PART C -De cision under Appeal T h e decision u nder appeal i s the Min is try of Social Development and Social Inno min ist r y) reconsidera ti o n decision dated June 23 , 201 $9,103.42 that h e was not e l igible f or from Sep tember 2012 governme nt as set out in sec t ion 18 of the Empl o yme Act. Th e ministry found that th e appellant res i de d in April 2014 and received a monthly amount greater than th As sistance for P e rsons with Disabilities Regulation, Schedu com f or ts allowance in the amount of $95.00 f or each perso PA RT D -Relevant L eg i s lation Em p l oyment and Ass i s ta n ce fo r Pers ons w ith Di s a b Employm en t and As sistance for Pe rson s wit h D i s a b Se c ti o n 2 4 , a n d Schedule A, i t em 8. Community Living Authority Act (CLAA). EAAT 003( 10/06/01) APPE AL I v ati on's (th e 4 which held tha t the appellant received to April 2 014, and is liable to repay the nt and Assistance for Persons wi th Disabi lities special c are f ac ilities from September 20 12 to at permitted under the Employment and l e A , i tem 8( 1), which p rovides for a n for ea c h c a lendar mon th. i l i ti es Act ( E AP W DA) S ec tion 1 8 . i l i t i es Regu l ati on (E A P WDR ) Sections 1 ( 1 ),
PART E -Summarv of Fa cts With the consent of both parties, the hearing was c 22( 3)(b) o f the E mp l oyme nt a n d Ass i stance Act (EAA T he following e vidence was before the ministry at the time of reco • The appellant is c urrently rec eiving a comfor w it h Di s abi l iti es ( PWD) de signat i on. • A le tt e r from a Health Authority social worker dated August 28 appellant was a resident of a lo n g t e rm forens • The long term fo r ensic psychiatric car e facili und er a n agreeme nt with a ser vice provider th • The mi nistry' s files were not updated whe n the • The appellant's sister was appoint ed his commi • An admit tan ce f orm fr o m an o ther li ce n s ed ca in d i cates t h a t t h e appellant mo v ed t o this f a • T h e a dul t res identi al care facility is app r ov ed un d e r an agre eme nt wi th Commun ity Liv ing • O n Ap r il 9, 201 4 the mi nistry u p dated the a ppe allowance was s et at $95.00 m onthly. • T h e ap pell an t or his comm it tee rec eive d $531 S ep tember 1, 20 1 2 to April 30, 2 01 4. • On May 29, 2014 an o v erp ayment not ifica tion of th e overpay m en t f r om S eptem b e r 1, 2 0 12 o f $9, 10 3. 4 0, was mailed to the appellant. Th (531.42-95.00 ) sup port ove r 20 months, and • The commit te e ke pt the app e lla n t 's be l ongi ngs a ltho ugh h e mo v ed to a long term ca re fac ility her reg ularly to t he s ui te (o n at le a s t 10 0 occ a nd back rubs. • The committe e incurred costs for purchasing passes for the appellant between September 1, 2012 to obtain committee status. EM T003(10/06/01) I APPEA onducted as a written hea ri n g p ursuant t o section ). n s ideration: ts a llowance a s a single pers on with a Persons , 201 2 confirme d that the i c p s y c hiatric care faci lity. t y is a hospital, and does not p r ovide services r ou gh Commun i ty Liv ing BC. appel lant m oved into the lo ng t e rm care f acility. tt e e by way of court order dated Apri l 8, 2013. r e fa cil it y speciali z i ng i n adul t residen tia l care c ili ty on April 7, 2014. by th e minist e r, a nd d oes not p r ov ide servi ces BC. llan t's statu s to long term care, a nd his co mforts .42 monthly sup port from the min is t r y fr om pre pare d b y th e m inistr y outli ning the calculatio n to April 30, 2014 and pr ovidi ng th e total am o unt e overpaym ent con s i s ted o f 436.42 mo nthly $3 75.00 f o r s helte r i n Sep tembe r 201 2. and furni ture i n he r base ment suit e a nd in Au gust, 2 0 12 , the ap pe llant was b rought b y a sion s ) to ea t, have showers , a com f o rta b le be d, food , cigare tte s , toll bridge expe ns e s and bus and April 30, 2014, as well as legal fe es
PART F -Rea s o ns for P an e l D ecis io n The issu e unde r appeal is w h et h er th e mini stry's decis $9,10 3.42 dis abilit y assi sta nce that h e was n ot eligible because he lived in a sp eci al care fa cil it y and the EAPWDR c o mfo r t s ca re allo wance in thes e circ u m stanc es of liable to r epay the government as se t out i n s e ction 18 of the E a p plic a tion of the legi slat ion or re a so nably s up por ted The EAPWDR S e ction(1) d e finitio n s e ction in cl udes "spe cia l care faci lity " mean s a facilit y tha t is a licensed community the Communi ty Ca r e and Assi ste d L iving A ct or a special by the min ister under sub s ection ( 3 ); (3) Fo r t he purposes o f the defin ition of "s pec ia l care speci alized a d ult residentia l care se t ting a pl ace tha and f o r which a l ic ense un der th e Commun i ty C are Th e EAPW DR S ectio n 24 read s: A mo unt of disab ility a ssi st ance 24 Disa b i l ity as si stance may b e p rovide d to or f or a that i s not m o r e than (a) th e a mount de t e rmin e d under S chedule A, min us ( b ) th e family unit's net inco me d et er m i n ed un d er Sche Th e EAPWDR S ched ul e A , item 8 reads: Peopl e r e cei v i n g specia l care 8 ( 1) Fo r a per son with dis abilitie s who r ecei ves acc (ot her than a spe cia l care facility described in s ub s ect to a hospital beca use he or she re q u i res e xtend e d (a) [amount of disability assistance] of thi s regulation is the sum of (a) the actual cost, if any, to the applicant or recipient of the accommodation and care at the rate approved by the minister fo r the type of facility, plus (b) a comforts allowance o f $ 95 for e ach p erson f or (2) If the special care facility under subsection (1) is an alcohol or drug treatment centre, the minister may, in addition, pay either or bo t h of the follow i n g while the applican drug treatment centre: (a) actual shelter costs for the applicant's or recipient's usual place of residence up to the amount und er sec ti on 4 for a f amily uni t matchi n g the applicant's or recipient's fami (b) a monthly support allowance for the applicant's or recipient's family unit, equal to the amount calculated under sections 2 and 3 of this Schedule minus the portion of that allowance that would be provided on account of the applicant or recipient. (3) For a person with disabilities who re ceives accommodat operated bv a service orovider as defined in section 1 of the Communitv Livina Authoritv Act, the EAA T003(10/06/01) A P PEA I ion t h a t determined that the app ell ant r ece ived fo r f rom Septe mber 201 2 to Apr il 201 4 Schedule A, i tem 8 (1) p rovi des a onl y $9 5 . 0 0 p er mo nth, a n d t hat he is ac cordingly A P WDA, was ei t he r a r eason able by the e vidence . the following: care f a cility u nd er ized adul t residen tia l care s ett i n g appro v ed facility", the min ister m a y ap prov e as a t pr o vide s acc ommoda tion a nd c are for ad u lts a n d Assist ed L iv ing Ac t is not requir ed. fami l y unit, for a ca lenda r month, in an amou n t d u le B. ommo d ation an d care i n a spe cial care facility ion (3 )) o r a priv at e hos p ital or who i s adm itted care, the amount referred to in section 24 e ach c a le n d a r month . t or recipien t is in the alcohol or ly u ni t ; ion an d ca re in a specia l car e facili t y
am o unt re ferre d to in secti o n 24 (a) [am o unt of disa (a ) the support allowance that i s a pplicable u nder sections matchi n g t he a pplic a n t's or recipie n t ' s f a m ily un it, plu (b) the m axi m u m shelter allowan ce that is ap plicable matchi n g the a pplic a n t's or recipient's family unit . S e c t io n 18 of the EAPWD A r eads: Ov e r paym en t s 18 (1) If disability assistance, h ards hi p assista nce th at is not eli gible f or i t, reci p i ents who a re members of ove r payment i s provided are liable to repay t o t h e government t ove r payment provided for t hat perio d . (2) T he m ini st e r's dec ision about t h e a mount a person is appealable under secti o n 16(3) [reconsiderat ion and app Mini st ry's po si t ion T h e mini s try arg ues that when the appel lant m o v e d he was no lon ger e n t itle d to the $ 436.42 s upp o rt f o $ 375 . 00 s helter for Sept e m be r 2 0 12. The m inistr y determine d under sched ule A, Se c t ion 2 4 of the E A N ei ther fa ci lity the app ell a n t lived in from Sept ember s pec ial car e f a c i l i ties under EA PW DR Sc hedul e A, under item 8(2) . T he initial f acili ty (August 201 2 resid second fa ci lity (Ap ril 20 14), meets the def i n it ion of a sp EAPWD R, sp e cifically a speci alized adu lt r esidentia i n s ubs e ctio n 3 of the definit ion. The ministry argu e s that item 8(1) of the EAPWDR Schedule A applies, and as there are no additi on a l cos ts b ill ed to t he app el lant o r t h e m inistry beyond the facility's per die a comfort a llow a nce of $95.00 payab le t o t he app ellant. App el lant's po s itio n The appellant's notice of appeal was submitted by the committee, who argues that the appellant re qu ir es more than $95.00 in comfort funds monthl y. Th e committ e e writes that the monies r ec e ived b eyond 2012 through April 2014 were used for the appellant's actual needs, including food and clothing. Th e committee furt her p oints o ut that the