Are you on welfare or disability? Have you heard of SPECIAL DIET MONEY? You could get extra money through the special diet allowance for you and your family! PCAP can help – register for our special diet clinic now!
The special diet benefit is a government provision that allows people on welfare and disability to receive funds for dietary needs when prescribed by a nurse or doctor. PCAP is an anti poverty organization that fights the government for what poor people need. We are NOT part of welfare and get no funding from the government.
PCAP is organizing a SPECIAL DIET CLINIC IN PETERBOROUGH on Friday October 19th from 12:00 – 3:00. A free meal will be served at Noon. We can assist with child care and transportation to the clinic – let us know ahead of time. You MUST PRE-REGISTER for this clinic.
Health professionals will be available to fill out the special diet forms for OW and ODSP recipients who have pre-registered. FIFTY SPOTS are being made available on a first come - first served basis. The fifty spots include children as well as adults so you should register as soon as possible if you want to ensure that you get a spot. TO PRE-REGISTER CONTACT SARAH AT PCAP@RISEUP.NET OR 749-9694 and leave your name along with the best way that we can reach you – phone number, email, address, usual hang out spots.
You must register yourself and every child in your family who you will be bringing with you to be assessed. Once registered, PCAP will give you the clinic's location. Only those who have pre-registered will be able to see a health professional. So please, don't invite relatives and friends to tag along. If they haven't pre-registered, there is absolutely NO chance that they will be seen.
But remember, attending the clinic is no guarantee that you will qualify for the maximum $250 Special Diet Allowance. Because of the strict criteria, the $250 maximum is hard to get and most people will probably qualify for less and some may not qualify for anything. THE CLINIC CAN GIVE NO ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE OF MONEY AT ALL. Nonetheless, the medical providers will do everything they can under the new regulations to get people money.
You will need to REQUEST A SPECIAL DIET FORM FROM YOUR WORKER for every member of your family attending the clinic and bring it with you on October 19th – only original forms are valid as photocopied forms are not accepted by the OW/ODSP office. Without this form, your application will NOT be accepted by Social Services. Your worker MUST give you a form if you ask for one.
We recommend that you bring along your health card and any copies of previous special diet forms that you have submitted to social services – this is only a recommendation as these items are not required to be seen by a health care provider at the clinic. A note for parents – your kids do not need to be physically present at the clinic as long as you have their medical history.
Contact PCAP for more info: pcap@riseup.net, (705) 749-9694
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Appeal for Support and More Info on Special Diet Clinics
The McGuinty Government cut the Special Diet Policy under which huge numbers were obtaining relief from poverty and hunger. The Liberals introduced a new policy, determined to shut down the OCAP initiated community clinics where thousands of poor people were obtaining the $250 a month the policy entitled them to. Over $40 million extra was paid out through the special diet to people on welfare and disability. Several months after the cut, the Liberal government raised over all assistance rates by 2%. With an additional 3% raise, this is still 35% short of what it would take for rates to be brought up to what they were before the Harris Government cuts.
In the year since the cut took place huge numbers of people have been robbed of the income they needed to eat properly and provide for their children. But the Special Diet Campaign has created a new sense of entitlement and a new feeling of hope for people which the government can't cut or revise. People are simply not ready to go back to the old choice between eating properly and paying the rent. Hundreds of poor people joined the fight for the right to decent income and Doctor’s offices and health centres have seen an ongoing flow of patients on welfare seeking any help they and their families might obtain under the food allowance. This initiative by poor people enabled progressive health providers to understand that the new Special Diet form, while it made things much harder, did not totally prevent the Policy from being used as a tool to protect the health of low income patients.
As soon as Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) came to the conclusion that Special Diet clinics were still an option, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty enthusiastically started running them again. In October 2006 Round II of special diet clinics began. These special diet clinics are being organized under strict government regulations designed to block access to this money. The government failed.
Under ROUND II, thousands more people have since gone through the clinics. Some Welfare and ODSP offices have responded by trying to cheat people out of benefits
their own rules say should be available. Just as in 2005, we are having to confront the welfare bureaucracy and its political controllers to ensure that this abuse is prevented.
