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 d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D " M i n i s t r y " ) r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n d a t e d M a r c h 1 7 e l i g i b l e f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r a b e d a s h e d i d 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 T h e M i n i s t r y h e l d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t c o n f i r m i t e m o r a n u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e a n d t h a t t h e r e i s n o h e l d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t s u b s t a n t i a t e t h a t t h e r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e h e a l t h o f t h e A p p e l l E A P W D R . P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n S e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A P W D R E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( t h e , 2 0 1 4 w h i c h h e l d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s n o t o t s a t i s f y t h r e e o f t h e e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a i n t h e i l i t y R e g u l a t i o n ( " E A P W D R " ) . t h a t t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s n e e d e d f o r a n u n e x p e c t e d a l t e r n a t e f u n d i n g a v a i l a b l e . T h e M i n i s t r y f u r t h e r f a i l u r e t o o b t a i n t h e i t e m o r m e e t t h e e x p e n s e w i l l a n t a s o u t l i n e d i n s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) ( b ) ( i ) o f t h e
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d t h e M i n i s t r y w e r e n o t i n a t t e n d a n n o t i f i e d , t h e h e a r i n g p r o c e e d e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 8 6 ( b ) 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 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n 1 . E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e q u e s t f o r R e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : a . T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d a r e o n b . T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d m o v e d t h e c l o t h e s o n t h e i r b a c k ; c . T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d a r e o n c a u s e s b o n e d e t e r i o r a t i o n a n d o t h e r p d . T h e A p p e l l a n t s u f f e r e d a l o w e r d i s c p r e . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s g i r l f r i e n d h a s f o u r c h i l s e r i o u s b a c k p r o b l e m s ; f . T h e A p p e l l a n t i s c u r r e n t l y s l e e p i n g o n g . T h e A p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d t h e M i n i s t r y w h . T h e A p p e l l a n t w e n t t o a b o x s t o r e a n d i . T h e A p p e l l a n t w e n t t o t h e s e c o n d h a n m i s s i n g p i e c e s a n d t h e r e i s n o f u l l q u e 2 . Q u o t e s ( u n d a t e d ) f r o m t h e f o l l o w i n g s t o r e s i n s p r i n g : a . A s t o r e i n t h e a m o u n t o f $ 8 9 8 . 7 6 i n c l u b . A s t o r e i n t h e a m o u n t o f $ 1 , 0 7 5 . 1 6 i n c c . A s t o r e i n t h e a m o u n t s r a n g i n g f r o m $ 3 . I n t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d A p r i l 2 , 2 0 1 4 , t h t h e i r f i n d i n g s f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g r e a s o n s : a . T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d a r e s u b o d i e s f r o m n o t h a v i n g a b e d ; b . T h e A p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t h a v e a l t e r n a t i v h a v e t h e m o n e y t o b u y a b e d a s a r e s b r e a k d o w n o f h i s m o n t h l y e x p e n s e s ; c . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t i s p a i d d i r e c t l y t o A p p e l l a n t a n d t h r e w t h e i r p e r s o n a l b e l a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d w e r e a w a y f r o m t h e h l e a v e a l l t h e i r b e l o n g i n g s i n t h e b a c k a d . T h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d f i l e d a B r a n c h b u t d u e t o a n u n e x p e c t e d m o v T e n a n c y B r a n c h w i t h t h e i r e v i d e n c e a n e . T h e A p p e l l a n t h a s n o m o n e y t o b u y a b e d . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A I c e a t t h e h e a r i n g . A f t e r c o n f i r m i n g t h a t t h e y w e r e o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n . i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g d o c u m e n t s : c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d M a r c h 5 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e b o t h o n d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e ; t o t h e i r c u r r e n t l o c a t i o n J a n u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 w i t h m e t h a d o n e f o r o v e r a y e a r a n d t h a t m e t h a d o n e h y s i c a l s i d e e f f e c t s ; o b l e m w h i l e i n c a r c e r a t e d ; d r e n a n d t h i s h a s c a u s e d h e r t o s u f f e r w i t h t h e f l o o r ; i t h q u o t e s f r o m t w o f u r n i t u r e s t o r e s ; c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e y d o e s n o t s e l l m a t t r e s s e s ; d s t o r e a n d t h e b e d s a r e " o l d a n d b e a t i n [ s i c ] u p , e n s i z e b e d s . . . " t h e i r a r e a f o r o n e q u e e n s i z e d m a t t r e s s a n d b o x s i v e o f t a x e s ; l u s i v e o f t a x e s ; a n d 7 9 9 . 9 9 f o r t h e f l o o r d i s p l a y t o $ 1 , 4 9 9 . 9 9 . e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h e M i n i s t r y w a s i n c o r r e c t i n f f e r i n g b a c k p a i n a n d s o r e n e s s a l l o v e r t h e i r e r e s o u r c e s t o p u r c h a s e a b e d a n d t h e y d o n o t u l t o f b e i n g o n d i s a b i l i t y . T h e A p p e l l a n t g a v e a t h e l a n d l o r d a n d t h e l a n d l o r d i l l e g a l l y e v i c t e d t h e o n g i n g s i n t o t h e b a c k a l l e y w h i l e t h e A p p e l l a n t o m e . T h e A p p e l l a n t w a s c o n s e q u e n t l y f o r c e d t o l l e y ; d i s p u t e r e s o l u t i o n w i t h t h e L a n d l o r d T e n a n c y e t o a n o t h e r t o w n t h e y w e r e u n a b l e t o p r o v i d e t h e d t h e h e a r i n g w a s s u s p e n d e d ; a n d b e d a n d t h e r e a r e n o l o c a l f r e e r e s o u r c e s t o g e t a
4 . M edi c a l Certif ica te d ated A p ril 3, 2 014 st at ing a. Tha t on April 3, 2014 the m edical p ract b. Tha t the Ap pellant infor med the medical practi chron ic me chanica l ba ck pa in ; c . That the medi cal p ractition er stat ed t hat i aggra vate the pain. The Pane l find s tha t t he addi tion al informa tion was admissib a nd A ss i s tance Act ( the "Act" ) as it w a s in support of re c o n sid e ra t i o n . EMT 003(10/06101) AP PE A I the follow ing: itio ner examin ed t h e A p pellant; tioner tha t he and his girlfriend have. s "q uit e possi ble" t hat sle epin g o n th e fl oo r will le un der sect ion 22( 4) of the Em plo y ment t he r ecor d s befo re t h e Mi nistry at
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 s w h e t h e r t h e M i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t o d e n y f a i l i n g t o e s t a b l i s h t h e l e g i s l a t i v e r e q u i r e m e n t s p u r s r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e c i r c u s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e . L e g i s l a t i o n S e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A P W D R i s t h e s e c t i o n t h a t a d d r e T h e E A P W D R g i v e s m i n i s t e r i a l d i s c r e t i o n t o a l l o w t h t o a f a m i l y u n i t e l i g i b l e f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e p r o v m e e t a n 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 u n e x p e c a v a i l a b l e p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) a n d t h a t t h e f r e s u l t i n t h e 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 t h s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i ) . S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) s t a t e s t h e f o l l o w i n g : 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 s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e i i ( 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 l y u n i t r e q u i r e a n i t e m u 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 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 ( 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 e e t t h e e x p e ( 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 t h o f a ( 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 a m il y M i n i s t r y ' s P o s i t i o n I n d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e c r i t e r i a a s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 5 7 o I n a p p l y i n g s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) , t h e M i n i s t r y c o n c l u d e d f o r a b e d w a s u n e x p e c t e d o r t h a t t h a t t h e r e w a s " n o c o s t a l t e r n a t i v e f o r a b e d . " T h e M i n i s t r y a d d i t i o n a l l y f a i l u r e t o o b t a i n a b e d w i l l r e s u l t i n a n i m m i n e n t d a n g 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i ) . A p p e l l a n t ' s P o s i t i o n T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y w a s i n c o r r e c t h e i r b e d w a s a n u n e x p e c t e d c o s t a s t h e l a n d l o r d i l l e p e r s o n a l b e l o n g i n g s i n t o t h e b a c k a l l e y w h i l e t h e A p T h e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e d i d n o t h a v e a n a u t o m o c o n s e q u e n t l y f o r c e d t o l e a v e a l l t h e i r b e l o n g i n g s i n t e v i c t i o n t h e y h a d t o a b r u p t l y m o v e f r o m t h e i r c u r r e n t E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A I t h e A p p e l l a n t a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r a b e d f o r u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) ( b ) ( i ) o f t h e E A P W D R i s a m s t a n c e s o f t h e A p p e l l a n t o r i s a r e a s o n a b l y s s e s c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s u n d e r t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . e M i n i s t r y t o p r o v i d e c e r t a i n c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s i d i n g t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t r e q u i r e s t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o t e d c o s t a n d t h e r e a r e n o t a l t e r n a t e r e s o u r c e s a i l u r e t o m 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 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 p u r s u a n t t o f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e 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 s t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n 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 e 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 a r e n o 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 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 n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t . a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r t h e m a t t r e s s , t h e M i n i s t r y f t h e E A P W D R h a d n o t b e e n m e t . t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e n e e d e x i s t i n g a c c e s s i b l e o p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e f o r a l o w e r n o t e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t c o n f i r m t h a t t h e e r t o t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s h e a l t h p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n t i n t h e i r f i n d i n g s s t a t i n g t h a t t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f g a l l y e v i c t e d t h e A p p e l l a n t a n d t h r e w t h e i r p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d w e r e a w a y f r o m h o m e . b i l e t o r e t r i e v e t h e i t e m s a n d t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s h e b a c k a l l e y a n d t h a t a s a r e s u l t o f t h e s u d d e n l o c a t i o n t o t h e i r e x i s t i n Q l o c a t i o n w i t h o n l v t h e
c l o t h e s o n t h e i r b a c k . T h e A p p e l l a n t f u r t h e r e d a r g u e d t h a t h e d o e s n o t h a d o e s n o t p e r s o n a l l y h a v e t h e m o n e y t o b u y a b e d a d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e a n d h e s u b m i t t e d a l i s t o f h i s m a r e a l s o n o " f r e e r e s o u r c e s " t o g e t a b e d i n h i s c o m T h e A p p e l l a n t a l s o s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h e f a i l u r e t o o b t a p h y s i c a l h e a l t h s t a t i n g t h a t h e i s o n m e t h a d o n e w h i c s i d e e f f e c t s . T h e A p p e l l a n t n o t e d t h a t h e a l s o s u f f e T h e A p p e l l a n t h a d a m e d i c a l c e rt i f i c a t e t h a t s t a t e d i a g g r a v a t e t h e p a i n r e s u l t i n g f r o m c h r o n i c b a c k p a i n p r a c t i t i o n e r h e w a s s u f f e r i n g f r o m . T h e P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e l a w i s c l e a r t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y m a y p r o v i d e c e r t a i d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e s o l o n g a s t h e i t e m i s a n " u n e x p a p p l i c a n t d o e s n o t h a v e a l t e r n a t e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b T h e l a w a l s o i n c l u d e s a p r o v i s i o n t h a t r e q u i r e s t h a t d a n g e r t o t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s h e a l t h . S e c ti o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) E A P W D R S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f t h e e x p e n s e s . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e l o s s o f h i s a n d h i s l a n d l o r d t a k i n g h i s b e l o n g i n g s f r o m h i s h o m A p p e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t h e w a s a w a r e t h a t h i s h a d n o m e a n s o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t o r e t r i e v e t h e i t e m s a l l e y . T h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e , h o w e v e r , t o s u p p o r t t h a t t h e A t h a t a s a r e s u l t o f h i s e v i c t i o n r e s u l t e d i n h i s b e l o n g i g a v e e v i d e n c e t h a t h e f i l e d a d i s p u t e r e s o l u t i o n w i t h u n e x p e c t e d m o v e t o a n o t h e r t o w n h e w a s u n a b l e t o a n d t h e h e a r i n g w a s s u s p e n d e d . T h e A p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t p r o v i d e e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t r e s i d e n c e a n d t h a t t h e i t e m s i n h i s h o m e w e r e p l a c e s u b s e q u e n t r e q u e s t f o r t h e r e p l a c e m e n t b e d c a n n o t c o s t o r e x p e n s e f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) . S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) a l s o r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t s e a h i m . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e w a s n o " a l t e r n c o s t o f r e p l a c i n g t h e b e d . T h e A p p e l l a n t m a d e i n q u w i t h i n h i s c o m m u n i t y t h a t c o u l d a s s i s t h i m w i t h r e p l a M i n i s t r y , h o w e v e r , w a s n o t s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a e x i s t i n (J a c c e s s i b l e o p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e t o h i m t o p u r c h E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I v e a l t e r n a t i v e r e s o u r c e s t o p u r c h a s e a b e d a n d h e s b o t h t h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h i s g i r l f r i e n d a r e o n o n t h l y e x p e n s e s . T h e A p p e l l a n t n o t e d t h a t t h e r e m u n i t y . i n t h e b e d w i l l r e s u l t i n t h e i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s h c a u s e s b o n e d e t e r i o r a t i o n a n d o t h e r p h y s i c a l r e d a l o w e r d i s c p r o b l e m . t i s " q u i t e p o s s i b l e " t h a t s l e e p i n g o n t h e f l o o r w i l l t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t i n f o r m e d t h e m e d i c a l n c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s t o t h o s e i n d i v i d u a l s o n e c t e d e x p e n s e " o r a n " u n e x p e c t e d c o s t " a n d t h e l e t o t h e m t o c o v e r t h e c o s t o f t h e e x p e n d i t u r e . t h e f a i l u r e t o 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 i m m i n e n t A p p e l l a n t ' s b e d i s a n u n e x p e c t e d c o s t s o r b e d w a s t h e r e s u l t o f b e i n g w r o n g f u l l y e v i c t e d e a n d p l a c i n g t h e m i n t h e b a c k a l l e y . T h e b e l o n g i n g s w e r e l e f t i n t h e b a c k a l l e y b u t . t h a t h e a n d t h e y w e r e c o n s e q u e n t l y l e f t i n t h e b a c k p p e l l a n t w a s e i t h e r e v i c t e d f r o m h i s h o m e o r t h a t n g s b e i n g p l a c e d i n t h e b a c k a l l e y . T h e A p p e l l a n t t h e L a n d l o r d T e n a n c y B r a n c h b u t d u e t o h i s p r o v i d e t h e T e n a n c y B r a n c h w i t h h i s e v i d e n c e h e w a s a b r u p t l y a n d w r o n g f u l l y e v i c t e d f r o m h i s d i n t h e b a c k a l l e y . T h e l o s s o f h i s b e d a n d t h e t h e r e f o r e b e c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s a n u n e x p e c t e d r c h o u t o t h e r r e s o u r c e s t h a t a r e a v a i l a b l e t o t h e a t e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e " t o c o v e r o r a s s i s t i n t h e i r i e s t o d e t e r m i n e i f t h e r e w e r e a n y o r g a n i z a t i o n s c i n g t h e b e d a n d w a s u n s u c c e s s f u l . T h e n t p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e t o c o n f i r m t h e r e w e r e n o a s e a b e d . T h e A n n e l l a n t c l a i m e d h e m a d e
APPEA I attempts to find organizations that might give him a bed but did not provide details as to which organizations he consulted and the purported outcome. The Appellant also argued that he did not personally have additional monies after his monthly living expenses were paid and provided a handwritten detailed monthly living expense sheet and although the Appellant provided a breakdown of his living expenses this in itself does not support his claim that he does not have the personal resources to replace his bed. The Appellant unfortunately did not submit documentation in the form or receipts or previous bills which would otherwise verify he was not able to afford the cost of a new bed. The Panel therefore finds that the Ministry was reasonable in their determination that the replacement of the bed was not an unexpected cost and that the Appellant did not establish that there were no alternate resources available to cover or assist in the cost of replacing his bed pursuant to section 57(1 )(a) of the EAPWDR Section 57(1)(b) EAPWDR The Appellant, however, did not provide the Ministry with any documentation or confirmation that would support the failure to obtain a bed would result in the imminent danger to his physical health pursuant to section 57(1 )(b) of the EAPWDR. The Appellant submitted a medical certificate that stated the Appellant had informed the medical practitioner that he suffers from a history of back problems. The doctor was cautious not to say the Appellant was suffering with a chronic back problem and did not supply the results of any tests that may have been conducted. The practitioner also concluded that sleeping on the floor could quite possibly aggravate the Appellant's condition but again the practitioner did not diagnose the Appellant with a back condition but rather the Appellant informed the practitioner that he had a condition. Given that the practitioner seemingly relied on the Appellant's diagnosis and provided nothing in terms of test results to support the claim it is not certain that the Appellant actually has a back condition or a back condition that would create an imminent danger to his physical health if he was not able to secure a bed. The Appellant did state that his prolonged use of methadone has caused bone deterioration which could conceivably create an imminent danger to his physical health which could conceivably create such a danger, but there is similarly no evidence to support this condition and/or that the failure to obtain a bed would result in such danger as a result of the Appellant's bone deterioration. The Panel finds therefore find the Ministry's determination that that the Appellant was not eligible for a crisis supplement for a bed as he did not satisfy all the eligibility criteria in section 57(1 )(a)(b) of the EAPWDR was reasonably supported by the evidence and confirms the decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
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