APPEAi I PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the reconsideration decision dated April 29, 2014 in which the ministry denied the appellant a crisis supplement to purchase new clothes because the request did not meet the criteria in the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR) Section 57. The legislation requires that the need for a crisis supplement be; unexpected, that the person not have the resources available, and failure to provide the supplement would result in imminent danger to his physical health. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment a(ld Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act (EAPWDA) section 5 Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR) section 57 EMT003(10/06/01)
APPEAL I PART E-Summary of Facts The information before the ministry at the time of reconsideration included the following: • A statement written by the appellant on the Request For Reconsideration form dated April 16. The appellant writes that his landlord threw out his belongings on March 30 th , the day before he was scheduled to move out. He adds that he is now staying at a shelter and that he need the crisis supplement for new clothes. In his Request For Appeal the appellant writes that he was living with his mother when their landlord threw out their belongings. He writes that his mother received a crisis supplement for clothing but he was denied for the same request. He asks why her request would be approved while his would be denied. The appellant was not in attendance at the hearing. After confirming he had been notified, the hearing proceeded under section 86(b) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation. At the hearing the ministry told the panel the appellant did not meet the three conditions set out in EAPWDR section 57. The appellant had given notice to his landlord that he would be moving out at the end of the month so he was aware that he had to leave his home by March 31, 2014. Because of this, the need can not be considered unexpected since the appellant had given notice to his landlord that he would be moving out of his rental home on March 31, 2014. The ministry spoke to the appellant's landlord who said that on March 31 the appellant had a party at the home and during the party the police arrived and escorted the appellant and his mother to a local shelter. The landlord reported to the ministry that the appellant's belongings were removed from the home on April 2, 2014 after the landlord notified him to come and retrieve the items. Since the appellant was aware that he would not be able to store his belongings at the home after March 31, the ministry determined that his need for new clothing was not unexpected. The ministry continued that the appellant had not demonstrated that he has accessed other resources in the community to obtain replacement clothing. And finally the ministry determined that because the appellant was safely living in a shelter there was no apparent danger to his health. In response to the appellant's claim that his belongings were removed from the home on March 30 versus the landlord's statement that it was on April 2, the ministry stated that there was no evidence to support the appellant's claim. The ministry responded to the appellant's argument that he should be granted the supplement because his mother made a request for the same reason and the supplement was granted to her. The ministry told the panel that each request they receive is evaluated on its own merits and due to privacy restrictions the ministry could not discuss details of a specific request. The panel finds as fact: • The appellant had given his landlord 30-day notice that he would be moving out of his rental home on March 31, 2014. • The appellant had a party at his home on March 31 that resulted in him being escorted by the police to a shelter. EMT 003(10/06/01)
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e i s t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e q u a l i f y f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t b e c a u s e h i s n e e d d o 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 i l i t i e s R e g u l a T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n i s a s f o l l o w s : 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 D i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e a n d s u p p l e m e n t s 5 S u b j e c t t o t h e r e g u l a t i o n s , t h e m i n i s t e r s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e 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 C r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t 5 7 ( 1 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e a c r i s i s f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t o r a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e ( b ) t h e m i n i s t e r c o n s i d e r s t h a t f a i l u r e t o m ( i ) i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c a l h e a l ( i i ) r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e C h i l d , F ( 2 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d a p p l i c a t i o n o r r e q u e s t f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t ( 3 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y n o t b e p r o v i d ( a ) a s u p p l e m e n t d e s c r i b e d i n S c h e d u l e C ( b ) a n y o t h e r h e a l t h c a r e g o o d s o r s e r v i c e ( 4 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t p r o v i d e d f o r f o o d , l i m i t a t i o n s : ( a ) i f f o r f o o d , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; ( b ) i f f o r s h e l t e r , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a s m a l l e r o f ( i ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t , a n ( i i ) t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 4 o f S a p p l i c a b l e , f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t m a t c h e s ( c ) i f f o r c l o t h i n g , t h e a m o u n t t h a t m a y b e ( i ) $ 1 0 0 f o r e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n d a t e o f a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e ( i i ) $ 4 0 0 f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t i n t h e 1 2 c a l e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t . ( 5 ) T h e c u m u l a t i v e a m o u n t o f c r i s i s s u p p l u n i t i n a y e a r m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e a m o u n ( 6 ) I n t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p t h e a m o u n t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n / 5 ) i s c a l c u l E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A , I m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t e s n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a n e c e s s a r y i n E m p l o y m e n t t i o n ( E A P W D R ) S e c t i o n 5 7 . i l i t i e s A c t ( E A P W D ) s e c t i o n 5 m a y p r o v i d e d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r a l i g i b l e f o r i t . 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 5 7 . s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e t a n c e i f l y u n i t r e q u i r e s t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n e x p e c t e d l y n e e d e d a n d i s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e f a m i l y u n i t , a n d e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n t h o f a n y p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t . o n l y f o r t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e i s m a d e . e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f o b t a i n i n g , o r s . s h e l t e r o r c l o t h i n g i s s u b j e c t t o t h e f o l l o w i n g m a y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s $ 2 0 f o r t m a y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s t h e d c h e d u l e A o r T a b l e 2 o f S c h e d u l e D , a s t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; p r o v i d e d m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e s m a l l e r o f i t i n t h e 1 2 c a l e n d a r m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e n t , a n d n d a r m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f e m e n t s t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y t c a l c u l a t e d u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 6 ) . l i c a t i o n o r r e q u e s t f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e , a t e d b y m u l t i o l v i n a b v 2 t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f