We face a government reaching the end of its term that has raised assistance rates by just 5% - an insulting fraction of what it would take for rates to be livable. We face government at each level that intentionally deny people the means to get by. But the government faces communities that refuse to go back to the old choices between dignity or rent. They face people who have joined the fight for a decent income, who are demanding it from their welfare workers, their city councillors and their MPPs. They face people willing to fight for what they deserve.
We are faced right now, as we have been for more than a decade, with 760,000 people living on welfare and disability; hungry, unable to get by on assistance with a government that refuses to raise overall assistance rates by any meaningful amount. In this context the special diet allows people money to provide for themselves. It also begins the recovery of the 40% we are owed by the government.
We are doing all we can to push back the limits of hunger and poverty. This is a Government that willfully inflicts misery and suffering on poor communities. It is a Government that needs to be fought.
We are appealing to all our allies to support us in this fight and to help us achieve as much as we possibly can through our present round of community clinics.
➢ If you are a health provider, contribute your time and skills to help out at a Special Diet Clinic.
➢ If you are a community agency or grassroots organization, endorse the special diet campaign
➢ If you can, contribute cash to help us ensure low income people can attend our clinics
➢ When welfare officialdom tries to deny people their legitimate benefits, we need to put pressure on them, through call-ins and public delegations. If you can help with this activity, let us know.
Contact PCAP at pcap@riseup.net or (705) 749-9694
Peterborough Organizations that Endorse the Special Diet Campaign:
Ontario Public Interest Research Group, Peterborough
PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network
Peterborough Coalition for Social Justice
Peterborough Social Planning Council
United Way of Peterborough and District
YWCA of Peterborough, Victoria and Haliburton
The Peterborough Board of Health and the Toronto Board of Health, along with many professional health organizations have also passed resolutions that support the campaign. Despite provincial cutbacks to the allowance, the campaign has been very successful, receiving much favorable media coverage.
Related Links of Interest:
http://ocap.ca/taxonomy/term/44
http://dawn.thot.net/special_diet_supplement.html
http://www.odspaction.ca/~new/drupal/node/37
http://www.rnao.org/Page.asp?PageID=122&ContentID=1482&SiteNodeID=327
http://peterboroughcoalitionagainstpoverty.blogspot.com/
In the year since the cut took place huge numbers of people have been robbed of the income they needed to eat properly and provide for their children. But the Special Diet Campaign has created a new sense of entitlement and a new feeling of hope for people which the government can't cut or revise. People are simply not ready to go back to the old choice between eating properly and paying the rent. Hundreds of poor people joined the fight for the right to decent income and Doctor’s offices and health centres have seen an ongoing flow of patients on welfare seeking any help they and their families might obtain under the food allowance. This initiative by poor people enabled progressive health providers to understand that the new Special Diet form, while it made things much harder, did not totally prevent the Policy from being used as a tool to protect the health of low income patients.
As soon as Health Providers Against Poverty (HPAP) came to the conclusion that Special Diet clinics were still an option, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty enthusiastically started running them again. In October 2006 Round II of special diet clinics began. These special diet clinics are being organized under strict government regulations designed to block access to this money. The government failed.
Under ROUND II, thousands more people have since gone through the clinics. Some Welfare and ODSP offices have responded by trying to cheat people out of benefits
their own rules say should be available. Just as in 2005, we are having to confront the welfare bureaucracy and its political controllers to ensure that this abuse is prevented.
We face a government reaching the end of its term that has raised assistance rates by just 5% - an insulting fraction of what it would take for rates to be livable. We face government at each level that intentionally deny people the means to get by. But the government faces communities that refuse to go back to the old choices between dignity or rent. They face people who have joined the fight for a decent income, who are demanding it from their welfare workers, their city councillors and their MPPs. They face people willing to fight for what they deserve.
We are faced right now, as we have been for more than a decade, with 760,000 people living on welfare and disability; hungry, unable to get by on assistance with a government that refuses to raise overall assistance rates by any meaningful amount. In this context the special diet allows people money to provide for themselves. It also begins the recovery of the 40% we are owed by the government.
We are doing all we can to push back the limits of hunger and poverty. This is a Government that willfully inflicts misery and suffering on poor communities. It is a Government that needs to be fought.
We are appealing to all our allies to support us in this fight and to help us achieve as much as we possibly can through our present round of community clinics.
➢ If you are a health provider, contribute your time and skills to help out at a Special Diet Clinic.
