July 2024

Summary of Policy

For the first three months of a temporary stay in a hospital or substance abuse recovery home (SARH), the budgetary requirements for the member of the benefit unit in the facility shall not be reduced.

After three months, the Director may reduce the budgetary requirements for the member in the facility.

Legislative Authority

Sections 36 (1), (2); 36.1(1),(2) of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Regulation

Summary of Directive

A member of an ODSP benefit unit who is in a hospital or SARH on a temporary basis is eligible for income support while he/she is in the facility.

Hospitals may include general, chronic care, convalescent, psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals.

Income support is determined according to the appropriate budgetary requirements scheme based on the recipient’s principle residence (e.g. basic needs/shelter allowance if the principle residence is owned).

When considering whether it is appropriate to reduce the budgetary requirements for a member after three months in the facility, consideration should be given to the actual cost of maintaining the benefit unit’s community accommodation, as well as other expenses (e.g. monthly payments related to personal debt).

Intent of Policy

To allow recipients and their dependants to maintain their community residence when a member of the benefit unit is temporarily staying in a hospital or SARH.

Application of Policy

First Three Months of a Temporary Stay

Budgetary requirements for the first three months should be determined according to the recipient’s principle residence. For example, if the recipient rents in the community, budgetary requirements for the benefit unit would be basic needs and shelter allowance for the first three months of a stay.

If, during the stay in the hospital, the recipient changes his or her principle residence (e.g., gives up accommodation, changes from renter to boarder or lodger, etc.) the budgetary requirements would reflect the change.

For recipients who do not maintain their community residence while in hospital/SARH, income support is adjusted the month after they cease to maintain their community residence.

Recipients who do not have shelter costs are eligible to receive Basic Needs Allowance.

The first full calendar month that the recipient/dependant is a patient in a hospital or moves into the SARH will count as the first month of a temporary stay. For people who were granted while in a hospital or SARH, the first month of a stay is the month after the month of grant.

Examples

Accommodation StatusBudgetary Requirements prior to Admission

July 2024
Budgetary Requirements
Months 1 to 3

August 2024 - October 2024
Renter - single
(maintains accommodation)
$786 (BN)
up to $582 (Shelter)
$786 (BN)
up to $582 (Shelter)
Renter - couple, 2 dependants (between the ages of 0 and 17)
(maintains accommodation)
$1,134 (BN)
$1,074 (Shelter)
$1,134 (BN)
$1,074 (Shelter)
Boarder - single
(maintains accommodation)
$966 (B/L)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)
$966 (B/L)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)
Boarder - single
(Gives up accommodation in Month 2)
$966 (B/L)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)

Month 1-2 $966 (B/L)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)

Month 3 $786 (BN)

Boarder - couple where both have disabilities, 1 dependant (age 13 - 17)
(maintains accommodation)
$1,923 (B/L)
$162 (child)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)
$1,923 (B/L)
$162 (child)
$71 (Sp. Bd. Allow)
No community residence - single$786 (BN)$786 (BN)
No community residence - couple, 1 dependant (between the ages of 0 and 17)$1,134 (BN)$1,134 (BN)

Stays Longer than Three Months

The regulation provides that the Director may reduce the budgetary requirements of the member after three months in a hospital or SARH, but is not required to do so.

The intent of the policy is to assist recipients with maintaining their community residence when a member of the benefit unit is temporarily hospitalized or moves into a SARH. Therefore, when determining whether budgetary requirements of the hospitalized member should be reduced after three months, consideration should be given to the actual costs of maintaining the community accommodation, as well as expenses related to the hospitalized member. In this regard, income support for the hospitalized member should not be reduced below $149 per month, which is the amount equivalent to a Personal Needs Allowance.

Residents in a Substance Abuse Recovery Home

A designated “Substance Abuse Recovery Program” refers to a residential program where counselling and/or treatment for a substance addiction are provided on-site for less than 6 months, and whose core funding is provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Substance Abuse Recovery Programs, according to the criteria set out above, refer to specific facilities. See Appendix 1 for a list of designated Substance Abuse Recovery Programs.

