APPFAI JI : PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision being appealed is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "Ministry") May 21, 2014 reconsideration decision in which the Ministry determined that the Appellant was not eligible for a crisis supplement to re-establish her phone service because it determined that: • The requirements of section 57(1 )(a) of the EAPWDR were not met. • The failure to re-establish the phone service will not result in imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit as required by section 57(1) (b)(i) EAPWDR. • The requested amount exceeds the maximum monthly shelter allowance that the Appellant's family unit is eligible for under section 4(2) Schedule A of the EAPWDR. • Phone services are not defined as a utility under section 57(7) of the EAPWDR. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act ("EAPWDA") Section 5. Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation ("EAPWDR") Section 57, Schedule A Sections 4 and 5. EMT 003(10/06/01)
PART E -Su m mary of Fac t s F or i ts reconsidera tion d e ci s i on, t he Ministry had the 1. Informa t i on fr om i ts recor ds that t he Appe l lant: • Has Persons with Disabi l i tie s ( "PWD") d e sig sp o u se an d no dep ende nt c hi ldre n; th at is , a fam • R eceives $1270.5 5 mo nthly assistance, consist • Ha s shelte r cost s of $900 rent pl us u t ilit ie s. 2. Ap pellant 's req ues t for a crisi s supplement to r e conn 3. Ap pellant 's May 6, 20 14 req uest for reconside ratio • In December 20 13 , h er phon e bi ll was p a id in • N e i ther she n or he r spouse rec eive d any money in r e ce i ve d in come ass i sta n ce in March 2014. • B y the tim e t hey caught up on re nt and p urchas • S he an d he r spouse are bot h on v e ry strong does p hone counselin g through a program requiring a subm it ted to the Ministry. • Suic ide is a ve ry str ong side effe ct f r om depression and • I f a m edic al s i tuation ar i se s, th e y would have li ne w i t hout a p hone. • T hey al s o ha v e no v eh i cle so t hey need th eir t o and fr om a ppointm ents. • I f they ar e declined the c r i sis supplemen t, s he • Sh e h as been refe rred to a psyc hiatr i st and with ca ll to get the h e lp s h e desperate ly ne eds. • H er spouse is in imm in ent da nger if the y do not g 4. Bills fro m a p h one provider as follo w s: • O ne dated Ja nuar y 2 4, 2014 i n dica t ing $944 • O ne dated Fe bruary 18, 2014 i n di cating mo nth Mar c h 10 , 2 014. 5. Di sc onne ction N oti ce i ndicat i ng t hat $353.99 w as du 6. L etter d ate d April 2, 2014 from a cou nselor con firming c ounsel ing through a specific community pr o g ram . 7. Lette r dated March 3, 2014 fr om a doc tor s t ating that depressive disorder, in dicating major depr e ssion a nd incl uding deaths in the family and financial difficulties. depressants and is undergoing counseling. She is waitin In her notice of appeal da ted May 30 , 2014, the App as of December 2013. Her work disability was cut off until she can get a psychiatrist. She stated that they received no money for January, February or March so all bills got very far behind. Bec ause t h ere is only on e ps ychiatrist in t appointment. The Appellant wrote that without a phone she will not be able to receive a call when an appointment is avai lab le. The Aooellant also stated that she and her husband both suffer from severe deoression and anxiety, EMT 003(10/06/01) APPFA I # : foll owing evi den ce: nati on and i s a PWD recipient with a d epe nd ent ily un i t of 2 p erson s. ing of $57 0 for sh elte r and $7 00.56 for support. e ct h er p h one s e rvic e. n in w hic h sh e wr ote t ha t: full. January or F ebr uary 2014, and s he only e d some grocerie s , t her e w as no mon e y left. ant idepre s sant s a nd both atte nd coun seli n g; sh e ph one; she refe rred to l etters already t he pills they take. n o way t o get hel p, call 911 or the suici de hot p h one to ma ke ap pointments and a rrange rides fears for their lives. o ut a p h one she will n ot b e abl e to receive th e e t th e h elp o rdered f rom th eir doctor. .19 due by F ebru ary 13, 2 014. ly ch arges o f $ 13 5.9 5 and $5 17.05 due on e on Feb ruary 24 , 2 014. t hat the Appellan t is r e ceiving telephone the Appellant is being trea ted for a major anxi e ty, multiple recent p ersonal s t res so rs The Appellant is being treated with anti g for a consultation with a psyc h iatrist. ella n t wrote that thei r phone b ill was pa i d i n ful l n ap pointment w i th a he are a i t w il l t ake tim e to g et an
and she ha s b e en di ag nosed w ith PTSD. She submitt a s they b oth ha v e s u icidal thoughts, bu t with th eir phone c through it. They do n o t have a vehicl e and li ve in a about 1.5 hours from a major ce n tr e. The Appellant sub phone counseling , but to arrange appointments wit h wrote t hat the Mi nistry de cision did not r eflect t he information that she At the hearing, the Appellant stated that in 2009 her mo passed away, it was a very di fficult time for the Appel lost several fr iend s and two relatives di ed a horr i fy i n have caused h er t o suff e r f ro m P T SD [Pos t Tra u matic Stress Disorder]. the s a me inf ormation as she previously did in her request for The Appellant explained that she is locked into a 3 p hone , int e rn et and p hone l and l ine. Sh e s a id s h e b o nes pl a n for ab o ut $100 a mo nth unti l the to ta l over phone l an d lin e does n o t go to t heir home from the t hey l ive, so a p re -pay cell phone is n ot a n option. She said have to get a package of services thro ugh the s ervice equi p ment and se r vi c es i n th eir ru ral ar ea. T h e A pp the outstan ding bil l t o lo we r the a mount owi n g. The Appellant provided a l ett er dat e d J u ne 1 3, 2 04 f le tter. In th e second l e tt er , he sta ted that a s pa rt o f a this fam ily is d ea l ing with, t hey r e qui re the av ailabi lity P ursuant to se c tion 2 2(4) of t he E mploym ent a nd Assistanc stat ements i n her notice of a pp ea l , h er oral testimo ny be cause t he Pan el f inds t ha t the info rmation prov ided evidence t hat th e M inistry had at r e consid eration. A t the h e arin g, the M i nistr y r e l ied on and reaffirmed The Pan e l mak es the fol low ing findings of fact: 1. The Appellant's family unit is eligible for disability assistance in the amount of $1270.55 monthly assistance, consisting of $570 for shel ter and $70 0.56 2. The Appel lant's actual shelter costs include monthly re 3 . Th e Ap pellant's family u nit h ad n o income i n Janu EMT 003(10/06/01) APPEAL# : ed that the Ministry has put the ir li v e s in danger ou nsel ing, they hav e been a ble to work very rural area a b o u t 35 minu te s from town an d m i tte d t h at they need th ei r phone, not only for doctor s and to arrange rides to get there. She provided. ther died 3 times at her fee t. When she f inally lant. Als o , in the l as t ye ar, t he A p pell ant h a s g dea th. T he Ap pellant said that t hese eve nts T h e Appell ant also provid ed reco n side ration and notice of app e a l. year contra c t with bundled se rvic e s for a cell cannot g e t out of th e c ont r a c t or got to a bare due amo unt is pa id. T h e A p pell an t said that t he ut ili ty poles a nd c ell p hone s do not work wh er e in the rural area where t hey liv e th ey provider they are using t o get th e neces sar y e llant al s o said that sh e w a s abl e to pay part of rom the same do ct o r w ho w ro te the M arch 2014 t r eatmen t pr ogram for some medical i s sues that and re li a b le use of a ho m e phone. e A ct , t he Pan el a dmits the Ap pellant's at the h ea r ing , and the doctor's secon d let ter is cons iste nt wi th an d in sup port of t he i t s reconsid e r ation decision. for support nt of $900 p lus utilities. a r y a nd February 2014.
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 a p p e a l i s w h e t h e r t h e M i n i s t r y r e a 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 t o r e e s t a b l i s h h e r p • T h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e E • T h e f a i l u r e t o r e e s t a b l i s h t h e p h o n e s e r v i c e h e a l 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 a s r e q • T h e r e q u e s t e d a m o u n t e x c e e d s t h e m a x i m u f a m i l y u n i t i s e l i g i b l e f o r u n d e r s e c t i o n 4 ( 2 ) S • P h o n e s e r v i c e s a r e n o t d e f i n e d a s a u t i l i t y u n T h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n o f t h e E A P W D A a p p l i e s t o t h e 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 m a y p r o v i d 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 i t . T h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n s o f t h e E A P W D R a p p l y t o t h e 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 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 c e i f ( 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 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 c t e d l y n e e d e d a n b e c a u s e t h e r 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 ( 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 ( 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 n y p e ( 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 a n d C ( 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 o n l y f o r t h e 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 . ( 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 , s h e l t e r o r ( 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 t m a y b e p ( 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 d ( i i ) t h e m T a b l e 2 o f S c h e d u l e D , a s a p p l i c a b l e , f o r a f a m i l y u n ( 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 e m e n t s t h a m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e a m o u n t c a l c u l a t e d u n d e r s u b s e ( 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 l i c a t i o n o r u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 5 ) i s c a l c u l a t e d b y m u l t i p l y i n g b y h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n 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 u n 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 . ( 7 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n s 4 ( b ) o r ( 5 ) o r b o t h , a s c r i s i s 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 S c h e d u l e A 4 ( 2 ) T h e m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h e s m a l l e r o f ( a ) 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 s , a n d ( b ) t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n t h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e f o r t h e F a m i l y U n i t S i z e M a x i m u m M o n t h l v S E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s n o t h o n e s e r v i c e b e c a u s e : A P W D R w e r e n o t m e t . w i l l n o t 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 p h y s i c a l u i r