appellant's cigarette costs are very high, and because of the stress of his environment, his addiction h as worsened. EAAT 003(10/06/01) I A PP Ei bi lity a ssista n ce] of thi s re gu lat ion is th e sum of 2 a nd 3 of t his Sc h ed ule for a family unit s u nder se ction 4 of this Sch e du le for a fami l y u ni t or a supple m e nt i s p rovid e d to or for a fa m i l y u nit the f a m ily u ni t durin g t h e peri od for w hich the he am ou n t or value of the l i a ble to rep ay unde r subsection (1 ) is not ea l rights]. t o t h e lon g te r m care faci lity on August 28, 2 0 12 , r Se p te m be r 2012 th r ou gh A pril 201 4 or t h e ar gues that the a mount of a ssist ance is PW DR. 2012 through A pril 2 014 wer e d es ignated item 8( 3 ), or a drug or alcoho l tr eatment cen tr e e ntial mov e) is an ext e nded care h ospita l . T he ec ia l care fa cili ty under sectio n 1 of the l care sett ing app roved by th e m ini s te r as deta i led m, item 8(1)(b) s ets t his amount d uring the period September
P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e a p p e l l a n t w a s l i v i n g i n a l o n g t e r m f o r e n s i c p s y A p r i l 2 0 1 4 h e m o v e d t o a l i c e n s e d a d u l t r e s i d e n t i a l b y a C L A A s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r , n o r a r e t h e f a c i l i t i e s a a p p e l l a n t , t h r o u g h h i s a d v o c a t e , a r g u e s t h a t $ 9 5 . 0 0 e x p e n s e s a s a s i n g l e a p p l i c a n t , h e d o e s n o t d i s p u t T h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e o f a d d i t i o n a l c o s t s b i l l e d t o t h d i e m r a t e . T h e p a n e l a c c e p t s t h a t e f f e c t i v e S e p t e m p r o p e r l y a d d r e s s e d u n d e r t h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e A l t h o u g h t h e m i n i s t r y w a s n o t i f i e d o f t h e i n i t i a l m o v a r r a n g e m e n t s , h i s f i l e w a s n o t u p d a t e d i n S e p t e m b s u p p o r t a s s i s t a n c e u n t i l h i s A p r i l 2 0 1 4 m o v e t o t h e c h a n g e d a n d a n o v e r p a y m e n t w a s d e c l a r e d . R e c e t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t t h e m o n i e s w e r e u s e d f o r S e c t i o n 2 7 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A A s t a t e s t h e d e c i s i o n a b o u t a p p e a l a b l e . T h e p a n e l d e t e r m i n e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t h h e w a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r f r o m S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 2 t o A p r a n d t h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e A , i t e m 8 ( 1 ) l i m i t e d h i c o m f o r t s a l l o w a n c e d u r i n g t h i s t i m e f r a m e w a s r e a 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 a p p l i c a b l e e n a c t m e n t T h e r e f o r e t h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A I c h i a t r i c c a r e f a c i l i t y a s o f S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 2 , a n d i n c a r e f a c i l i t y ; n e i t h e r o f t h e s e f a c i l i t i e s a r e o p e r a t e d l c o h o l o r d r u g t r e a t m e n t c e n t r e s . W h i l e t h e a m o n t h i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o m e e t h i s a c t u a l e t h e l i c e n s i n g a r r a n g e m e n t s o f t h e f a c i l i t i e s . e a p p e l l a n t o r t h e m i n i s t r y b e y o n d t h e f a c i l i t i e s ' p e r b e r 2 0 1 2 , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e i s A , i t e m 8 ( 1 ) . e a n d c h a n g e i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s l i v i n g e r 2 0 1 2 a n d h e c o n t i n u e d t o r e c e i v e f u l l d i s a b i l i t y s e c o n d f a c i l i t y , w h e n h i s b e n e f i t e n t i t l e m e n t i p t o f t h e m o n i e s i s a l s o n o t i n d i s p u t e , a l t h o u g h h i s a c t u a l n e e d s , i n c l u d i n g f o o d a n d c l o t h i n g . t h e a m o u n t a p e r s o n i s l i a b l e t o r e p a y i s n o t a t t h e a p p e l l a n t r e c e i v e d d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e t h a t i l 2 0 1 4 b e c a u s e h e l i v e d i n a s p e c i a l c a r e f a c i l i t y s d i r e c t d i s a b i l i t y e n t i t l e m e n t t o a $ 9 5 . 0 0 m o n t h l y o n a b l y s u p p o rt e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e a n d w a s a i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e a p p e l l a n t . .
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.