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Ontario Disability Supports Program

The Ontario Disability Support Program helps eligible people with disabilities by providing:

* financial help

This is called Income Support and it helps people with disabilities who are in financial need pay for living expenses, like food and housing.

* help finding a job

This is called Employment Supports and it helps people with disabilities who can and want to work prepare for and find a job.

ODSP Employment Supports provides goods and services to reduce or eliminate disability-related barriers to competitive employment for people with disabilities who meet eligibility criteria. Competitive employment is any full-time, part-time, or contractual employment, or self-employment in which the person receives minimum wage or better.

Who Is Eligible
To be eligible for ODSP Employment Supports, a person must have a physical or mental disability that is expected to last a year or more, and as a result, makes it difficult for them to find or keep a job.

The applicant must also must be:
• willing and able to prepare for, accept or maintain competitive employment
• resident of Ontario and 16 years of age or older
• legally entitled to work in Canada

A person who is already working but experiencing a job crisis or having difficulty maintaining employment because of a disability-related barrier, may be eligible for ODSP Employment Supports.

People who are eligible for, or receiving disability or rehabilitation benefits from the following public or private sources, are not eligible for ODSP Employment Supports:
• Ontario Works
• Canada Pension Plan - Disability benefits (CPP-D)
• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits
• Automobile Insurance Act
• Ministry of Health Drug and Alcohol Recovery Programs
• a private insurance policy

Supports Available
The supports available to help people with disabilities achieve their employment goal include:
• Employment Planning and Preparation activities such as career exploration, specialized assessments (e.g. psychological, work tolerance) and job trials to identify the services and supports clients need to become employed. Employment preparation may also include travel and mobility training, communication skills training (e.g. ASL), remediation for people with learning disabilities, and work adjustment. Employment preparation activities may be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis and generally last about six months. Support coordination and brokerage is also available for people who require assistance in accessing services.
• Employment Skills Training e.g. job skills training (programs/courses that are not eligible for funding under the Ontario Student Assistance Program - OSAP or under the Education Act), unpaid work experiences, on-the-job training with an employer, specialized computer training or instruction on using other adaptive technology. Employment skills training may be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis and last up to one year. Program time limits may be extended where there are exceptional needs.
• Supports to Self-Employment e.g. help to develop a business plan; specialized self-employment development programs; business mentors; tools, equipment and supplies; licenses, certification and permits. (ODSP Employment Supports will not fund such items as the purchase of land/buildings/vehicles; rental of business premises; insurance; legal fees; ongoing transportation costs; employee salaries or loan payments.)
• Training Support Services e.g. tools and equipment, uniforms, books and supplies, tutoring, licenses, Braille or large print materials.
• Assistive Devices and Supplies required for employment e.g. mobility devices, reading and writing aids, hearing aids and TDDs, specialized software and adapted computers (where funding is not available from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, Assistive Devices Program)
• Transportation assistance to attend employment preparation activities, training and job interviews.
• Sign Language Interpreters and Intervenors to help with applications for employment supports, completing employment plans, participate in employment preparation and training, job interviews and time-limited support on the job.
• Job Coaching Services are provided to help people adjust to and learn a new job and attain productivity levels that match other employees. Job coach support usually involves liaison with both the employee and employer. The need for job coaching is expected to diminish over time as the person progresses to independent employment or employment with limited supports.
• Job Maintenance Services may be provided to people with disabilities who require longer-term supports and focus on assisting the employed individual to maintain competitive employment and deal with job crises that may arise. These supports are usually limited to approximately 10% of the time that the person is working (average on a semi-annual or annual basis).
• Job Search Support and Placement to help people with disabilities secure workplace training opportunities and employment.

Employment Plans
All applicants for ODSP Employment Supports will be required to have an individualized employment plan. Service providers in the community are funded to assist people with disabilities to develop these employment plans. ODSP Employment Supports staff may be consulted to provide information and expertise regarding the specialized resources in their community for assisting people with disabilities, for example, use of assessments and diagnostic services in helping to identify disability-related employment barriers. Regional offices will have a list of services and resources for people with disabilities in their communities.

Additional information, including application forms, how to apply and a list of offices, is available on the Ministry of Community, Family and Children\'s Services web site.

Agencies with funding through ODSP can help you find a job, make a career change or keep your job. Please visit the JOIN website at http://www.joininfo.ca/centraleast.