➢ If you are a community agency or grassroots organization, endorse the special diet campaign
➢ If you can, contribute cash to help us ensure low income people can attend our clinics
➢ When welfare officialdom tries to deny people their legitimate benefits, we need to put pressure on them, through call-ins and public delegations. If you can help with this activity, let us know.
Contact PCAP at pcap@riseup.net or (705) 749-9694
Peterborough Organizations that Endorse the Special Diet Campaign:
Ontario Public Interest Research Group, Peterborough
PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network
Peterborough Coalition for Social Justice
Peterborough Social Planning Council
United Way of Peterborough and District
YWCA of Peterborough, Victoria and Haliburton
The Peterborough Board of Health and the Toronto Board of Health, along with many professional health organizations have also passed resolutions that support the campaign. Despite provincial cutbacks to the allowance, the campaign has been very successful, receiving much favorable media coverage.
Related Links of Interest:
http://ocap.ca/taxonomy/term/44
http://dawn.thot.net/special_diet_supplement.html
http://www.odspaction.ca/~new/drupal/node/37
http://www.rnao.org/Page.asp?PageID=122&ContentID=1482&SiteNodeID=327
http://peterboroughcoalitionagainstpoverty.blogspot.com/
How to Apply for Special Diet Money Without Attending the PCAP Clinic
WHAT IS THE SPECIAL DIET?
The special diet is $$ from the government for people on welfare or disability - you can get this money if a qualified health care provider says you need it. New regulations brought in by the Ontario Liberal government in November 2006 made the special diet very hard to get. In the last year thousands and thousands of people who were on the special diet lost all or most of their money under the new rules. The policy was changed after the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and allied groups started telling people how to get the special diet and signing people up. Thousands and thousands of people then received the special diet and were finally able to survive. The government brought these changes in to stop us from getting the money we deserve for ourselves and our children. There are still ways to get money through the special diet. To find out how read on. Every time we get special diet money we are taking from the government some of what they owe the 760,000 people on assistance in Ontario. Every time we get the special diet money we have to be ready to fight for that money.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SPECIAL DIET MONEY WITHOUT ATTENDING A CLINIC:
Has your special diet allowance been cut? Have you seen the new forms and don't think you qualify for any extra money? Can't find a health professional that understands the impact of poverty on people's health and is willing to take the time to fill out the forms correctly? Didn’t register in time to make it to the Peterborough clinic? Don't despair. YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE MONEY THAN YOU THINK. It's a matter of finding a health provider that understands how to interpret the new forms so you get the money you deserve.
Ask your worker for a special diet application form for you and each adult and child in your family. Your worker must give you these forms if you ask. Read through the conditions listed below and think about whether any of them apply to you. Contact PCAP to get a tip-sheet for your health care provider to help them complete your form. The tip-sheet was compiled by Health Providers Against Poverty and it provides specific directions about how to successfully complete the special diet forms. Bring the tip-sheet and your application form for health care providers to a good doctor/nurse practioner/dietician. Ask the doctor to carefully go through the form with you. Explain to the doctor how much you and your family receive on social assistance. Your doctor will need to check each box that applies to you and your family. Bring the completed forms to your worker. Make and keep a copy of your special diet forms and the date you handed them in. You should get your special diet money by the end of the month or within several weeks. IF YOU ARE DENIED CALL PCAP at 749-9694.
These are very COMMON CONDITIONS you can get special diet $ for:
- Constipation: $10 lots of people have this problem.
- Allergies (egg, wheat, soya) Think hard about any problems any of you may have after eating any of these things. Lots of people have allergies and don’t know it.
- Lactose intolerant: between $35 and $97. Very common problem among both children and adults there is no test for lactose intolerance
- High Cholesterol: $32 common among adults
- Chewing, teeth problems. $25 with a one time $75 to get a blender. If you have teeth or jaw problems that effect your chewing, this is for you. This includes children with baby teeth falling out.
- Blood pressure: $32 common among adults
- Anemia: $32 common in women and children
-Diabetes: $42. Lots of people develop this and have symptoms for a while before they get diagnosed.
