Fair Access to Dentures - Details, Demands and Actions

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!

What is the Ontario government policy on OW/ODSP dentures benefits?

The Ontario Works Act allows municipalities to provide “discretionary benefits,” which includes “the cost of dental services.” Municipalities may provide dental services under two conditions: “to relieve pain or for medical or therapeutic reasons” (i.e., to cover those who have health or medical-based needs), or “for the participant who is actively looking for work and is job ready” (i.e., to cover those whose needs are employment-related).

What is Peterborough’s local policy?

Local policy is much narrower. Only those OW/ODSP recipients who are employable are permitted to receive dentures benefits. For ODSP recipients, this means that you are NOT eligible – regardless of need - if you are unable to work. This is made explicit in the first Guiding Principle for the Peterborough discretionary benefits policy. It states that ODSP recipients must be “pursuing and maintaining employment” in order to be eligible for the $1500, one-time only, denture benefit. And, this benefit is not guaranteed, even for those who meet the eligibility criteria. It is subject to the “discretion” of OW administrator.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS POLICY?

It creates a two-tier benefits system: This policy establishes a two-class benefits system based on whether you are able to work. So, if you are “employable” and on ODSP (or OW) you MIGHT be deemed “deserving” of dentures benefits. If you cannot to work due to disabilities, you cannot receive dentures benefits (even if you need them for medical reasons). This means that only some people who need the benefit can receive it and, ultimately, very few will.

It’s discriminatory: This policy discriminates against persons with disabilities, especially those whose health conditions render them unemployable. It effectively makes ineligible a large core of ODSP recipients who simply cannot work, through no fault of their own. The Ontario Human Rights Code states that it is discriminatory to implement policies and procedures that create barriers to inclusivity. Service providers, like Peterborough Social Services, are named in the code. Like employers, they have a legal obligation, or “duty to accommodate” the needs of persons with disabilities. This means that OW/ODSP service providers must create policy that allows “equal benefit from and participation in services.” In a consultation on October 22nd 2007, community agencies and OW/ODSP recipients challenged the premises of this policy on the grounds of discrimination, and demanded that the municipality restore this benefit for those with health or medical-based needs.

It’s inhumane: Those deemed undeserving of dentures benefits are forced to pay for both the removal and replacement of their teeth using their already inadequate assistance benefits. This effectively forces people to make a hard choice – feed the kids, pay the rent or buy new teeth?

It’s dishonest: The local policy currently assumes that ODSP recipients can afford to pay for their own dentures because they “benefit from a higher asset level than OW clients.” Local policy makers know very well that this is a deceptive claim. Both OW and ODSP levels of assistance are well below the poverty line.

It’s unfair: In narrowing the eligibility criteria in this way, local policy ensures that Peterborough’s poorest citizens have had to pay the price for the last decade of federal and provincial governments who have downloaded costs to municipalities.

PCAP’s DEMANDS TO THE MAYOR’S TASK FORCE ON POVERTY REDUCTION:

Since their election in December 2006, Peterborough Mayor Ayotte and the city council have acknowledged that “poverty is a reality in Peterborough” and have stated their commitment to “put in place a long term, local strategy which attempts to reduce the impact of poverty on our overall social and economic health.” Ayotte himself has stated that “poverty can result in lack of opportunity and choice. People living in poverty cannot keep pace with housing costs, taxes, utilities, food and other expenses. The choice between paying the rent and buying food is one we do not want citizens of our community to have to make.” PCAP is also concerned that people are having to make the choice between buying food and paying for the teeth they use to eat it with!

To reduce poverty, the Mayor has set up a Mayor’s Task Force on Poverty Reduction. Ayotte encouraged “broad community engagement, as we identify community-wide strategies to support change in areas where we can make a difference.”

PCAP is holding Ayotte and the city council to their word. It is urgent that council develop a “strategy to support change” in the lives of people living in poverty.

PCAP demands that the Mayor’s Task Force make the following recommendations to City Council, and make it an urgent priority to lobby council to take immediate action on them!

• Remove the requirement that those eligible for dentures benefits must be “employable” – immediately. This would make the policy fully inclusive, allowing ALL ODSP and OW beneficiaries to be eligible for up to $1500 for dentures, as a one-time benefit.

