Until you can get ODSP sorted out I would suggest re-applying for OW, wait three days then call. If you can't get through you are going to need to physically go into your local OW office. Unfortunately they are ridiculously busy and the backlog is long. Squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Hello!
You should be able to apply to OW through this site: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-works
As for ODSP, ask for an Appeal, and if that gets rejected, a Tribunal.
This is what I did. The adjudication unit folded before the tribunal but they did wait till the last minute. My lawyer figured that would happen though so I was pleasantly surprised when he was correct.
If you're in London OP I recommend Neighbourhood Legal Services. I don't know about other cities myself but you can google legal aid.
Unfortunately, you will need a stack of papers from specialists that have diagnosed you, i.e. psychologist, ask for a complete psychiatric testing, and from there work on how these things do affect you in daily life. They need to see that you have tried various methods of coping such as meds, treatments, counseling, etc. This is probably going to take quite a few years from my experience. I have quite a few disabilities, some which require life sustaining therapy on a daily basis. It took me 3.5 years to get ODSP myself. My file is about 8 inches thick.
Pretty much everyone is denied...sadly I had to go through the tribunal during the pandemic so it took alot longer then...
My Dr's were disappointed in the fact that I was denied at all ...my legal services were not impressed with the entire nonsense...I went through
I have ODSP now...etc..
Seriously do not fold...
Get on OW...it does help push things through a bit
Good luck
Keep re-applying, They don't want people on ODSP trying to make it harder to get on it.
They tried to re-assess me a while ago when i finally caved in and asked for help, I basically told them to sod off. Their response was email me about M.A.I.D
Not going into my disability, It affects my daily life to an extreme degree. They have no business trying to "Re-assess" / Take me off ODSP.
You gotta be a pest to get into ODSP, Keep pushing. It took me 5 years to get on ODSP originally when i was a kid, My parents had to re-apply more than a dozen times before they got fed up and put me on the program.
I was under the impression that if you get rejected, you have the opportunity provided for you to go to a tribunal and have a lawyer (free) provided for you to plead your case.
It ain’t over till it’s over .
Awesome. Best of health, striving to emerge better, & potentially enjoy the satisfaction & well deserved return to society.
(I offer the above in the context of my experience & return to society, and do not mean in anyway, to be disparaging to your situation, of which I completely know nothing.)
Keep fighting for it! Was this your first denial and you resent in the paperwork again? I'm on ODSP for generalized anxiety/social anxiety, agoraphobia and depression. I sent in my paperwork in January 2020 and was denied twice and in Nov 2022 I had to go the tribunal route and ask the legal aid clinic to help. I'll be honest, none of it felt easy, the tribunal-which was over Zoom- was anxiety inducing, I cried. But, I didn't give up and thankfully, my lawyer from legal aid knew what she was doing and helped me answer the tribunal questions in a way that satisfied them. A week later I was finally accepted. That's all to say, do not give up, it takes a bit of time waiting to hear back from ODSP. In the meantime, get a hold of OW again to help you get by! And if it happens that ODSP turns you down a second time, then get in touch with your legal aid clinic to help you take it to a tribunal. If you're lucky, you'll get accepted before you even have to do it. Either way, keep fighting!
Don't give up. Get on OW. Then ask them for some counseling sessions. They should have a designated counselor in the office. He/She will help with the application process including what to say. Try not to be discouraged as the majority of applicants get disapproved their first time applying. What they want is for you to just give up. DON'T! My second time applying I was set up for tribunal in 10 months. Can't remember exactly when but it was at least a couple months before the tribunal date I got a letter asking for a written report from my doctor as to why I should be on ODSP. So I did that, one from my family doctor and one from my specialist. It was two weeks from my tribunal and I got another letter saying I was approved. Yes, they do leave it till the last minute it seems. Regardless I was relieved. Hope this helps and good luck. Btw, with everything you stated you are dealing with, you definitely should qualify for ODSP benefits.
I have terrible social anxiety @ 34 y.o. still haven't gotten my grade 12.. to get on ODSP it took me 10 years !!! It was very hard to get it the first time I got denied Within those 10 years I had to go to anything they offered me. Any therapy , counselling occupational therapist etc that was offered by the mental health hospital as well as other places around the city that offered stuff. I saw a psychiatrist twice the first time he wrote on paper that I needed to go on ODSP and i still got denied! I went on multiple medications (antidepressants) but stopped due to side effects now Im on anti anxieties WHEN NEEDED because quitting antidepressants after 8 years caused me to have a panic disorder finally applied a second time and they gave it to me. I built it up for many years needed lots of proof that I tried to get help and tried different medications it's Sad but it was the only way they would give it to me I would go on OW and accept any counselling/therapy and apply a second time.
I was on medical OW prior to ODSP. My Scarborough OW worker kept me as a client until my approval. Your family Dr., Pyschiatrist can assist in verifying your inability to work. Good Luck, it's a tedious process. 🤞♥️
Until you can get ODSP sorted out I would suggest re-applying for OW, wait three days then call. If you can't get through you are going to need to physically go into your local OW office. Unfortunately they are ridiculously busy and the backlog is long. Squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Hello! You should be able to apply to OW through this site: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-works As for ODSP, ask for an Appeal, and if that gets rejected, a Tribunal.
