The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is meant for people who need financial or employment support due to their disabilities. A person with a disability is defined in the ODSP Act. To fall in this category:

• One needs to have a physical or mental impairment of a chronic or recurrent nature that could last one year or more, 
• The impairment restricts them in their ability to work and carry out essential tasks, and
•        The impairment has been verified by an approved health care professional.

There are two types of ODSP:

1) Income Support

This program helps those in need of financial assistance to meet their expenses, like housing and food. To be eligible, they must be an Ontario resident, 18 years old, meet the program’s disability criteria or be a member of the Prescribed class, and need financial assistance. To be eligible for financial assistance, the household’s basic living expenses must be more than the income and assets.

To apply for this support, they can either apply online, by phone, or in person. Once the application is submitted, a caseworker will contact the applicant and schedule an in-person meeting. During the meeting, the applicant has to sign several documents and consent to disclose and verify the information submitted by them. The decision on the application is delivered to the applicant within 15 days of the meeting.

2) Employment Support

Many people with disabilities can still work and want to earn income. The Employment Support program is meant for such individuals who need assistance in finding or keeping a job, or advance their career. To be eligible for this program, they must be an Ontario resident, 16 years old, be legally allowed to work in Canada, and have a disability that is expected to last at least a year, making it hard to sustain employment.

To apply, they need to print out the “Application for Employment Supports” and the “Verification of Disability/Impairment” forms. The latter form is only required if they aren’t already on the Income Support program.

There are several kinds of employment support, such as job coaching, help in finding work, help in upgrading skills, specialized computer training, transportation assistance, etc. A community service provider helps determine what kind of support someone needs. The ODSP program also helps people start their own businesses.

Legal Help

Sometimes an ODSP application is rejected if the applicant is considered ineligible. Moreover, there are many complexities involved in applying for an ODSP. In case of any legal assistance, the ODSP lawyers in Toronto like diamondlaw.ca are there to offer free consultation and fight for the applicant’s rights.