e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i ) E A P W D R . m m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s c h e d u l e A o f t h e E A P W D R . d e r s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 7 ) o f t h e E A P W D R . A p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n t h i s a p p e a l : e d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r a s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a A p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n t h i s a p p e a l : 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 f o r d i s a b i l i t y 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 u n e x p e c t e d d i s u n a b l 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 i l y u n i t , a n d 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 i n r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t . 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 l i c a t i o n 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 l i m i t a t i o n s : 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 s m a l l e r o f 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 c h e d u l e A o 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 , a n d 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 u n i t i n a y e a r c t i o n ( 6 ) . 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 , t h e a m o u n t 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 o n t h u n d e r 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 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 a f a m i l y t e r ; ( d ) h y d r o . t o w h i c h s e c t i o n 1 4 . 2 o f t h e A c t d o e s n o t a p p l y i s a p p l i c a b l e f a m i l y s i z e : h e l t e r
2 p e r s o n s $ 5 7 0 5 ( 1 ) f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f t h i s s e c t i o n , u t i l i t y c o s t s f o r a f o l l o w i n g c o s t s : ( 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 d i s p o s a l p r o v i d e d b y a c o m p a n y o n a r e g u l a r w e e k r e s i d e n t i a l s i n g l e l i n e t e l e p h o n e . T h e P a rt i e s ' P o s i t i o n s I n i t s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , t h e M i n i s t r y w r o t e t h a r r e a r s o w i n g t o t h e p h o n e p r o v i d e r a n d a l s o , t h e n b e c a u s e t h e A p p e l l a n t a n d h e r s p o u s e h a d n o i n c o m w r o t e t h a t i t w a s u n a b l e t o a s s i s t t h e A p p e l l a n t w i t h s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e o f $ 5 7 0 i s n o t s u f f i c i e n t t o r e e s t a s o h i g h . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e M i n i s t r y c o n s i d e r e d t h e A p e x p e n s e . I t s t a t e d t h a t c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s a r e n o t u s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e w h e n o n g o i n g s h e l t e r c o s t s a r e u A l s o , p h o n e s e r v i c e s a r e n o t c o n s i d e r e d a n e s s e n t i T h e M i n i s t r y f u r t h e r d e t e r m i n e d t h a t i t w a s u n a b l e t o r e e s t a b l i s h h e r p h o n e a c c o u n t b e c a u s e t h e r e w a s p h o n e s e r v i c e w o u l d 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 T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t p h o n e s e r v i c e i s e s s r u r a l a r e a , d o n o t h a v e a v e h i c l e a n d h a v e t o m a i n t a p r o v i d e r s . T h e A p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d t w o l e t t e r s f r o m h e r n e e d f o r a p h o n e . T h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t t o t h e i r h e a l t h w i t h o u t t h e p h o n e b e c a u s e b o t h h a v e d e p r e s s i o n , a n x i e t y a n d s u i c i d a l t h o u g h t s . T h e A p p e p h o n e c o u n s e l i n g s e s s i o n s , t o a r r a n g e d o c t o r a p p o T h e A p p e l l a n t a l s o s t a t e d t h a t w i t h o u t a p h o n e s h e w h o m s h e w a s r e f e r r e d t o a r r a n g e a n a p p o i n t m e n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t e x p l a i n e d t h a t w h e r e t h e y l i v e t h e r e i s l a n d l i n e d o e s n o t e x t e n d f r o m t h e u t i l i t y p o l e s i n t o t p a c k a g e o f s e r v i c e s , w h i c h i n c l u d e d p h o n e , i n t e r n e t c o u l d p r o v i d e t h e n e c e s s a r y e q u i p m e n t a n d s e r v i c e T h e P a n e l ' s F i n d i n g s T h e M i n i s t r y 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 t h e a p p l i c a b l e r e q u i r e m e n t s i n s e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A P W D P a n e l w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e M i n i s t ry d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) . O n t h e o n e h a n d , t h e M i n i s t r y w r o t e t h a t i t p a y a n o u t s t a n d i n g e x p e n s e a n d t h e n e e d t o r e e s t a t h e M i n i s t r y s e e m e d t o q u a l i f y t h a t b y s t a t i n g t h a t i t c e x p e n s e s s u c h a s p h o n e s e r v i c e s o r t o i n c r e a s e t h e a r e u n m a n a q e a b l e o r b e v o n d t h e s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e . E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # � f a m i l y u n i t ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e i n c l u d e o n l y t h e i n g m e a l s ; ( c ) w a t e r ; ( d ) h y d r o ; ( e ) g a r b a g e l y o r b i w e e k l y b a s i s : ( f ) r e n t a l o f o n e b a s i c a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d n o r e s o u r c e s t o p a y t h e e e d t o r e e s t a b l i s h p h o n e s e r v i c e w a s u n e x p e c t e d e f o r 2 m o n t h s . H o w e v e r , t h e M i n i s t r y a l s o r e e s t a b l i s h i n g h e r p h o n e s e r v i c e b e c a u s e h e r b l i s h t h a t s e r v i c e b e c a u s e t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t i s p e l l a n t ' s p h o n e s e r v i c e s t o b e a n o n g o i n g s e d f o r o n g o i n g e x p e n s e s o r t o i n c r e a s e t h e n m a n a g e a b l e o r b e y o n d t h e s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e . a l u t i l i t y . a s s i s t t h e A p p e l l a n t w i t h a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o n o e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e f a i l u r e t o r e e s t a b l i s h t h e e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o f a n y p e r s o n i n h e r f a m i l y u n i t . e n t i a l b e c a u s e s h e a n d h e r h u s b a n d l i v e i n a i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i r c o u n s e l l o r s a n d m e d i c a l h e r d o c t o r t o c o n f i r m h e r m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n a n d b o t h s h e a n d h e r h u s b a n d f a c e i m m i n e n t d a n g e r s e r i o u s h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g s e v e r e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t s h e n e e d s a p h o n e f o r h e r i n t m e n t s , a n d r i d e s t o g e t t o t h o s e a p p o i n t m e n t s . i s u n a b l e t o r e c e i v e a c a l l f r o m t h e p s y c h i a t r i s t t o n o c e l l u l a r p h o n e s e r v i c e a n d t h e t e l e p h o n e h e i r h o u s e . T h e r e f o r e , t h e y h a d t o o b t a i n a a n d t e l e v i s i o n t h r o u g h a s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r w h o s i n t h e i r r u r a l a r e a . A p p e l l a n t , w h o i s d e s i g n a t e d a s a P W D , i f t h e R a r e m e t . I n t h i s c a s e , i t i s n o t c l e a r t o t h e e A p p e l l a n t m e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s i n s e c t i o n a c c e p t e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d n o r e s o u r c e s t o b l i s h p h o n e s e r v i c e w a s u n e x p e c t e d . H o w e v e r , a n n o t u s e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s t o m e e t o n g o i n g s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e w h e n o n g o i n g s h e l t e r c o s t s B a s e d o n t h i s l a t t e r s t a t e m e n t , t h e P a n e l f i n d s
APPEAL# '. that the Ministry determined that the Appellant did not meet the requirements of section 57(1 )(a). With respect to the requirements in section 57(1)(b)(i), the Panel notes that the Appellant described her health conditions, as well as her husband's. Both of them are receiving treatment for those conditions, including counseling. The Appellant also provided two letters from her doctor, one regarding her conditions and the second indicating that as part of their treatment program the Appellant's family needs the reliable use of a home phone. The Panel notes that section 57(1)(b)(i) requires evidence of imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit. The Panel finds that, although the Appellant and her husband both have health conditions requiring medical attention and counselling, the Ministry reasonably determined that the evidence did not establish there is imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit. Regarding the issue of shelter costs and phone services, under section 4 in Schedule A of the EAPWDR, the monthly shelter allowance is defined as the smaller of the family unit's actual shelter costs and the maximum eligible amount for the size of the family unit set out in that section. Section 5 of Schedule A sets out how actual monthly shelter costs are calculated and under section 5(2)(e), utility costs are part of the calculation, as well as rent or mortgage payments. Utility costs are defined in section 5(1) to include rental of one basic residential single-line telephone. Under Schedule A section 4, the Appellant's family unit is eligible for $570 as a monthly shelter allowance. In this case, however, the Panel finds that the Appellant's rent is $900 a month, which exceeds the maximum shelter allowance of $570 provided for in Schedule A section 4. Therefore, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant is not eligible for a crisis supplement for additional funds for shelter costs to re-establish phone services. Under section 57(7), the Ministry may also provide a crisis supplement for fuel for heating, fuel for cooking meals, water or hydro provided that the other requirements in section 57 are met. The Panel notes that phone service is not listed in section 57(7). Therefore, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant is not eligible for a crisis supplement under that provision of the EAPWDR because phone service is not one of the utilities listed and also the other requirements for a supplement were not satisfied. The Panel's Conclusion Having considered all of the evidence and the applicable legislation, the Panel finds that the Ministry reconsideration decision was reasonably supported by the evidence. Therefore, the Panel confirms that decision. EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
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