Applying to the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) provides income and employment support to people with disabilities.
To qualify for ODSP income support you must:
- be 18 years or older
- live in Ontario
- be financially eligible, and
- have a substantial physical or mental health problem. The problem should be likely to last one year or longer and substantially limit your ability to work, look after yourself or carry out daily activities.
If you consider yourself to be a person with a disability you have the right to apply to ODSP. The application to ODSP considers both your financial and medical circumstances.
- If you are not receiving Ontario Works benefits and are in immediate financial need, you may apply for Ontario Works and ask to be referred to ODSP. If you are not in immediate financial need you may apply to ODSP directly. You can find an ODSP office close to you with the social assistance office finder.
- If you are receiving Ontario Works benefits as an applicant or a spouse, your caseworker can give you the ODSP medical application. If you are a dependant adult (aged 18 or older) with a disability who currently receives Ontario Works with your parents, you must apply to ODSP directly.
The medical part of the ODSP application is called the Disability Determination Package. The package includes:
- four forms: two for your health care provider(s) to fill out and two for you to fill out
- instructions on how to fill out the forms and where to submit the completed package, and
- a list of the type of health care providers who can fill out the two medical forms.
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Once you have the medical application package, here is how to apply:
| Step 1 |
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Ask the health care providers who know your health situation best to fill out:
- the Health Status Report and
- the Activities of Daily Living form. (You do not have to pay the health care providers to fill out these forms.)
You can also include letters of support from other health care providers with your application. |
| Step 2 |
Fill out the Consent form.
This form lets the Disability Adjudication Unit get information for your application. This unit reviews and makes decisions on all ODSP medical applications. |
| Step 3 |
Fill out the Self Report.
This report gives you a chance to explain, in your own words, how your health problems affect your ability to work, look after yourself or carry out daily activities.
A family member, friend, trustee or someone from a community group who knows about your health problems can help you fill it out.
Talk to your Ontario Works caseworker if you need help with the Self Report. If you decide you do not want to fill out the report, you still have to sign and return it. The Disability Adjudication Unit cannot process your application without it. |
| Step 4 |
Return the Disability Determination Package.
Once you receive the package, you have 90 days to complete it and mail it to the Disability Adjudication Unit. If you cannot get all the medical information you need within 90 days, you can ask the Disability Adjudication Unit for more time to return the application.
Before you mail it in:
- Review the forms and make sure that your name and address are on all of them.
- Keep a copy for your records.
- Make sure that there is enough postage on the envelope.
More medical information:
If you get more medical information after you send in the package, mail it to the Disability Adjudication Unit. You can do this at any time during the application process. |
| The Disability Adjudication Unit decision |
The Disability Adjudication Unit will mail you their decision.
If the unit says yes to your application, your Ontario Works caseworker will send your file to the local ODSP office. The ODSP office will then issue you ODSP benefits based on the financial information from Ontario Works. |
| Appealing a decision |
If the Disability Adjudication Unit says no to your application and you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal. You can appeal by sending a written request for an Internal Review to the Disability Adjudication Unit, within 10 days of receiving their decision.
If the answer to the Internal Review is also no, or you do not get an answer within 10 business days, you can ask for a hearing with the Social Benefits Tribunal. The tribunal is an independent group that hears appeals about social assistance decisions.
To appeal the Internal Review decision, send the tribunal a written request within 30 days of the date of the decision. Staff will schedule a hearing to discuss your medical situation. You have the right to bring a legal representative to your hearing. A community legal clinic may help you with legal services.
You can send in more medical information up to 30 days prior to your hearing date with the Social Benefits Tribunal. |
No medical application needed:
- You do not have to fill out the ODSP medical application if you are:
If either of these circumstances applies to you, you can request help from ODSP by showing that you are financially eligible.
ODSP in the past:
- If you received ODSP in the past, you may be able to return without starting a new application. Talk to your Ontario Works caseworker or ask about “rapid reinstatement” at your local ODSP office.
If you are leaving jail and consider yourself to be a person with a disability:
- You can start a new application to ODSP before you are released. Doctors that work in the jails can complete the medical forms for the application. Once you are released you can apply for Ontario Works.
For more information, talk to your caseworker or visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services website.
You can also see detailed information about the procedures for applying to ODSP Income Support.
