h e w r i t e s t h a t t h e r e a s o n s h e c a n n o t s l e e p i a n d a s a r e s u l t , s h e i s c h r o n i c a l l y s l e e p d e p r i v e d a n T h e A p p e l l a n t s e t s o u t t h e s t e p s s h e h a s t a k e n t o t r y t h e s e h a v e n o t b e e n s u c c e s s f u l . S h e a l s o p r o v i d e s i f r o m s u p p l i e r s f o r b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s f o r h e r a p a r t m e n E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I t i o n i n c l u d e d : u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r m ( r e q u e s t f o r m ) s i g n e d b y t h e ( m e d i c a l o r n u r s e p r a c t i t i o n e r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n ) n u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s o f " m i g r a i n e w i t h a u r a i n s o m n i a t r i g g e r e d b y a n y l i g h t . " T h e t y p e o f u t b l i n d s . " S e c t i o n 3 o f t h i s f o r m , w h i c h i s a n o n a l , p h y s i c a l o r r e s p i r a t o r y t h e r a p i s t , i s b l a n k . i o n a l t h e r a p y s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r t o a r e f e r r a l g t h a t t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s r e f e r r a l h a s n o t b e e n t i n g : " c l i e n t d o e s n o t m e e t c r i t e r i a f o r O T e l l a n t t o t h e M i n i s t r y ' s H e a l t h A s s i s t a n c e B r a n c h r e f e r e n c i n g t h e M e d i c a l E q u i p m e n t R e q u e s t b l e t o o b t a i n t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e f o r m b y a n h e r t h a t " t h e O T c a n n o t i m p r o v e o n t h e s o l u t i o n , t h e A p p e l l a n t a s k s w h e t h e r i t i s n e c e s s a r y t h a t e s u b m i t t h e f o r m w i t h o u t t h e a p p r o v a l o f a n O T . p l i e r s f o r c u s t o m m a d e b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s f o r t h e n t ' s p h y s i c i a n t o t h e M i n i s t r y i n w h i c h t h e h e r p a t i e n t f o r a l m o s t 3 y e a r s a n d t h a t t h e i g r a i n e s w i t h a u r a . T h e p h y s i c i a n w r i t e s , " w e n s o m n i a , a n d n o t h i n g h a s b e e n s u c c e s s f u l . [ S h e ] i s w i l l g i v e h e r t h e b e s t c h a n c e t o a l l e v i a t e h e r r y o u t h e r d a i l y a c t i v i t i e s . " i d e r a t i o n ( 2 p a g e s ) d a t e d M a r c h 8 , 2 0 1 4 , n d t h e M i n i s t r y a c k n o w l e d g e s t h a t s h e m e e t s t h e n d e r s e c t i o n 6 2 a n d S c h e d u l e C o f t h e 8 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e A p p e l l a n t w r i t e s t h a t s h e m e d i c a l d e v i c e " a s d e s c r i b e d i n t h e E A P W D R . s h e r " u n d u e / e x t r e m e h a r d s h i p " a n d t h a t t h e a n d a l l s t r e e t l i g h t s a t n i g h t " s o t h a t s h e c a n s b e c a u s e s h e h a s s e v e r e i n s o m n i a d u e t o P T S D d t h i s h a s n e g a t i v e l y c o m p r o m i s e d h e r h e a l t h . t o i m p r o v e t h e s i t u a t i o n i n h e r a p a r t m e n t , b u t n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e e s t i m a t e s s h e r e c e i v e d t .
