Social Assistance Management System (SAMS) implementation overview Immediate impacts to Ontario Works and ODSP recipients in November 2014

Transcription

1 Scial Assistance Management System (SAMS) implementatin verview Immediate impacts t Ontari Wrks and ODSP recipients in Nvember 2014 Fr Discussin with Cmmunity Partners

2 Purpse T update cmmunity partners n: 1. The SDMT/SAMS Crssver Perid 2. Online Applicatin fr Scial Assistance (OASA) shutdwn and re-launch 3. Scial Assistance Online 4. Changes t Recipients Cheques r Statements f Assistance Changes t verpayment recvery calculatins Appearance f Temprarily Uncllectible Overpayment Balance n recipients Statement f Assistance 5. New Reprting Frms Updated Incme and Changes Reprting Card (Ontari Wrks recipients nly) Emplyment/Training Incme Reprting frm (ODSP recipients nly) Scial Assistance Management System 2

3 Overview In Nvember 2014, the Ministry f Cmmunity and Scial Services will be implementing a new, mre mdern cmputer system t better deliver scial assistance acrss Ontari. Peple receiving supprt frm the Ontari Disability Supprt Prgram and Ontari Wrks will be infrmed f hw this new technlgy will impact them thrugh letters, cheque inserts and thrugh their lcal ffice. The new technlgy is called the Scial Assistance Management System, r simply, SAMS. Scial Assistance Management System 3

4 The SDMT/SAMS Crssver Perid SAMS is scheduled t be installed between Nvember 6 and Nvember 10, This is referred t as the Crssver Perid. Due t the cmplexity f the installatin it is pssible that the Crssver Perid may last lnger than the scheduled installatin timeframe. It is als pssible that during this time recipients may experience sme slight delays in service, such as having their nn-urgent phne calls returned. Hwever, recipients will cntinue t receive scial assistance payments n time. Scial Assistance Management System 4

5 OASA shutdwn and re-launch The Online Applicatin fr Scial Assistance (OASA) will be unavailable frm Octber 27, 2014 until Nvember 11, This is because we are upgrading t SAMS. Clients can still apply fr scial assistance ver the phne r in persn. Anyne wh wishes t apply fr ne f Ontari s scial assistance prgrams during this time may call r visit their lcal ffice t begin the applicatin prcess. The ministry prvides a search tl n its website fr thse lking fr their nearest Ontari Wrks r ODSP ffice at: ntari.ca/bx1m Scial Assistance Management System 5

6 Scial Assistance Online SAMS will prvide greater flexibility t respnd t plicy and prgram pririties, and will better supprt custmer service excellence. A key new feature f the technlgy will be a secure nline self-service prtal fr scial assistance recipients called Scial Assistance (SA) Online. Scheduled t rll ut early in 2015, SA Online will allw recipients t, amng ther things: reprt incme and changes nline (e.g., change f address, husing expenses, adding/remving members, and reprting incme and expenses); view upcming events nline (e.g., appintment with casewrker r a recipient s next payment date); chse if they want t receive letters frm casewrkers nline. Scial Assistance Management System 6

7 Changes t Recipients Cheques r Statements f Assistance Once SAMS is implemented, recipients may be impacted by: Changes t verpayment recvery calculatins The appearance f Temprarily Uncllectible Overpayment Balance n Statements f Assistance Scial Assistance Management System 7

8 Changes t verpayment recvery calculatins Overpayment recvery refers t the amunt that is cllected frm recipients each mnth t pay back amunts they were nt eligible t receive. If recipients have an verpayment and are receiving additinal allwances r payments (like the Special Diet Allwance, fr example), the amunt deducted frm their assistance t recver their verpayment will likely increase. This is nt a change in plicy. The ld technlgy did nt include these allwances when calculating a recipient s verpayment recvery. Generally, the amunt f verpayment recvery has been equal t 5 percent f recipients regular scial assistance payment, nt including additinal allwances r payments. Therefre, this increase will generally equal 5 percent f the additinal allwances r payments. Scial Assistance Management System 8

9 Temprarily Uncllectible Overpayment Balance Recipients may see Temprarily Uncllectible Overpayment Balance n the bttm prtin f their Statements f Assistance. A temprarily uncllectible verpayment is an verpayment that the recipient is nt paying back at this time. Temprarily uncllectible verpayments are nt smething new; they just didn t appear n Statements f Assistance in the past. The reasn that they appear nw is s that recipients can see that they have an verpayment which is nt being cllected at this time. Recipients d nt need t pay back verpayments that are described as "temprarily uncllectible" at this time. Their casewrker will infrm them if there are any changes t the status f their temprarily uncllectible verpayment. Scial Assistance Management System 9

10 New Reprting Frms After SAMS is implemented, ODSP and Ontari Wrks recipients will find that a few f their regular reprting frms have changed: Updated Incme and Changes Reprting Card (Ontari Wrks recipients nly) Emplyment/Training Incme Reprt (ETIR) frm (ODSP recipients nly) Scial Assistance Management System 10

11 Incme and Change Reprting Card (Ontari Wrks recipients nly) Ontari Wrks recipients will ntice a new incme and change reprting card in their December mailing. This frm will replace the existing Incme Reprting Statement. The new frm is necessary t make sure that all scial assistance recipients are reprting their incme cnsistently and accurately. Fr example, recipients will nw be required t reprt all f their mandatry payrll deductins (Incme Tax, Canada Pensin Plan, Emplyment Insurance, Unin Dues and Mandatry Pensin). Unless they are tld therwise, recipients will have tw ptins when reprting their earnings and emplyment related child care expenses. They will be able t either: fill in and sign the bttm f the frm and keep their paystubs and receipts (they may be asked t prvide them at a later date); r sign the bttm f the frm and attach their paystubs and receipts. Scial Assistance Management System 11

12 Reprting Changes (Ontari Wrks recipients nly) In December, Ontari Wrks recipients will als find new questins related t reprting changes n their updated Incme and Changes Reprting Card. This card was updated t allw recipients t mre accurately reprt persnal changes t their casewrker. The new frm gives recipients space t reprt changes in their circumstances including mving, rent changes, birth f a baby, plans t leave Ontari, assets, etc. Recipients will nly need t fill in these questins when they have changes t reprt. With the intrductin f SA Online in early 2015, recipients may chse t reprt their incme and changes t circumstances nline instead. Scial Assistance Management System 12

13 Emplyment/Training Incme Reprt (ETIR) frm (ODSP recipients nly) Starting this Nvember, ODSP recipients Emplyment/Training Incme Reprt (ETIR) frms will lk different. This is t allw fr space s that recipients may enter all mandatry payrll deductins (Incme Tax, Canada Pensin Plan, Emplyment Insurance, Unin Dues and Mandatry Pensin). This new frm als includes space fr multiple family members. Unless recipients are tld therwise, they will have tw ptins when reprting their earnings r incme frm a training prgram with this revised ETIR frm: fill in and sign the bttm f the frm and keep their paystubs and receipts (they may be asked t prvide them at a later date); r sign the bttm f the frm and attach their paystubs and receipts. Als starting in Nvember, ODSP recipients ETIR frm will be printed n ne side f the page and the Changes Reprt will appear n the back. With the intrductin f SA Online in early 2015, recipients will be able t reprt their incme and changes t circumstances nline. Scial Assistance Management System 13

14 Questins? Recipients shuld cntact their Casewrker Agencies can cntact Sherry Brks at Scial Assistance Management System 14