After you apply – approved or denied

Congratulations, you are eligible to receive ODSP! You will be contacted by a caseworker, who will schedule an appointment with you to develop a plan of how best to help you. You will also be informed of when you can expect your first payment. You will also be required to meet with ODSP staff occasionally while you are receiving support from ODSP.

Based on your financial and health needs, it will be determined which benefits you qualify for. Once you are approved for ODSP you could receive:

• Up to $1,368 per month for a single person without dependents
• Additional benefits such as money for transportation to medical appointments
• Health benefits including prescription drugs and vision care
• Employment support

Other supplemental benefits you may receive

You and your family members may be eligible for additional supports once you are approved for ODSP. Your caseworker will help you determine if you meet the necessary criteria. Some of the possible additional benefits include:

• Prescription drug coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage and glasses
• Mandatory Special Necessities Benefit
• Transportation for medical appointments and treatment
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Nutritional Allowance
• Coverage for assistive devices
• Hearing aids and devices
• Batteries and repairs for mobility devices
• Special Diet Allowance
• Guide Dog benefit
• Health benefits for people leaving ODSP
• Extended Health Benefit (if you are no longer eligible for ODSP but still have high health costs)
• Transitional Health Benefit (if you have a job, don’t qualify for the Extended Health Benefit, and do not receive health benefits from your employer)

For complete details on these additional benefits, you can see the detailed list of the Ontario Disability Support Program health and disability benefits.

You may also be eligible for a Special diet allowance if you have a medical condition that requires you to eat specific foods and that has been confirmed by a health care professional. This allowance can be up to $250 per month.

To Keep Your Information Up-to-Date and Avoid Overpayments

To make sure you are receiving the correct amount you are eligible for, it is important to keep your information up-to-date and report any changes that could impact your eligibility for ODSP. This includes reporting changes such as:

• If you move or there are changes to your living arrangements
• There are changes to the cost of your housing
• There are changes in your family arrangement such as having an additional family member living with you
• You start a job or start attending post-secondary school
• You or one of your family members are admitted to a medical institution such as a hospital or rehabilitation facility
• You or one of your family members is detained in custody
• There is a change in your income
• You or one of your family members will be leaving Ontario for more than 30 days (approximately a month)

Reporting Changes

There are a number of ways you can report changes to your situation to ensure you receive the correct support from ODSP. For each option, you will need your nine-digit member ID, which you will receive when you approved for ODSP and will be on your monthly statements. Your options to report changes include:

• Online through MyBenefits
• By phoning your local ODSP office
• By mailing your local ODSP office

Repaying Overpayments

If you receive an overpayment, you will be responsible for repaying it. If you are still receiving financial assistance from ODSP, deductions will be made from your monthly income support until your overpayment is paid in full. If you are no longer receiving financial assistance from ODSP, arrangements will be made for you to pay back the amount you owe.

Your application to receive ODSP may be denied for a variety of reasons. If you disagree with a decision on your case, you may consider asking for an internal review. If you disagree with the Internal Review decision, you also have the option to appeal the decision to the Social Benefits Tribunal.

Internal Reviews

To request an internal review of your ODSP, you can fill out and submit the Request for Internal Review form. You can choose to write a letter instead, with the following information:

• Your name
• Your member ID number (the number that is on the letter you received from ODSP)
• Your date of birth (day, month, year)
• The reason why you are asking for a review
• If you requesting an internal review because your disability did not qualify under ODSP, include any information you think would help with your request
• Any additional information or documents that you think will help the review.

Please note that this request should be submitted within 30 days of the decision about your case. Otherwise you will need to provide a reason that your request was late that was beyond your control.

Submitting an Internal Review

Once you have completed the Request for Internal Review form, you must mail, fax, or email it to your local office. If you re requesting a review of a decision about your financial eligibility, you can send your completed form or letter to your local ODSP office.

If you are asking for a review of a decision about your disability status, you must send your completed form or letter to the Disability Adjudication Unit at the address below:

Ontario Disability Support Program
Disability Adjudication Unit
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
P.O. Box B18
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1R3
Fax: 416-326-3374

Once you send your request for an Internal Review, you will receive a letter of the results of the Internal Review within 30 days.

Cancelling an Internal Review

You can cancel an internal review at any point before you receive your decision. Please note, if you cancel an Internal Review, you cannot appeal the same decision to the Social Benefits Tribunal at a later date.

If you want to cancel an internal review, you can either fill out the Request for a Withdrawal of Internal Review form or write a letter including the following information:

• Your name
• Request to cancel your Internal Review
• Member ID number (this is the number that is on your benefit statement or the letter you received from ODSP or Ontario Works)
• Date of birth (day, month, year)

If you are cancelling an Internal Review of a financial decision, you can submit your request to your local ODSP office.

If you are cancelling an Internal Review of a decision about your disability status, you must send your completed form or letter to the Disability Adjudication Unit at the address below:

Ontario Disability Support Program
Disability Adjudication Unit
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
P.O. Box B18
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1R3
Fax: 416-326-3374

Appealing to the Social Benefits Tribunal

The Social Benefits Tribunal is separate from the ODSP office and may be able to appeal decisions about your application to receive ODSP. You may be able to request an appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal if you:

• Disagree with a decision made through an Internal Review
• Haven’t received a decision from an Internal Review within 30 days of your request

Not all decisions can be appealed to the Social Benefits Tribunal. To determine if a decision can be appealed to the Social Benefits Tribunal, check the letter you received about the decision from the Internal Review.

Please note, you must request an appeal of a decision made by the Internal Review within 30 days of when you received the decision.

Requesting an Appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal

To request an appeal through the Social Benefits Tribunal, you will need to complete an Appeal Form. You can get an Appeal Form from your local ODSP office or the Social Benefits Tribunal. Once your form is completed, you can mail or fax it to:

Social Benefits Tribunal
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2G6
Fax: 416-326-5135

Appeals to the Social Benefits Tribunal Process

If you request an appeal, the Social Benefits Tribunal will schedule a hearing. During the hearing, you can explain why you disagree with the decision made. A representation from ODSP office that made the decision may be there to explain why the decision was made. A member of the Social Benefits Tribunal will listen to both sides to make a decision.

If you have questions, or need help filling out the form, you can contact the Social Benefits Tribunal.

If you would like advice from a community legal clinic, you can contact Legal Aid Ontario.

Choosing the best option if you are denied

Here are some common reasons that people are denied with advice on the next step to take: