Social Service or Survival?

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By Keisha McLean, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE: Disability, Resource, Referral, Vulnerable Adult Outreach & Support

 

 

The Black Panther Party, during the Civil Rights Movement, coined the term “Survival Programs Pending the Revolution.” They recognized that what others may consider social service, are
efforts that would not be needed should government and community systems work to meet the needs of their population. 41 years after the Party dissolved, in a small city in Canada, we are confronted with the same barriers for our community members: food insecurity, housing insecurity, inequitable access to health care, racism and classism, and of course, poverty. As Community Advocates, we recognize that one of our primary objectives is to support people in navigating complex systems, which means we must become incredibly knowledgeable in said systems.

An overwhelming phrase we hear is “These forms and systems are just so confusing, I’m so happy to have someone help me with the process.” To be perfectly clear, these systems we are
supporting people with are publicly accessed programs like Canadian Pension Plan, Persons with Disability, EI, Health Care, Mental Health care, Substance Use supports… etc. Programs
and systems that are supposed to support folks experiencing barriers and vulnerabilities become so complex that we then need to create a new program just in order to access these systems. It begs a simple question… why?

Through my work supporting individuals in the vulnerable adult sector, I see a reoccurring theme… the systems just aren’t set up to support the people they are supposedly built for. This
leaves the burden of systemic flaws on the shoulders of roots-based organizations, underfunded nonprofits, and overworked front line employees. The common theme is this: it’s not
sustainable.

In 2016, 20.6% of Black Canadians reported living in housing below standards, which means their housing costs more than they can afford, and/or is crowded, and/or requires major repairs. 7.7% of White Canadians reported living in housing below standards. Among Black Canadians: 12.9% were living in crowded conditions (compared to 1.1% of White
Canadians)
8.4% were living in homes in need of major repairs (compared to 6.2% of White Canadians)
28.6% were living in unaffordable housing (compared to 16.1% among White Canadians)

Between 2009 and 2012, Black Canadians reported moderate or severe household food insecurity 2.8 times more often than White Canadians. Black Canadian youth aged 12-17
reported moderate or severe household food insecurity 3.0 times more often than White Canadian youth

SOURCE:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health/social-determinants-inequities-black-canadians-snapshot.html

In 2021, over one in six Indigenous people (17.1%) lived in crowded housing that was considered not suitable for the number of people who lived there.
In 2021, 16.4% of Indigenous people lived in a dwelling that was in need of major repairs.

SOURCE:
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/98-200-X/2021007/98-200-X2021007-eng.cfm

These quick stats provide some context – how do we help people navigate systems that are inherently built to continue the status quo of marginalization? I provide outreach services to
folks experiencing housing insecurity, as well as in supportive housing facilities. Through this work, I support a lot of individuals who engage in substance use. Weekly, I hear a number of
folks expressing severe physical health concerns: open wounds, extreme mobility limitations, broken or sprained limbs, the list goes on. The next logical step is to encourage an ER visit or,
at the very least, an appointment with their GP. While the majority of people in my community don’t have access to primary care, we are left with ER or Urgent Care. And when these
concepts are presented, the people I support immediately coil at the idea of entering a clinical environment that they feel will immediately discriminate against them because of their
substance use.

“In many settings, PWID (People who inject drugs) face barriers to accessing health and social services at multiple levels, with some difficulties attributed to their distinct health conditions.
These include: early HCV treatment guidelines which exclude PWID (Kensington, 1997); clinicians who withhold antiretroviral therapy (ART) from HIV-infected PWID (Westergaard et al.,
2012) or regard substance use or HIV-HCV co-infection as a challenge (Kamarulzaman and Altice, 2015 and Grebely and Tyndall, 2011); addiction treatment which limits access for people
with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders (el-Guebaly, 2004); exposure to correctional facilities which disrupt access to evidence-based care (Milloy et al., 2014); and
social and structural barriers such as stigma and discrimination, lack of housing, and fear of criminalization (Harris and Rhodes, 2013, Krusi et al., 2010, Neale et al., 2008, Treloar
et al., 2013 and Wolfe et al., 2010).”

SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5086265/

Simply put: People who use substance experience a great deal of barriers and discrimination navigating healthcare systems simply because they use substance. In my role, I support individuals spanning from straight white men who find paperwork overwhelming, all the way to 2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC with severe mental illness, physical illness and substance use. What all the people on my caseload find common ground on is that they all experience low income & poverty, and a great deal of suffering at the hands of corrupt systems.

At some point very soon, we need to come to terms with the idea that band-aid services are not the solution… but, as the Panther’s had it in the 60’s-80’s, they are simply survival programs
pending the revolution of new and just services for all people.

Overcoming barriers and improving access

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A view of the Penticton and Area Access Centre’s offices

For those in our communities who experience physical, social or economic barriers, accessing life-changing services can be a confusing and daunting task. The Penticton and Area Access Centre is working hard to change that, using the principles of action, awareness, advocacy and equity to help people navigate complex social systems.

“The barriers facing people who are seeking help from the Access Centre often feel very overwhelming to them,” says Brandi Beckett, Executive Director. “We believe the people we help deserve someone in their corner who says “we’ll figure this out together.””

When a person visits or calls the Access Centre for assistance, the team member who will greet them is their Triage Receptionist — a staff role the Community Foundation has funded for several years through its grant program.  The receptionist is an extremely important first point of contact for those seeking help: clarifying their needs, directing them to the right avenue of support and ensuring they are well prepared for subsequent meetings with the Centre’s advocates. The receptionist also has a positive impact on the Centre’s responsiveness by ensuring requests for help are addressed according to their level of urgency.

Perhaps most importantly, the receptionist provides valuable social and emotional support by helping to diffuse much of the anxiety and frustration people experience when trying to navigate access to services on their own. “By providing knowledgeable assessment of the circumstances surrounding each person’s request for help, the receptionist can quickly calm the situation and move it from uncertainty towards action,” Brandi says.

In 2022, The Access Centre provided help to over 5,000 individuals seeking assistance with a variety of needs including tax filing, poverty and family law concerns, and applications for disability supports. For more information about the Centre and its services, please visit their website.

Op-ed: Discrimination within the Canada Workers Benefit

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By Alexandria Johnstone, Legal Community Impact Intern & Community Advocate: Resource, Referral, Youth Outreach, Disability & Poverty Law Advocacy

 

While the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) has benefited some Canadians since its implementation, some individuals still qualify but cannot claim it due to its harmful effects. Indirect and direct discrimination against marginalized groups can be seen within this federal program, and it is high time for change.

Program Overview

The CWB is a program that provides a refundable tax credit through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to help individuals and families that are both actively working and low-income (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). As defined by this program, low income has a net income of 33k/year for an individual and 43k/year for families (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). One may qualify for two possible CWB payments: the basic amount of $1428 for individuals and $2461 for families and a disability supplement of $737 for individuals and families receiving the same amount (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). However, only those approved for the disability tax credit (DTC) during the prior tax season can receive the CWB disability supplement, regardless of if they were receiving provincial disability payments or federal disability payments (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). According to the CRA, one is low income for those receiving DTC when one makes less than $37932 as an individual or $48124 as a family (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). If both spouses receive the DTC, those with a net family income of less than $53037 will qualify for the basic and supplement payments (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b). However, only one CWB disability supplement can be received, regardless of both spouses qualifying (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b).

Due to their similar goals, the CWB replaced the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB) in 2019. The most noticeable difference between the two programs was that WTIB initially aimed to stimulate provincial economic growth while providing continued working incentives. In contrast, CWB aims to tackle this problem nationally (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020). The WTIB was provided to individuals with an income of over $3000 and below $32244 or under $42197 for families (Kubes, 2022). Although the CRA distributed payments, amounts varied for the WTIB payments as provinces calculated amounts given, with a max payment for an individual seen in BC of $1218 and a low of $665 seen in NU (Boat Harbour Investments, 2023). This program also had a disability supplement, which only those on both the DTC and provincial/territorial disability programs qualified for, which distributed $529 to each qualifying individual, except for in NU which only allocated $332 per person (Boat Harbour Investments, 2023). CWB is more efficient as increased amounts are given to all qualifying Canadians (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020). CWB was seen as an incentive for the working class due to decreased numbers in the workforce and increased living costs since WITB’s creation (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020).

Theory of Change

A theory of change assists in the program’s evaluation as it looks to explain how actions produce results that achieve intended impacts of an event, policy, program, or organization (Rogers, 2014). Through inputs (resources used) and outputs (direct or immediate effects on rightsholders), various intended and unintended outcomes, and impacts (positive, negative, primary, and secondary long-term effects) can be achieved (Rogers, 2014). Rightsholders are actors interested in the problem or issue, hold influence in or around it, or are affected via the end policy or program (Varvasovszky & Brugha, 2000). Networks and rightsholders are essential for the government to manage and realize goals, as some rightsholders have resources or capacities outside of what government bodies can offer (Pal et al., 2021). Successful policy implementation entails substantial degrees of private and public cooperation and interaction at every process phase (Pal et al., 2021).

There are two main categories to consider within discussions of rightsholders. The first is primary rightsholders with direct impacts or immediate concerns in the issue or proposed solution (Varvasovszky & Brugha, 2000). For example, in the flowchart, DTC recipients would be considered primary rightsholders as they are highly impacted by the CWB and will experience a direct impact from any changes made to the disability supplement.

The theory of change flowchart visually displays each step of the program’s creation in its attempts towards its goals so that an effective strategy can be created and possible outcomes. Note that the flowchart is not exhaustive, as this program require constant additions, reassessments, and analysis as new data is collected and changes are implemented. However, this analysis aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions to create the best strategy to carry out the CWB and subsequent programs.

Additional impacts can also be seen from the chosen structure, implementation, and tools associated with the CWB. The flowchart displays the input into the program as funding and staffing resources. Strategies of the CWB would be the provision of payments and allocation of money. The direct effects of the CWB are payments received by those that are working and low-income in Canada, that are also up to date on their taxes. However, those that are unable to do their taxes or do not have a Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) available do not receive the benefit(s), even if they qualify as the CRA has attached this payment to yearly tax assessments.

Impacts

The CWB program is beneficial as it provides additional income to low-income Canadians. However, this program has multiple barriers and adverse long-term effects for certain low-income groups. One negative aspect of the CWB is that if one is attending post-secondary, they do not qualify, even if they are working and low income (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020; Canada Revenue Agency, 2023b; Boat Harbour Investments, 2023), which does not incentivize post-secondary students to work while going to school, but rather encourages the opposite.

Another aspect of the CWB is that it assumes those that qualify for the payments will be able to do or get their taxes done. This is unreasonable as it does not acknowledge that low-income individuals are generally part of marginalized groups and require assistance (Reutter et al., 2009). If completion of taxes is going to continue to be how eligibility is determined, it would be necessary to increase year-round CVITP programming to remain equitable. CVITP is a CRA program that assists low-income individuals and families in filing their taxes at no cost (Beckett, 2022; Government of Canada, 2023). While the CVITP program currently exists, expanding the program would require additional planning, equipment, funding, and travel expenses (Beckett, 2022; Government of Canada, 2023), as well as additional volunteers able to attend remote and rural areas.

The WTIB’s requirement of being a part of a provincial disability program and the DTC created many barriers to access (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020; TurboTax Canada, 2022; Boat Harbour Investments, 2023). Each province holds different criteria for their respective disability programs, hence why disability designations are not transferable between provinces (Government of British Columbia, 2023). While it is no longer required to be a part of both programs (Canada Revenue Agency, 2020; TurboTax Canada, 2022; Boat Harbour Investments, 2023), if one receives DTC, provincial assistance, and CWB, they face their unique set of challenges.

Those on provincial social assistive programs are often penalized for receiving the CWB. While federal disability looks at one’s ability or inability to work (Government of Canada, 2022), the DTC and provincial programs look at the impacts of mental or physical conditions on one’s daily living ability (Canada Revenue Agency, 2023a; Government of British Columbia, 2023); therefore, they can work part-time if they have the capacity. Using BC as an example, one can only make 15k/year, including employment, EI, GST, or other means while receiving assistive payments (Government of British Columbia, 2023). As federal payments such as GST are not exempt from the earnings legislation under the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR), one could be penalized for going over the 15k allotment by receiving such payments (Government of British Columbia, 2023). Furthermore, once one exceeds the 15k allotment, they no longer receive any disability payments for the following year (Government of British Columbia, 2023), further perpetuating cycles of poverty and houselessness. More work must be done to ensure those on various provincial disability programs would not lose their disability designation due to a benefit incentivizing them to work, such as enforcing exemptions of federal government payments.

Suggestion

While the program met the needs of some low-income individuals, additional barriers made it difficult for all those that qualified to receive payments. An improvement that can be made to this program is applying a gender-based analysis (GBA) during the strategy or implementation phase would assist the CRA in avoiding the unintended negative impacts of the CWB program, as illustrated in the flowchart. In employing an intersectionality lens under GBA+, government entities like MSDPR and CRA, remain responsible for equitably filling gaps seen by low-income working Canadians.

Policymakers and analysts must consider why and how policies will affect diverse populations so that the following policies and communications can remain efficient and productive (Hankivsky et al., 2019). Pal et al. (2021) discuss the impacts of problems and proposed policy among various groups in society; the GBA and gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) will assist in discussions of oppression and marginalization of low-income groups, such as seniors and persons with disabilities. In addition, GBA+ focuses explicitly on policy implications for women, men, nonbinary persons, and other intersecting identities which have historically faced inequity (Pal et al., 2021).

Through using the GBA or GBA+, edits to the CWB program can be made to ensure all people that qualify receive payments without penalty, or movements toward a different program can be made. CWB is rooted in neoliberal idealism as it looks to incentivize Canadians to work, not considering other factors that have led to the decline in the workforce. The neoliberal era has typically placed one’s value on their ability to work and economically provide (Simon, 2001). A program such as universal basic income (UBI) would avoid the negative effects seen through the CWB; it would remain low-barrier and accessible to all Canadians as it would be equally distributed to citizens, regardless of disability status or tax completion. This would also lessen the costs associated with CTIVP expansion, funded by the CRA (Beckett, 2022; Government of Canada, 2023), as it would be necessary to improve the CWB program. One may also argue that a UBI may take away productivity, but no data suggests that the motivation to earn money would be reduced, especially within a capitalist society (Simon, 2001).

A UBI model in Canada would be much more efficient in spurring economic growth by allowing for discretionary income, incentivizing productivity, and assisting individuals in accessing universal needs like food and housing (Simon, 2001). However, neoliberalism perpetuates within current Canadian systems and a citizen’s value is linked to their ability work (Simon, 2001). Regardless of a CWB or UBI program being used going forward, all programs should employ GBA+ throughout the process to avoid additional barriers to recipients, starting in the strategy and implementation phases. The federal government should also ensure disability supplements can be received without risk to one’s provincial or territorial disability designation. Through collaboration between provincial bodies (like MSDPR in BC) and the federal government, benefits like the CWB can be optimized to ensure economic growth, while equitably incentivising all Canadians to work.

 

References

Beckett, B. (2022). Community Volunteer Tax Program: Program overview. Penticton & Area Access Centre.

Boat Harbour Investments. (2023). Line 45300 Canada workers benefit (CWB) refundable tax credit: Formerly working income tax benefit (WITB). Taxtips. https://www.taxtips.ca/filing/canada-workers-benefit.htm.

Canada Revenue Agency. (2023a, Jan. 24). Disability tax credit (DTC).  https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit/eligible-dtc.html.

Canada Revenue Agency. (2023b, April 7). Canada workers benefit. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-workers-benefit.html.

Canada Revenue Agency. (2020). Canada workers benefit: Working income tax benefit before. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/federal-government-budgets/budget-2018-equality-growth-strong-middle-class/canada-workers-benefit.html.

Government of British Columbia. (2023, March 1). MSDPR BCEA policy & procedure manual. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual.

Government of Canada. (2022). Canada pension plan disability benefits. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/cpp-disability-benefit/eligibility.html.

Government of Canada. (2023, Feb. 14). Free tax clinics: Through the community volunteer income tax program (CVITP), community organizations host free tax clinics where volunteers file tax returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/community-volunteer-income-tax-program.html.

