Council calls for pause to changes to handicapped assistance program

By Rob Vogt
Claresholm town council is calling on the provincial government to immediately pause implementation of recent changes to Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, or AISH, and to undertake meaningful, accessible consultation with stakeholders.
The decision came at town council’s Feb. 9 meeting, after a report from Barbara Bell, manager of Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services.
She said AISH recipients receive $1,940 per month, and the new program will provide $1,740.
Right now, if someone works while on AISH they can earn up to $1,032 per month before it affects their AISH benefit. Under the new program, that drops to $350 before the benefit is clawed back.
“That’s quite a severe change in income for them,” Bell said. “These people with disabilities are already living in poverty.”
She warned the changes will download costs onto municipalities, with increased demand for food banks, housing subsidy programs and other services.
Bell noted AISH will no longer exist, and everyone will be put on the new program called the Alberta Disability Assistance Program.
If they feel this is unjust, they can reapply for AISH. A medical review panel will then determine if they qualify. However, Bell said, no one seems to know who is on the panel or how it will be fairer.
“Our worry is people won’t be able to fight,” she said.
Bell added she is already seeing stress levels increase and the program hasn’t even come out yet. In fact, it won’t come out until July.
She said she is requesting the provincial government put in place how the program will operate and share that with Family and Community Support Services.
“We are the program that’s going to deal with these people on the ground,” she said.
Bell added the provincial government should send representatives to the towns and discuss how this is going to work instead of downloading it on municipal programs.
She asked the provincial government to pause implementation of the program, give more thought to it and include more people before it comes out.
Coun. Kandice Meister said Family and Community Support Services is supposed to be preventative.
“You would think one of the things that would help you do that is to keep this money in these peoples’ pockets,” she said.
Instead, it will cascade into something that won’t benefit anyone.
Bell said they can’t focus on prevention.
“We are dealing with so much red tape now, we can’t keep up,” she said.
Bell added this community has many people on AISH in it, and she feels like she hasn’t seen half the people in need yet.
Coun. Kieth Carlson said he heard on a podcast the provincial government believes this change will create 40,000 employable people.
He noted when he was in business, he had several employees who required these programs.
“I’d be more than happy to advocate on behalf of this program,” he said.
Bell said the provincial government can’t force employers to hire anyone.
“There’s hardly any jobs for the people that are on AISH,” she said.
Bell also noted she knew a person who had three jobs, but they all had to let her go because she does not have the mentality to handle the job.
Council then agreed to have Mayor Brad Schlossberger, on behalf of town council, advocate to the provincial government to immediately pause implementation of the recent changes to Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped and Alberta Disability Assistance program.
Further, council called on the provincial government to undertake meaningful, accessible consultation with persons with disabilities, advocacy organizations, and community partners.
Finally, council will ask the province to publicly report on the social and economic impacts of these changes prior to moving forward.
In addition, council will request a meeting with Jason Nixon, minister of assisted living and social services during the Spring Caucus of Alberta Municipalities.