APPFAI JI � At the hearing, the Appellant provided two letters addressed to the panel dated April 11, 2014 and May 1, 2014 as additional information. The Appellant's April 11, 2014 letter sets out her arguments (submissions) on her appeal and does not contain any evidence. In the May 1, 2014 letter, the Appellant reiterates her arguments and the submissions she made to the Ministry on reconsideration, and repeats information from-a book on research regarding the effects of sleep deprivation. The Ministry did not object to the admission of the Appellant's letters. The panel notes that the letter of May 1, 2014 relates to the Appellant's expressed need for the blackout curtains, and therefore admits the letter under section 22(4)(b) of the Employment and Assistance Act as a written submission in support of information that was before the Ministry when the decision being appealed was made. At the hearing, the Appellant told the panel that she is a designated person with disabilities who suffers from a mental disability, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Appellant told the panel that she lives in a small apartment in subsidized housing that is close to a major street with very bright streetlights that shine into her apartment all night. The Appellant told the panel that she has not had success with medications to alleviate her insomnia (which is also stated by her doctor in the March 4, 2014 letter). She explained that due to her apartment's small size, she cannot move her bed to an area away from the window. She told the panel she believes that having blackout curtains that completely block out the streetlights at night will help her overcome her insomnia. She is worried about the long-term effects of her severe insomnia on her general health and well-being. EAAT003(10/06/01)
P ART F -Reasons f or Panel D ecision The is sue on this appeal is the reasonabl e n es s of the Ministry 28, 2014, denying the Appellant's request fo r blackout curta meet the eligibility criter i a set out i n Schedule C and section 69 Legislation The EAPWDR provides in section 62 that the minister may provide any health s ection 2 o r 3 of Schedul e C to or for a famil y u n it if person in the family unit who is a recipient of disability assistance. acknowledges that the Appellant receives disability assista hea lth suppl e ments u n der sec tion 6 2 . Section 69 of the EAPWDR sets out the criter i a for hea a n d imm inen t li f e t hr ea teni n g he al t h n e ed" a s foll ows: 69. T he minister may pr o v i de to a fam i ly u nit any hea [general health supp l e m e nt s] and 3 [medic al e qu ipment su pplement is pr o vi ded t o or fo r a person i n the fam supplement un der t hi s regula t i on , if t he min is t er is sat (a) the person faces a direct and immi n ent life threatening a vail able to th e per son ' s fam i ly u nit with whi c (b ) the heal th supplement I s nec e ssa ry t o meet that (c) the p ers on's fa mi l y unit is rece i ving p rem ium ass and (d ) th e r e quireme n ts sp ecifie d in the following provision (i ) parag raph (a) or (f) o f sect i o n 2(1) ; (ii) secti ons 3 to 3.11 , o ther than p a r a graph (a) The Appella n t a c kno w ledges th a t t he req u e st e d blac supplement i n Sche d ule C of the EAPWDR. Accordingly of the sections of Schedule C in t hi s de cisi o n as f ol lows: General Health Supplements -Section 2 2. (1) The following are the health supplements that may be paid for by the minister if provided to a family unit that is eligible under section 62 [general health suppl (a) m e dica l or surgical supplies tha t are , at the minister's discretion, reusabl e, if the minister is satisfied that all of the following requirements are me (i) the supplies are required for one of the following purposes: (A) wound c are ; ( B) ongoing bowel care required due to loss of m (C) catheterization; (D) incontinence; (E) skin parasite care; (F) limb circulation care; (a.1) the followina medical or surqical suoolies that are . EMT 003( 10/06/01) � APPEAL # 's reconsiderati on d ec i sion of March i ns on the basis t hat the request does not of the EAP W DR. suppl e ment se t out in the health suppl ement is provided to or fo r a As noted, the Ministry nce , an d would therefore be el ig ibl e for l t h suppleme nt s for pe r s on s "f acing a d irec t lth supplement set out in section 2( 1 )(a) a n d (f) and device s ] o f Sc h edu le C , if th e h ea lt h il y unit who is oth erwi se not e l igible f or the heal th isfied that nee d an d there are n o r e s o ur ce s h t o meet that need, n e ed , ist an ce u nder th e Med i ca r e P rote ction Act, s o f Schedu l e C, as appl icable are me t : o f se ction 3(1) . kout c urtains or liners ar e not a liste d heal th , the panel has condensed the reproduction ements] of this regulation: either disposable or t u s cle function; . . either disoosable or reusable . . ...