Hankivsky, O., Grace, D., Hunting, M., Giesbrecht, M., Fridkin, A., Rudrum, S., Ferlatte, O. & Clark, N. (2019). An intersectionality-based policy analysis framework: Critical reflections on a methodology for advancing equity. In Hankivsky, O. & Jordan-Zachary, J. (Eds.), The palgrave handbook of intersectionality in public policy (133-166). Palgrave.

Kubes, D. (2022). What is the working income tax benefit? Wealthsimple. https://www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/learn/working-income-tax-benefit.

Pal, L., Auld, G., & Mallett, A. (2021). Beyond policy analysis: Public issue management in turbulent times. Nelson.

Reutter, L., Stewart, M., Veenstra, G., Love, R., Raphael, D., & Makwarimba, E. (2009). “Who do they think we are, anyway?”: Perceptions of and responses to poverty stigma. Qualitative health research, 19(3), 297-311. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732308330246.

Rogers, P. (2014). Theory of change (Methodology Brief and Impact Evaluation No. 2). UNICEF Office of Research. https://www.betterevaluation.org/sites/default/files/Theory_of_Change_ENG.pdf.

Simon, H. (2001). UBI and the flat tax. In Widerquist, K., & Wispelaere, J. (Eds.), Basic income: An anthology of contemporary research (240-242). Beacon Press.

TurboTax Canada. (2022, April 1). Tax basics: How taxes work in Canada [Video file]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL491SLBXGhzhdPw5vM-K E8G0FwhEhZag&v=jRfM94XHLwM&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fturbotax.intuit.ca%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt.

Varvasovszky, Z., & Brugha, R. (2000). A stakeholder analysis. Health policy and planning, 15(3), 338–345. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/15.3.338.

Access Centre Success Story: Ted

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TED*’S STORY:

One of the supports that poverty advocates provide is helping people connect to money they’re entitled to. It might not be a lot and it might be a one-time payment but if it means there’s more than there used to be, then it’s worth looking for. A lot of people we meet don’t know what they’re entitled to and they often don’t know how to apply for it, or maybe they tried but it didn’t work.

Like Ted. Ted is a senior living on a little over $600 month, which is a red flag when you understand federal benefits. Someone told Ted he made too much income to collect GIS so he thought he just wasn’t ever going to get it. Our advocate set up a three-way call with Service Canada and got a great agent who discovered that Ted’s GIS had never been applied for and that he was eligible to apply retroactively for three years. Once the applications are approved, Ted’s going to get a windfall and his monthly income will triple for the rest of his life.

 

*Name changed to protect privacy

Credit/Rebate updates

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The Provincial government recently made several announcements about new rebates/credits and changes to some types of assistance:

Assistance Extended for Ukrainians coming to British Columbia

BC Hydro Rebate

  • Eligible customers will receive a one-time BC Hydro credit between December and early 2023. This includes eligible customers who receive their electricity service from FortisBC or a municipal utility.
  • The credit does not need to be declared on provincial assistance recipients’ monthly reports.

BC Affordability Tax Credit

  • Eligible individuals and families will automatically receive the new BC Affordability Credit through the Canada Revenue Agency.
  • An eligible person with an income of up to $36,901 will receive the maximum amount of $410.
  • This Credit will need to be recorded on provincial assistance recipients’ monthly report under “all other income/money received”.
  • It is not considered income and is treated as exempt.

Self Employment Program

  • The Self Employment Program (SEP) policy under “Deductions and Exemptions” now allows personal contributions for Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to be deducted from gross income.

The government of Canada also recently announced two benefits administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Both benefits are not considered income and are treated as exempt:

Canada Dental Benefit

  • The interim Canada Dental Benefit is intended to help lower dental costs for eligible families earning less than $90,000 per year for children under 12 years old receiving dental care who do not have access to a private dental insurance plan.
  • Depending on family net income, a tax-free payment of $260, $390, or $650 is available for each eligible child.

One-Time Canada Housing Benefit

• The one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit aims to help low-income renters with the cost of renting by providing a maximum one-time payment of $500 for qualified applicants.