d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n S c h e d u l e A o r S c h e d u l e D t o a f a m i l y u n ( 7 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 4 ) ( b ) o r ( 5 ) o r b o a f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g : ( a ) f u e l f o r h e a t i n g ; ( b ) f u e l f o r c o o k i n g m e a l s ; ( c ) w a t e r ; ( d ) h y d r o . I t i s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e a s s e t o u t i n E A P W D R s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) r e q u i r i n g t h a t t h e r e a r e n o o t h e r r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e , a n d t h a t t h e d a n g e r t o t h e h e a l t h o f t h e p e r s o n / f a m i l y u n i t o r c a u m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s n e e d f o r c l o t h i n w a s a w a r e t h a t h e n e e d e d t o l e a v e h i s r e n t a l h o u s e h a d o n M a r c h 3 1 h e w a s r e m o v e d f r o m t h e h o m e b a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t s h o w n t h a t h e h a s e x p l o r e d o t h e r h e i s s a f e l y l i v i n g i n a c o m m u n i t y s h e l t e r , t h e r e i s n o I t i s t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t h e f e e l s h i s r e q b e c a u s e h i s p e r s o n a l b e l o n g i n g s w e r e r e m o v e d f r o m r e p l a c e h i s c l o t h e s . H e a r g u e s t h a t h i s m o t h e r w a s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . R e g a r d i n g t h e m i n i s t ry ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e t o b e u n e x p e c t e d t h e p a n e l r e v i e w e d t h e t i m e l i n e o f b e l o n g i n g s . T h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t i f i e d t h e l a n d l o r d o n M a r c h 3 1 . T h e a p p e l l a n t c l a i m s t h a t t h e l a n d l o r d h o w e v e r t h e r e i s n o t h i n g t o s u p p o r t t h i s c l a i m . I t w o c o n t a c t t h e p o l i c e i f h i s l a n d l o r d t o o k h i s b e l o n g i n g s h o w e v e r n o s u c h s u p p o r t w a s p r o v i d e d . T h e p a n e l f t h a t t h e l a n d l o r d c o n f i r m e d t h a t i t w a s A p r i l 2 w h e n t m o r e c r e d i b l e c l a i m . S a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b e f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h u n e x p e c t e d . R e g a r d i n g t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e r e s o u r c e s f o r r e p l a c e m e n t c l o t h e s t h e p a n e l c o n s i d e s h e l t e r w h e r e h e l i k e l y c o u l d h a v e b e e n r e f e r r e d t o a d i d n o t p r o v i d e t h e m i n i s t r y w i t h a n y e v i d e n c e t h a t h p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e t o d e t e r c o n d i t i o n . R e g a r d i n g t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e i f h e f a i l e d t o o b t a i n t h e r e p l a c e m e n t c l o t h i n g t h e p a a p p e l l a n t t o a s a f e c o m m u n i t y s h e l t e r o n M a r c h 3 1 . s t a y i n t h e c o m m u n i t v t h e o a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A i I c e t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e m o n t h u n d e r i t t h a t m a t c h e s t h e f a m i l y u n i t . t h , a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r s t f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t d i d n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a t h e n e e d f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t b e u n e x p e c t e d , t h a t f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e n e e d w o u l d r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t s e t h e r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d f r o m t h e h o m e . T h e g c a n n o t b e c o n s i d e r e d u n e x p e c t e d b e c a u s e h e b y M a r c h 3 1 , 2 0 1 4 a n d b e c a u s e o f a p a r t y h e y t h e p o l i c e . T h e m i n i s t ry m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e r e s o u r c e s f o r r e p l a c e m e n t c l o t h e s a n d b e c a u s e i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s h e a l t h . u e s t f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s h o u l d b e a p p r o v e d h i s h o m e b y t h e l a n d l o r d a n d h e n e e d t o g r a n t e d a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r t h e s a m e l l a n t ' s n e e d f o r n e w c l o t h e s c o u l d n o t b e s h o w n e v e n t s l e a d i n g t o t h e d i s p o s a l o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p r i o r t o F e b r u a ry 2 8 t h a t h e w o u l d b e m o v i n g o u t r e m o v e d h i s b e l o n g i n g s a d a y e a r l y o n M a r c h 3 0 u l d b e r e a s o n a b l e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w o u l d w h i l e h e w a s s t i l l t h e l e g a l t e n a n t o f t h e h o m e i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s v e r s i o n o f t h e s i t u a t i o n h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b e l o n g i n g s w e r e d i s p o s e d o f i s t h e l o n g i n g s w e r e r e m o v e d o n A p r i l 2 , t h e p a n e l e n e e d f o r r e p l a c e m e n t c l o t h i n g w a s n o t l l a n t h a s n o t m a d e e f f o r t s t o a c c e s s a l t e r n a t e r e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s l i v i n g i n a c o m m u n i t y n a g e n c y t o p r o v i d e h i m c l o t h i n g . T h e a p p e l l a n t e h a s e x p l o r e d o t h e r o p t i o n s a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e m i n e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t m e e t t h i s l l a n t d o e s n o t f a c e i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s h e a l t h n e l r e l i e d o n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e p o l i c e e s c o r t e d t h e C o n s i d e r i n g h e h a d a c c e s s t o a s a f e p l a c e t o r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e t o d e t e r m i n e t h a t t h e a o o e l l a n t
APPEAi I was not facing imminent danger if he failed to receive the crisis supplement. There was no reference to a child being removed from the appellant's custody so the panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that denial of the appellant's request for the crisis supplement would result in the removal of a child from the home. Regarding the appellant's argument that the appellant's mother was approved for a crisis supplement under the same circumstances, the panel's jurisdiction is limited to considering the reasonableness of the reconsideration decision. The panel finds that the ministry's decision was a reasonable application of the legislation in the circumstances of the appellant and therefore confirms the ministry's decision. EM T003(10/06/01)
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