I A PPEAL# (i) lancets; ( ii) needles an d syringes; (ii i) ventilato r s upplies required for t he ess e n t i a l op e ration or s t erilizati o n of a ve n t ilator; (iv) t racheostomy supplies; (a.2) consumable me dical supplies . . . (b) subject to subsect ion (2), a service provided by a pe r so n des c ribed oppos ite that service in the fol lowing table, d elivered in not more th an 1 2 visits p er calendar year . . . It em Service P r ovid ed bv Re(:liste red wi th 1 Acupuncture ... ... 2 C hi r o practic . . . . .. . 3 Massa (:le Theraov . . . . .. . 4 Naturooathv . . . .. . 5 Non-su r aical o odia tr v . . . .. . 6 Phv sical t h e raov . . . .. . Me dical equ ipme nt and devices Section 3 3. ( 1) Subject to subs ec ti o ns ( 2 ) t o (5) of t hi s s e c ti o n, t h e medical e q u ipme nt and de vices desc ribed in se c ti o n 3. 1 t o 3.1 1 of this Sc h edule are t he heal t h s u p plements th a t may b e provide d by the min iste r i f (a ) the supple me nts a re provid ed to a fa mily unit that is el i g i b le u n der sec tion 62 [general h ea l th supp lem ents ] of t his r eg u l a ti o n, and (b) all of t h e fol lo wing requir ements a re me t: ( i) the fami l y u nit has receiv ed the pre-autho r iza tion o f t h e min ister for the medical equipment or dev i ce re que ste d; (ii ) the r e are no r esources availa b l e t o the family unit to pay the c ost of or ob t ain the medical e qui p m ent or d evice; (iii) the medical equipmen t o r dev ic e is the le ast e x pensive app rop riate m edic a l equi pment or device. Th e following medical equipment and devices, and medical supplem ents, are expressly set out in se c tions 2.1, 2.2, 3. 1-3. 12, 4 , 4. 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of S chedule C as follows: • optical supplements -section 2.1; • eye examination sup plements -sectio n 2.2; • canes, crutches and walkers -section 3.1; • wheelchairs -section 3.2; • wheelchair seating systems -section 3.3; • scooters -se ction 3.4; • bathing and toileting aids -section 3.5; • hospital bed -section 3.6; • pressure relief mattress -section 3.7; • floor or ceiling lift devices -section 3.8; • ositive airwa ressure devices -section 3.9; EAAT003(10/06/01)
• o r t h o s e s s e c t i o n 3 . 1 O ; • h e a r i n g i n s t r u m e n t s s e c t i o n 3 . 1 1 ; • n o n c o n v e n t i o n a l g l u c o s e m e t e r s s e c t i o n 3 • d e n t a l s u p p l e m e n t s s e c t i o n 4 ; • c r o w n a n d b r i d g e w o r k s u p p l e m e n t s e c t i o n • e m e r g e n c y d e n t a l s u p p l e m e n t s s e c t i o n 5 ; • d i e t s u p p l e m e n t s s e c t i o n 6 ; • m o n t h l y n u t r i t i o n a l s u p p l e m e n t s e c t i o n 7 ; • n a t a l s u p p l e m e n t s e c t i o n 8 ; a n d • i n f a n t f o r m u l a s e c t i o n 9 . S u b m i s s i o n s T h e A p p e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d g e s i n h e r s u b m i s s i o n s o n p a n e l t h a t s h e u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t t h e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k u n d e r t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . T h e A p p e l l a n t a l s o a g r e e d t h a t h e r a p y ( a s s e t o u t i n t h e t a b l e u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n 2 ( b a r g u e s t h a t h e r s e v e r e i n s o m n i a i s l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g a " d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e n t l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g n e e d " ; t h a t i s , t T h e A p p e l l a n t f u r t h e r a r g u e s t h a t t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i s i n s u p p l e m e n t s p r o v i d e d u n d e r t h e E A P W D R a r e o n l y T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t a s a p e r s o n w i t h a m e n t a r e q u i r e s , s u c h a s b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s t o a l l e v i a t e c h r o l e g i s l a t i o n . S h e w r i t e s i n h e r l e t t e r t o t h e p a n e l o f A r e c o g n i z e s