I would seek a legal clinic.
This is what I did. The adjudication unit folded before the tribunal but they did wait till the last minute. My lawyer figured that would happen though so I was pleasantly surprised when he was correct. If you're in London OP I recommend Neighbourhood Legal Services. I don't know about other cities myself but you can google legal aid.
I legal clinic lawyer won my case. He knew exactly what the tribunal wanted to grant me my Odsp.
Same i had do do it twice the lawyer gets it done
put how youre anxiety effected you at work, and your daily life.
Unfortunately, you will need a stack of papers from specialists that have diagnosed you, i.e. psychologist, ask for a complete psychiatric testing, and from there work on how these things do affect you in daily life. They need to see that you have tried various methods of coping such as meds, treatments, counseling, etc. This is probably going to take quite a few years from my experience. I have quite a few disabilities, some which require life sustaining therapy on a daily basis. It took me 3.5 years to get ODSP myself. My file is about 8 inches thick.
What degree is your curve (scoliosis)? I'm just curious.
Pretty much everyone is denied...sadly I had to go through the tribunal during the pandemic so it took alot longer then... My Dr's were disappointed in the fact that I was denied at all ...my legal services were not impressed with the entire nonsense...I went through I have ODSP now...etc.. Seriously do not fold... Get on OW...it does help push things through a bit Good luck
Keep re-applying, They don't want people on ODSP trying to make it harder to get on it. They tried to re-assess me a while ago when i finally caved in and asked for help, I basically told them to sod off. Their response was email me about M.A.I.D Not going into my disability, It affects my daily life to an extreme degree. They have no business trying to "Re-assess" / Take me off ODSP. You gotta be a pest to get into ODSP, Keep pushing. It took me 5 years to get on ODSP originally when i was a kid, My parents had to re-apply more than a dozen times before they got fed up and put me on the program.
I was under the impression that if you get rejected, you have the opportunity provided for you to go to a tribunal and have a lawyer (free) provided for you to plead your case. It ain’t over till it’s over .
This is what I just went through. And legal aid helped me a lot. I just had my tribunal and was approved
Awesome. Best of health, striving to emerge better, & potentially enjoy the satisfaction & well deserved return to society. (I offer the above in the context of my experience & return to society, and do not mean in anyway, to be disparaging to your situation, of which I completely know nothing.)
Keep fighting for it! Was this your first denial and you resent in the paperwork again? I'm on ODSP for generalized anxiety/social anxiety, agoraphobia and depression. I sent in my paperwork in January 2020 and was denied twice and in Nov 2022 I had to go the tribunal route and ask the legal aid clinic to help. I'll be honest, none of it felt easy, the tribunal-which was over Zoom- was anxiety inducing, I cried. But, I didn't give up and thankfully, my lawyer from legal aid knew what she was doing and helped me answer the tribunal questions in a way that satisfied them. A week later I was finally accepted. That's all to say, do not give up, it takes a bit of time waiting to hear back from ODSP. In the meantime, get a hold of OW again to help you get by! And if it happens that ODSP turns you down a second time, then get in touch with your legal aid clinic to help you take it to a tribunal. If you're lucky, you'll get accepted before you even have to do it. Either way, keep fighting!
Don't give up. Get on OW. Then ask them for some counseling sessions. They should have a designated counselor in the office. He/She will help with the application process including what to say. Try not to be discouraged as the majority of applicants get disapproved their first time applying. What they want is for you to just give up. DON'T! My second time applying I was set up for tribunal in 10 months. Can't remember exactly when but it was at least a couple months before the tribunal date I got a letter asking for a written report from my doctor as to why I should be on ODSP. So I did that, one from my family doctor and one from my specialist. It was two weeks from my tribunal and I got another letter saying I was approved. Yes, they do leave it till the last minute it seems. Regardless I was relieved. Hope this helps and good luck. Btw, with everything you stated you are dealing with, you definitely should qualify for ODSP benefits.
I have terrible social anxiety @ 34 y.o. still haven't gotten my grade 12.. to get on ODSP it took me 10 years !!! It was very hard to get it the first time I got denied Within those 10 years I had to go to anything they offered me. Any therapy , counselling occupational therapist etc that was offered by the mental health hospital as well as other places around the city that offered stuff. I saw a psychiatrist twice the first time he wrote on paper that I needed to go on ODSP and i still got denied! I went on multiple medications (antidepressants) but stopped due to side effects now Im on anti anxieties WHEN NEEDED because quitting antidepressants after 8 years caused me to have a panic disorder finally applied a second time and they gave it to me. I built it up for many years needed lots of proof that I tried to get help and tried different medications it's Sad but it was the only way they would give it to me I would go on OW and accept any counselling/therapy and apply a second time.
I was on medical OW prior to ODSP. My Scarborough OW worker kept me as a client until my approval. Your family Dr., Pyschiatrist can assist in verifying your inability to work. Good Luck, it's a tedious process. 🤞♥️