A recipient shall continue to receive all benefits to which he/she is entitled while in a hospital/recovery home. Recipients should inform the facility of receipt of these benefits to eliminate any duplication.

Hospital/SARH Discharge Procedures

In the month of discharge, recipients are eligible for a full month’s income support based on their accommodation costs and basic needs at the time of discharge.

Recipients who had their budgetary requirements reduced may require assistance with basic needs upon discharge (e.g. food, clothing, etc.). In these circumstances, they may be eligible for a retroactive budget calculation for the previous month(s). Arrears shall be provided on the date of discharge.

Example: Single recipient who is maintaining community residence while in hospital and receiving a shelter allowance of $582 basic needs amount was reduced after three months in hospital to $149. Recipient’s discharge date is September 15, 2024.

July 2024
In Hospital
August 2024
In Hospital
September 2024
Discharged September 15th

Budgetary Requirements:

$582 (shelter)
+
$ 149 (basic needs - reduced)
=
$731

Budgetary Requirements:

$582 (shelter)
+
$149 (basic needs - reduced)
=
$731

Budgetary requirements

$582 (shelter)
+
$786 (basic needs)

=
$1,368

Since budgetary requirements were reduced after the third month in the hospital, the budgetary requirements for August are recalculated based on the discharge date of September 15th 2024.

August retroactive budget calculation:

$582 (shelter)
+
$786 (basic needs)
-
$731 (i.e. income support already received for month of August)
----------
$ 637 (to be generated when recipient is discharged; this amount represents the arrears for the month of September 2024)

Related Directives

6.1 Basic Needs Calculation
8.1 Budgetary requirements for recipients living in residences providing specialized care
11.1 Recovery of Overpayments

Bulletins:

008-2001

Appendix 1

Ministry of Health Level 1 Substance Abuse Recovery Programs:

NameAddressTelephone #Fax #
Breton House91 Breton Rd.
Sault Ste. Marie ON P6B 5T8
(705) 759-4891(705) 759-1874
Northern Regional Recovery Continuum
(was Lakeside Centre)
405 Ramsey Rd.
Sudbury ON P3E 2Z5
(705) 674-4193(705) 674-8002
North Bay Halfway House393 Oak St. W.
North Bay ON P1B 2T2
(705) 472-2873(705) 472-6442
Ken Brown Recovery Home8 Herrick St.
Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 2T4
(705) 942-2244(705) 942-3472
Rockhaven402 Brady St.
Sudbury ON P3B 2P6
(705) 675-1179(705) 671-8069
Crossroads Centre Incorporated499 Lillie St. North
Thunder Bay O. P7C 4Y8
(807) 622-2730(807) 622-7587
3C’s Reintroduction CentreR.R. # 12, 226 Dog Lake Rd.
Thunder Bay ON P7B 5E3
(807) 767-4172(807) 768-9182
Del-Art Manor Recovery Home102 Government Rd.
Keewatin ON P0X 3X1
(807) 547-2125(807) 547-2128
Clarissa Manor Recovery HomeSee Del-Art Manor Recovery Home - info. is the sameSee aboveSee above
G & B House4th Ave. E.
Owen Sound
(519) 376-9495(519) 376-3972
Brentwood Recovery Home2335 Dougall Ave.
Windsor ON N8X 1S9
(519) 253-2441(519) 258-2095
Turning Point Incorporated612 Mornington Ave.
London ON N5Y 3G1
(519) 659-9618 
Quintin Warner House
(Mission Services of London)
477 Queen’s Ave.
London ON N6B 1Y3
(519) 434-8041(519) 343-1956
Arid Group Homes175 Pine St. S.
Thorold ON L2V 3M5
(905) 227-1113(905) 227-1228
 89 Queen Street
Fort Erie ON L2A 1T9
(905) 871-7041 
Halton Recovery House8173 Trafalgar Rd., General Delivery
Hornby ON L0P 1E0
(905) 878-1120(905) 878-1269
Wayside House of Hamilton15 Charlton Ave. W.
Hamilton ON L8P 2B8
(905) 528-8969(905) 528-7057
Womankind Addiction Services Treatment431 Whitney Avenue, Hamilton ON L8S 2H6(905) 521-9591(905) 528-7255
Mission Services Hamilton293 Wellington Street North, Hamilton ON L8L 8E7(905) 528-4211(905) 521-0251
Wayside House of St. Catherines50 Queenston St.
St. Catherines ON L2R 2Y9
(905) 684-9248(905) 684-9249
House of Friendship63 Charles St. E. Kitchener ON N2G 4R3(519) 742-8327(519) 745-2223
Destiny Manor Treatment Centre118 Cochrane St.
Whitby ON L1N 5H8
(905) 668-1858(905) 668-7591
Salvation Army Hope Acres Rehabilitation CentreP.O. Box 100
Lot 31 Concession 8, Mulmer Township
Glencairn ON L0M 1K0
(705) 466-3435(705) 466-3133
Simcoe County Muskoka Parry Sound District Recovery Home
(Seven South Street Recovery Home)
7 South St.
Orillia ON L3V 3T1
(705) 325-3566(705) 325-9355
Ozanam House
(Post Detox Care Facility)
88 Mulock Ave.
Toronto ON M5B 1Z2
(416) 762-4195(416) 762-6518
Alpha House647 Broadview Ave.
Toronto ON M4K 2N9
(416) 469-1700(416) 469-0829
Pedahbun Lodge1330 King St. W.
Toronto ON M6K 1H1
(416) 531-0774(416) 431-6936
St. Michael’s Halfway Houses262 Gerrard St. E.
Toronto ON M5A 2G2
(416) 926-8267(416) 926-8775
Loft Community Services
(Anglican Houses)
205 Richmond St. W., Suite 301
Toronto ON M5V 1V3
(416) 979-1994(416) 979-3028
Transition House162 Madison Ave.
Toronto ON M5R 2E1
(416) 925-4531(416) 928-5304
Salvation Army Harbour Light Central (aka Homestead)1182 Danforth Ave.
Toronto ON M4J 1M3
(416) 363-5496(416) 363-6305
Stonehenge Therapeutic Community Inc.60 Westwood, Guelph ON N1H 7X3(519) 837-1470(519) 837-3232
Billy Buffet’s House of Welcome
(Vanier House of Welcome)
243 Granville St.
Vanier ON K1L 6Z3
(613) 744-3021(613) 744-6178
Maison Fraternité242 Cantin St.
Vanier ON K1L 6T2
(613) 741-2523(613) 741-3264
The Brock Cottage Inc.P.O. Box 1265
Brockville ON K6V 5W2
(613) 342-6415(613) 498-1376
Salvation Army Kingston Harbour Light562 Princess St.
Kingston ON K7L 1C7
(613) 546-2333(613) 546-4699
Mackay Manor Inc.196 Argyle St. S.
Renfrew ON K7V 1T5
(613) 432-4916(613) 432-0903
Addiction Services of Eastern Ontario (was House of Friendship)339 Second St. E.
Cornwall ON K6H 1Y8
(613) 936-9236(613) 936-1917
Empathy House of Recovery360 Sunnyside Ave.
Ottawa ON K1S 0S4
(613) 730-7319(613) 730-1350
Serenity House Inc.103 Leopolds Drive, Ottawa ON K1V 7E2(613) 733-3574(613) 562-4106
Harvest House Ministries3435 Ramsayville Rd.
Gloucester ON K1G 3N2
(613) 822-1158(613) 822-7073
Sobriety House90 First Ave.
P.O. Box 4250, Station E
Ottawa ON K1S 5B3
(613) 233-0828(613) 233-1472
Salvation Army Anchorage175 George St.
Ottawa ON K1N 5W5
(613) 562-1888(613) 241-2818
Vesta Recovery Program for Women
(was James Street Recovery Homes)
101 St. James St.
Ottawa ON K1R 5M2
(613) 233-1780(613) 234-3019