m e n t a l d i s a b i l i t i e s , b y v i r t u e o f t h e f a c t t h d i s a b l e d . . . o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e i s n o t e v e n a b r e q u i r e t h e e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e p h y s i c a l s u p p o r t s a n d e p h y s i c a l l y d i s a b l e d . " T h e A p p e l l a n t d e s c r i b e s t h e l a d i s a b i l i t i e s s u c h a s h e r s e l f a s a " g l a r i n g c o n t r a d i c t i o T h e M i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f t h e a p p e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k o u t c u rt a i n s d o n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a a s t h e r a p y , m e d i c a l s u p p l y , m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t o r h s e c t i o n s 2 , 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 , 3 , o r 3 . 1 t h r o u g h 3 . 1 2 , 4 , 4 . 1 , 5 T h e M i n i s t ry a l s o a r g u e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s n o t c u r t a i n s t o p r e v e n t a l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g n e e d , o n e o f t h E A P W D R . T h e M i n i s t r y p o i n t s t o t h e l e t t e r f r o m t h e t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e s t h a t m e d i c a t i o n t o t r e a t i n s o m a n d w r i t e s t h a t t h e b l a c k o u t l i n e r s , " w i l l g i v e r h e r t h e m i g r a i n e s a n d a l l o w h e r t o c a r ry o u t h e r d a i l y a c t i v i t i f r o m t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n d o e s n o t e s t a b l i s h t h t h r e a t e n i n g n e e d f o r t h e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s t o m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a o f s e c t i o n 6 9 " d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t m u s t a l s o b e l i s t e d a s a h e a l t h s u 3 o f S c h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P W D R , a n d t h e b l a c k o u t c E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 I ): A P P E A L # . 1 2 ; 4 . 1 ; r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d i n h e r s u b m i s s i o n s t o t h e o u t l i n e r s a r e n o t a n e l i g i b l e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t t t h e b l a c k o u t l i n e r s d o n o t q u a l i f y a s a f o r m o f ) o f S c h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P W D R ) . T h e A p p e l l a n t n d t h a t t h e r e q u e s t e d b l a c k o u t c u r t a i n s a r e f o r a o a l l e v i a t e h e r i n s o m n i a . a d e q u a t e s h e s u b m i t s t h a t t h e h e a l t h a p p l i c a b l e t o p e r s o n s w i t h a p h y s i c a l d i s a b i l i t y . l d i s a b i l i t y , t h e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s t h a t s h e n i c , s e v e r e i n s o m n i a , a r e n o t p r o v i d e d u n d e r t h e p r i l 1 1 , 2 0 1 4 , " o n t h e o n e h a n d , t h e M i n i s t r y a t i t p a y s d i s a b i l i t y b e n e f i t s t o t h e m e n t a l l y r e a t h o f r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t t h e m e n t a l l y d i s a b l e d q u i p m e n t t h a t a r e r e a d i l y s u p p l i e d t o t h e c k o f h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s f o r p e r s o n s w i t h m e n t a l n " a n d o u t o f d a t e . l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t i s r e a s o n a b l e b e c a u s e t h e s e t o u t i n t h e E A P W D R a s t h e y a r e n o t e l i g i b l e e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s w i t h i n t h e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t u n d e r , 6 , 7 , 8 a n d 9 o f S c h e d u l e C . e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t s h e r e q u i r e s t h e b l a c k o u t e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 9 o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n o f M a r c h 4 , 2 0 1 4 , i n w h i c h n i a h a s n o t b e e n s u c c e s s f u l f o r t h e A p p e l l a n t b e s t c h a n c e t o a