The following HEALTH PROFESSIONALS can complete the Special Diet Allowance application form for you:
-Physician who is registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
-Registered Nurse in the Extended Class - RN(EC) who is registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario
-Registered Dietician who is registered with the College of Dieticians of Ontario
-Registered Midwife who is registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario or Traditional Aboriginal Midwife recognized and accredited by his or her Aboriginal community (Midwifes may only confirm that a special diet is required for the following medical conditions: Inadequate lactation to sustain breast feeding diet or breast-feeding is contraindicated, and for the Pregnancy Nutritional Allowance)
The special diet is $$ from the government for people on welfare or disability - you can get this money if a qualified health care provider says you need it. New regulations brought in by the Ontario Liberal government in November 2006 made the special diet very hard to get. In the last year thousands and thousands of people who were on the special diet lost all or most of their money under the new rules. The policy was changed after the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and allied groups started telling people how to get the special diet and signing people up. Thousands and thousands of people then received the special diet and were finally able to survive. The government brought these changes in to stop us from getting the money we deserve for ourselves and our children. There are still ways to get money through the special diet. To find out how read on. Every time we get special diet money we are taking from the government some of what they owe the 760,000 people on assistance in Ontario. Every time we get the special diet money we have to be ready to fight for that money.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SPECIAL DIET MONEY WITHOUT ATTENDING A CLINIC:
Has your special diet allowance been cut? Have you seen the new forms and don't think you qualify for any extra money? Can't find a health professional that understands the impact of poverty on people's health and is willing to take the time to fill out the forms correctly? Didn’t register in time to make it to the Peterborough clinic? Don't despair. YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE MONEY THAN YOU THINK. It's a matter of finding a health provider that understands how to interpret the new forms so you get the money you deserve.
Ask your worker for a special diet application form for you and each adult and child in your family. Your worker must give you these forms if you ask. Read through the conditions listed below and think about whether any of them apply to you. Contact PCAP to get a tip-sheet for your health care provider to help them complete your form. The tip-sheet was compiled by Health Providers Against Poverty and it provides specific directions about how to successfully complete the special diet forms. Bring the tip-sheet and your application form for health care providers to a good doctor/nurse practioner/dietician. Ask the doctor to carefully go through the form with you. Explain to the doctor how much you and your family receive on social assistance. Your doctor will need to check each box that applies to you and your family. Bring the completed forms to your worker. Make and keep a copy of your special diet forms and the date you handed them in. You should get your special diet money by the end of the month or within several weeks. IF YOU ARE DENIED CALL PCAP at 749-9694.
These are very COMMON CONDITIONS you can get special diet $ for:
- Constipation: $10 lots of people have this problem.
- Allergies (egg, wheat, soya) Think hard about any problems any of you may have after eating any of these things. Lots of people have allergies and don’t know it.
- Lactose intolerant: between $35 and $97. Very common problem among both children and adults there is no test for lactose intolerance
- High Cholesterol: $32 common among adults
- Chewing, teeth problems. $25 with a one time $75 to get a blender. If you have teeth or jaw problems that effect your chewing, this is for you. This includes children with baby teeth falling out.
- Blood pressure: $32 common among adults
- Anemia: $32 common in women and children
-Diabetes: $42. Lots of people develop this and have symptoms for a while before they get diagnosed.
The following HEALTH PROFESSIONALS can complete the Special Diet Allowance application form for you:
-Physician who is registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
-Registered Nurse in the Extended Class - RN(EC) who is registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario
-Registered Dietician who is registered with the College of Dieticians of Ontario
-Registered Midwife who is registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario or Traditional Aboriginal Midwife recognized and accredited by his or her Aboriginal community (Midwifes may only confirm that a special diet is required for the following medical conditions: Inadequate lactation to sustain breast feeding diet or breast-feeding is contraindicated, and for the Pregnancy Nutritional Allowance)
Friday, September 28, 2007
Advocacy and Support
PCAP is not a charity or a political party. We don’t work for profit and we have no paid staff. PCAP is a direct action anti-poverty group made up of poor people and their allies. We believe in the power of people to organize themselves in struggle. PCAP mounts campaigns against regressive government policies that affect poor, homeless and working communities. We also provide free advocacy for individuals and families.
People call PCAP when they are under attack, whether it is by their landlord, their boss or the welfare office. We combine normal channels of advocacy with direct action to help individuals and families who are being wronged. We are able to help people claim what is rightfully theirs and get the benefits they are entitled to. People call us because they know that our tactics get results – we fight to win!