  • The deadline to apply for this benefit is March 31, 2023

Special thanks goes to Disability Alliance BC for this important information. Visit their website: About Us | DABC (disabilityalliancebc.org)

Human Rights vs. BC’s Mental Health Act

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This is a great article from Disability Alliance’s Transition Magazine.
transitionfallwinter22.pdf (disabilityalliancebc.org)
Credit goes to KENDRA MILNE

Mental health advocates in BC have been sounding the alarm for decades: our Mental Health Act is one of the most archaic and discriminatory pieces of our ableist health care system.

Ableism plays out in mental health law and policy by reinforcing ideas that there are certain “normal” ways of thinking, interacting and participating in community. These ideas often reflect colonial and neurotypical lenses on the world.

BC’s Mental Health Act sets out when you can be admitted to hospital and treated for what the Act calls a “mental disorder” because either you ask for that care or because you are being detained and involuntarily treated.

The Act views and treats mental health issues as moral failings that can be disciplined out of people. This law impacts people diagnosed with mental illness, brain injuries, dementia, substance-use-related health issues, and many other disabilities or health conditions. The Act was passed in 1964 and many portions of it are the same today.

Every patient is subject to the direction and discipline of the facility staff. They can be confined in solitarily seclusion rooms, restrained to their beds, or otherwise punished during their time in hospital. There are no limits and no review on when, how or why someone can be subject to these restraints.

This is still true, even though a 2021 investigation into the Mental Health Act, by the Representative for Children and Youth, concluded there should be strict limits on restraints.

When any citizen accesses health care, the law protects our right to make our own health care consent decisions. If we are incapable of understanding and making a health care decision, the law protects our right to have the people who know us best make the decision.

That is, unless you are involuntarily committed under the Mental Health Act–then you have no such rights. All involuntary patients can be given any form of psychiatric treatment without consent and supporters are excluded from decision-making.

Other countries have acknowledged the need to modernize their mental health laws and have taken action. For example, Victoria, Australia’s recently tabled new Mental Health Act, rooted in human rights, ensures Indigenous people receive culturally safe services and establishes adequate oversight. The UK also commissioned an independent review recognizing that its mental health law entrenched systemic racism and relied heavily on coercion.

There is growing evidence that our Mental Health Act is not serving BC well and needs to be modernized to protect human rights and wellbeing. Emerging investigations from independent offices, and compelling stories from people and their families with experience of the mental health system, all point to the same conclusion.

BC needs an independent review of the Mental Health Act to create reforms that respect human rights, promote evidence-based care, and build in oversight from an independent provincial Mental Health Advocate.

KENDRA MILNE IS A LAWYER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH JUSTICE. LEARN MORE AT HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHJUSTICE.CA.

 

Canada Housing Benefit

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We have had a number of calls about how one can go about applying for the Canada Housing Benefit.

Canadians must meet all the following conditions to be eligible for the new benefit:

  • have filed a 2021 tax return;
  • be at least 15 years of age as of December 1, 2022;
  • be a resident in Canada in 2022 for tax purposes;
  • have an adjusted family net income of $20,000 or less for individuals, or $35,000 or less for families;
  • have paid at least 30% of their 2021 adjusted family net income on rent for their principal residence in the 2022 calendar year; and
  • be able to provide their 2022 address(es) and landlord’s contact information

The last day you can apply is Friday, March 31, 2023

How to Apply for the Canada Housing Benefit

With the online application form: 6 to 11 business days average payment processing timeIf you are unable to sign in to or register for a CRA My Account or My Service Canada Account, you may still be able to apply online: apply through the online application form
By phone: 1-800-282-8079
7 to 12 business days average payment processing time

When to expect your payment

Direct deposit: Direct deposit takes up to 5 business days if you have it set up with the CRA.
By mail: A mailed cheque should arrive in about 10 business days.

For more information about this one time payment go to: How to apply – One-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit – Canada.ca

Access Centre is looking to expand their reach

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In the last year or so we have seen an increased need for outreach services for Disability Applications and Resources and Referrals (whether it be filling out government paperwork, or housing applications etc). Sometimes folks are so barriered that they cannot make the trek down to Access Centre whether it be transportation issues or remembering appointments etc. Our Community Advocates are now going into the community and meeting people where they are at.