l l e v i a t e h e r i n s o m n i a a n d e s . " T h e M i n i s t ry a r g u e s t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a t t h e A p p e l l a n t f a c e s a d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e n t l i f e . T h e M i n i s t r y a l s o p o i n t s t o t h e f a c t t h a t i n o r d e r n t l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g h e a l t h n e e d " , t h e r e q u e s t e d p p l e m e n t i n s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) a n d ( f ) a n d s e c t i o n u r t a i n s a r e n o t a h e a l t h s u o o l e m e n t u n d e r t h e s e
sectio n s . Panel's Decis ion A s the panel explained to the Appellant at the hearing of her a E mp loy men t and Ass i s t a nce App eal T r i bunal panel is (E A A). Section 24( 1 ) of the EAA p r ovides t hat, af t e whether the d eci sion b e ing a ppe a led i s reasonabl y applicati on of the applicab le e na ctment in the circums the panel finds that the decision under app e al is reasonably s reas onabl e application o f the ap plicab le e na ctment 2 4(2)(a) of the EAA expressly states th at the panel mus panel finds th at the decision u n der appea l is not r e as reasonable applicati on of the enactmen t to the appellant's circumsta express ly states that the p an el m u st resc ind the d eci Th e pan e l has no jur isdiction under its en abli n g leg islat appeal o n the basis tha t t h e legisla tion is in ade qu ate, h as no jurisdict i o n under the E A A t o o rder the p rov incial th e EA PWDR, or to or d e r the Minister t o mak e a n e f a vou r of t h e A p pella nt . A s we l l, although th e p a n el th at t h e om i ssion of health suppleme nts f o r menta l conditi c o n t rary to hum a n rights l e g islation, u nde r section 1 Admini str ati ve Trib u nal s Act, the pa n el d oes not ha ve the au In t h i s c ase, the App e llant ack no wle d ges that th e re criter ia for elig ib le he al th supplements se t out in Schedule the Min i s tr y' s d et erminat ion t ha t t h e requested bla cko u n der Sc h edule C of the EA PW D R is a reason abl e a Further , th e pan el f i nds that the Ministr y reason ab ly dete i nformati on to s atisfy th e minist er t h at she faces a di requested blac kout cu rta in s, as required by secti on provided information fr o m her physician confirmi ng s included in the list of eligible health supplemen ts under Schedule C provided under section 69. Accordingly, the panel finds that the Ministry's denial of the appellant's request for blackout curtains as a health supplement is a reasonable application of the legislation to the circumstances of the Appellant. The panel confirms the Ministry's reconsideration decision. EAAT003(10/06/01) APPE AL# '. pp e al, the j urisdic t i on (powers) of the set out in the Employment and Assista n ce Act r holding a hearing, th e panel must determine supported by the evidence , o r a re a sonabl e tances of the person appealing the decisio n . If upported b y the ev i denc e o r a i n th e ci rcumst a n ces of an appellant , section t confirm the decision under appe a l . If the onably s upported b y th e evidence or i s not a n c e s , section 24(2)(b) of the EAA s i o n. I i o n, t h e EAA, to re sci nd a decis i o n under as argued by the Ap pellan t. Furthe r, t h e panel i l e gi s l a ture to revise o r a m end prov ision s in x cept i o n to t h e criteria set ou t i n th e EAPWDR in ack no wledges that it is the Ap pella nt 's position ons/ di sab i liti e s u nde r th e E AP W D R is 9.1 o f the EAA and sectio n 4 6. 3 of the thority to app ly the Human Ri ghts Cod e. que s te d blacko ut c urtains a r e no t w ithin t h e C of the EAPWDR . The pa nel finds that ut curta i n s are no t an elig ibl e health supplemen t p pl ica t io n of the c riteria set ou t in Schedule C. r mine d that t h e App ella nt has n ot pr o vid e d r ect and i mmi ne n t lif e thre a tenin g need f o r the 6 9 of th e EAPWDR and t ha t e v e n if she had uch a need, the blackout curtains are not
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