• Increase the budget for discretionary benefits. There is no limit to the amount of money Peterborough can spend on discretionary benefits, it is merely a question of priorities. Council needs to put the money where its mouth is – reducing poverty requires money. The provincial government will match every dollar the municipality puts into discretionary benefits with four more!

• Accept retroactive applications for discretionary benefits to cover all who have been denied dentures funding while this discriminatory policy has been in place. This includes providing full reimbursement to those who have paid for their own dentures, and approving benefits payments for those who still require dentures.

• Lobby the provincial and federal governments for a bigger piece of the surplus. A recent report shows that the Federal government has “racked up 10 back-to-back surpluses,” resulting in a $96 billion surplus. Provincially the surplus is now at $16.5 billion (and growing). Last year, Ontario alone announced a $2.3 billion surplus. Poor people across Canada, and in Ontario, have funded the growing surplus – we deserve our fair share, and this means rebuilding social programs and refunding the social wage.

• Act in coalition with other Mayor’s Task Forces across Ontario to pressure the provincial government to increase funding for ALL OW/ODSP benefits immediately.

People in Peterborough Directly Affected By This Policy

Sharron is on ODSP and a single mother working at home raising four young children on $1400/month. Due to long-term use of prescription medications for multiple disabilities, Sharron’s teeth deteriorated to the point of crumbling and she developed permanent and painful abscesses. She was unable to eat solid food for several months and survived on a diet of liquids and mashed foods. To relieve the pain, Sharron reluctantly opted to have her remaining six teeth permanently removed from her mouth. She cannot afford dentures, so she applied for discretionary benefits. She was denied. Wanting to remain healthy enough to raise her children, Sharron cobbled together the money to pay for the dentures. In the end, she bore this expense at great cost to herself. She is now living with the debt, and struggling to recoup the $1,634 she paid out to get the teeth she needs. PCAP has joined Sharron in her courageous fightback against this discriminatory and cruel policy.

Paul is on ODSP and has had all of his teeth removed. He applied for discretionary benefits because he requires dentures but cannot afford to pay for them on his monthly disabilities cheque. Paul’s physical and mental health will be negatively affected if he does not have teeth, and yet, his application for benefits was denied by Ontario Works because he is not “employable”. That is, because of his disabilities, Paul’s doctor has ordered him to stop working. The director of social services, Pat Knapp will not help him, though under the OW Act she has the discretion to do so in special cases. She has directed him to appeal
to City Hall. He has done so through numerous letters to all members of City Council and the Mayor, but was offered no help. His need is urgent as he has not had teeth since September. He is appealing to the Social Services Tribunal under the Human Rights code and, if this fails, will pursue this case at the Ontario Human Rights Commission. PCAP supports Paul and is joining him in his struggle to attain this most basic benefit.

Do ODSP recipients need access to dentures benefits? You do the math!

Single person: $18, 147 Poverty line, 2006
Single person, ODSP $11,988 (or $999/month, before taxes)
- 6,159 (below poverty line)
- 1,500 (dentures)
- 7,659 (even further below poverty line)

3 person household $27,773 Poverty line, 2006
Single parent, 2 children $25,692 (or $2,141/month, July 2008)
- 2,081 (below poverty line)
- 1,500 (dentures)
- 3,581 (even further below poverty line)

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

1. Write to Paul Ayotte and all Councillors urging them to support PCAP’s core demands:

• EXPAND eligibility criteria for ODSP and OW now!
• INCREASE benefits budget now!
• IMPLEMENT retroactive benefits coverage now!
• LOBBY governments for OW/ODSP increase – 40% now!

Contacts:
Paul Ayotte, Mayor
e-mail: mayor@city.peterborough.on.ca (cc PCAP: pcap@riseup.net)

J. Douglas Peacock, Chair of Social Services
e-mail: dpeacock@city.peterborough.on.ca (cc PCAP: pcap@riseup.net)

Henry Clarke, Deputy Mayor, Chair of Finance
e-mail: hclarke@city.peterborough.on.ca (cc PCAP: pcap@riseup.net)

2. If you are able, please SEND A DONATION. This money will go directly to the fundraising campaign for Sharron, to recover her dentures costs. No donation is too big or too small! Every dollar donated will be immediately forward to Sharron.

Please make cheques payable to:
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (“Dentures Campaign”).
393 Water Street, Unit 17, Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 3L7 (send or deliver).