On top of seeing folks in our office for booked appointments and our regular Wednesday Resource Drop Ins, our Community Advocates are at the following places:

TUESDAYS
Okanagan College (1st Tuesday of the month)
9am – 11am

Fairhaven
10am – 12pm

Foundry
3pm – 5pm

WEDNESDAYS

Compass Complex
10am – 12pm

FRIDAYS

Burdock House
10am – 12pm

We look forward to expanding these services even further in the future once we get more funding.

4 Books to Help Boost Your Mental Health

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Image credit: Pexels

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-yellow-long-sleeve-shirt-lying-on-couch-4866043/

As we continue to emerge from the anxiety, isolation, and grief of the past few years, we must try to be proactive in taking care of our mental health. We can begin by exploring the many books that focus on the topic. Books on mental health can be a fantastic resource for understanding the mind, how it works, and how we can take care of it. Although reading up on mental health is not a substitute for professional medical help, it can certainly be an entryway towards seeking support.

Dealing with a mental illness can be isolating, even though the National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in five in the United States lives with a mental health condition. Poor mental health challenges every person differently, and recognizing when you need to get help or offer support can help change this statistic for the better.

Books that cover the subjects of depression, anxiety, relationships, and self-care can supplement our mental toolkits through the techniques, research, and narratives of people who have studied and experienced the same hurdles. To get you started, here are four books that can help you boost your mental health:

1. The Body Keeps the Score

Trauma impacts both the mind and the body, compromising one’s capacity for pleasure, self-control, connection, and trust. In his bestselling book The Body Keeps the Score, trauma research author van der Kolk explores treatment methods that help activate the brain’s natural neuroplasticity in patients dealing with trauma. Neuroplasticity refers to the human brain’s ability to adapt to changes in its external environment.

Van der Kolk’s thesis is especially relevant now. We mentioned in our “Alone Together” blog post how tough it is to process distressing situations while they are still ongoing. Ultimately, The Body Keeps the Score stresses that understanding the functional and chemical changes in the emotional part of the brain can be key in improving ways to address our traumatic experiences.

2. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Through this bestselling classic, Dr. David Burns explored emerging approaches to psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy popularized CBT which Dr. Aaron T. Beck originally developed. Today, many psychiatrists utilize CBT in their treatment methodologies. This book also introduces scientifically proven techniques to help alleviate feelings that lead to depression or anxiety.

Apart from helping you lift your spirits, the techniques outlined in the book can enable you to overcome guilt, hostility, and criticism while building your self-esteem and encouraging positive feelings.

3. Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN

Practicing compassion can be tough when our first instinct is self-preservation. Developing this trait can be a long process when difficult emotions and judgmental beliefs get in the way. To deeply ingrain compassion into one’s personality, psychiatrist and meditation teacher Tara Brach presents a meditation practice called RAIN in her book Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN, which stands for “Recognize, Allow, Investigate and Nurture.”

This method of meditation starts by recognizing your current situation and allowing life to be just as it is. It is followed by a gentle and curious investigation of your experience. The practice ends with a call to nurture by offering yourself tender words or a kind embrace. Although this method does not claim to cure anxiety, RAIN prevents it from taking over.

4. Emotional First Aid

Mental health care has gained traction over the past decade, and rightfully so. Psychologist Guy Winch argues that emotional injuries are just as crippling as physical ones. In other words, mental health should be given the same urgency and attention as physical health. In his book, Emotional First Aid, Winch highlights various emotional wounds that are ubiquitous today, such as loneliness, rejection, trauma, and guilt.

Winch presents ways to “treat” these wounds and build emotional resilience through practical and realistic instructions. Emotional First Aid is a handy guide to have when things get rough because, as the title suggests, it’s not just physical wounds that require emergency relief.

The benefits of picking up a book on mental health care are immense, whether you are working on your own self-care journey or taking care of your loved ones. Through these books, you can gain a deeper understanding of psychology and mental health care while undergoing therapy or professional help.

Article written by Renee Jules

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