We can help with problems related to:
Ø Housing / Eviction / Homelessness
Ø Hydro and Heat Arrears and Cut-offs
Ø Ontario Works (OW)
Ø Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Ø Social Services and Agencies (food banks, shelters, etc.)
Ø Police Brutality, Harassment and Misconduct
Ø Panhandling rights, Safe Streets Act, Municipal tickets
Ø CAS
Ø Other Cases of Poor-bashing
PCAP opposes all systems of violence and oppression that are connected to poverty and works in solidarity with other resistance movements fighting for justice and dignity.
Contact our office if you need advocacy or support. The PCAP office is open Monday to Friday, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., and is located at Unit #17 - 393 Water St. We regret that our office is up a flight of stairs. You can also reach us by phone at (705)749-9694 or by email at pcap@riseup.net
If there are important issues affecting you or your community, PCAP can help organize support and take action.
The office has many resources on housing issues, legal rights, welfare and disability.
People call PCAP when they are under attack, whether it is by their landlord, their boss or the welfare office. We combine normal channels of advocacy with direct action to help individuals and families who are being wronged. We are able to help people claim what is rightfully theirs and get the benefits they are entitled to. People call us because they know that our tactics get results – we fight to win!
We can help with problems related to:
Ø Housing / Eviction / Homelessness
Ø Hydro and Heat Arrears and Cut-offs
Ø Ontario Works (OW)
Ø Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Ø Social Services and Agencies (food banks, shelters, etc.)
Ø Police Brutality, Harassment and Misconduct
Ø Panhandling rights, Safe Streets Act, Municipal tickets
Ø CAS
Ø Other Cases of Poor-bashing
PCAP opposes all systems of violence and oppression that are connected to poverty and works in solidarity with other resistance movements fighting for justice and dignity.
Contact our office if you need advocacy or support. The PCAP office is open Monday to Friday, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., and is located at Unit #17 - 393 Water St. We regret that our office is up a flight of stairs. You can also reach us by phone at (705)749-9694 or by email at pcap@riseup.net
If there are important issues affecting you or your community, PCAP can help organize support and take action.
The office has many resources on housing issues, legal rights, welfare and disability.
October General Meeting
***
Monthly General Meeting
Wednesday October 10th, 7pm
At the PCAP office (#17 - 393 Water St)
ALL ARE WELCOME
***
Our General Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at 7pm. We meet at our office at #17 - 393 Water Street.
We can provide childcare and help with transportation if you give us a call ahead of time.
Unfortunately, our office space is not accessible at this time (up a flight of stairs).
General Meetings are a great way to learn more about PCAP and how to get involved. It is your chance to hear about recent and upcoming events and to provide organizers with input and direction.
Monthly General Meeting
Wednesday October 10th, 7pm
At the PCAP office (#17 - 393 Water St)
ALL ARE WELCOME
***
Our General Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at 7pm. We meet at our office at #17 - 393 Water Street.
We can provide childcare and help with transportation if you give us a call ahead of time.
Unfortunately, our office space is not accessible at this time (up a flight of stairs).
General Meetings are a great way to learn more about PCAP and how to get involved. It is your chance to hear about recent and upcoming events and to provide organizers with input and direction.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Anti-Poverty Day of Action Video!
In the run-up to the September 26th Day of Action against poverty, and the October 10th provincial election, Toronto Anti-Poverty (TAP) has just released a video outlining its demands.
If you want to go with PCAP to Queen's Park on September 26th, see below or contact us: pcap@riseup.net or 749-9694
If you want to go with PCAP to Queen's Park on September 26th, see below or contact us: pcap@riseup.net or 749-9694
Friday, September 7, 2007
Donate Online to PCAP Today!
Support PCAP and Anti-Poverty Organizing in Peterberough: Donate Online Today - It's Easy!
1) Go To: http://paypal.com
2) Click 'Send Money'
3) Fill Out the Form and Choose CAD for the Currency Option
4) Click 'Continue' and Proceed as Instructed by PAYPAL
5) PAYPAL will automatically send you a receipt
1) Go To: http://paypal.com
2) Click 'Send Money'
3) Fill Out the Form and Choose CAD for the Currency Option
4) Click 'Continue' and Proceed as Instructed by PAYPAL
5) PAYPAL will automatically send you a receipt
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