The Ministry of Social Services has begun to send out SAID assessment packages to eligible persons in Saskatchewan.

They have sent out a limited number of these assessment packages at this time. IF you have received an assessment package in the mail please fill it out and get it back in as soon as possible.

If you need assistance with this assessment a list of organizations who are willing to support people  as they complete the forms can be found here:

http://www.saskdisc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/table-of-organizations-who-will-provide-support-to-individuals-applying-for-SAID.docx

Not everyone has been sent an assessment package, if you have not received one yet please be patient, it will be coming soon.

There has been very little public attention paid to the SAID election promises. (Found here) We feel that it is important to tell the Premier that his commitment to SAID and to people with disabilities in general is very much appreciated – we want to encourage the government to make further improvements to SAID in the future!

Below please find a  form letter – DISC would ask that you circulate this letter to as many people/organizations as possible and that you encourage them to send a letter to the Premier, with a cc to Minister Draude if possible. I’d ask that a copy be emailed to Judy Hannah as well.  People are welcome to add a personal note to the letter explaining what SAID will mean to them.

A link to the Thank-you form letter can be found here, or if you’d prefer you can copy & paste from the text below.

THANK-YOU LETTER:

 {Date}

 The Hon. Brad Wall
Premier of Saskatchewan
Room 226,
2405 Legislative Drive
Regina, SK S4S0B3

Dear Premier Wall,

Saskatchewan – “the very best place in Canada to live for those with disabilities”! It was exciting to hear those words during the election campaign. Knowing that the SAID program will be expanded to include people who live independently in community and that everyone on SAID will start to receive increased benefits next year helps us to believe that we are on the road to that “best place”.

We want to congratulate you and your colleagues on your recent election victory. We also want to thank you for the commitment you have made to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities – for a long time these individuals have been ignored and undervalued. The SAID program will bring them dignity; the increased benefit rates you have promised will help them to move towards a better standard of living and will allow them to be more actively involved in their community. These changes will make a significant difference in their day-to-day lives.

People with disabilities who live independently in their community have been waiting patiently to be enrolled on SAID – now we can look forward to this becoming a reality.  Thank you too for involving the disability community in designing SAID – it has not always been easy for people with disabilities and their families to be heard. You have helped to show that they have something to contribute to our province. We look forward to continuing to work with you to make Saskatchewan the best place for everyone to live.

Yours sincerely,

{Name / Title}
{Address}
{Phone number}
{Email}

cc        Honourable June Draude
Minister of Social Services
Room 346, Legislative Building
2405 Legislative Drive
Regina, SK S4S 0B3

Judy Hannah, Chair – DISC (Disability Income Support Coalition)
Judy.hannah@sacl.org

(This has already been picked and run up by a few SK papers. )

DISC
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Election Promise is Welcome News

 Dear Editor:
The Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC), is pleased that the plight of people with disabilities became an issue during the recent provincial election. For months DISC and its 38-member organizations have been advocating for more support for people with disabilities since current income programs only provide a meager $26 a day for all expenses including food, shelter, and medicine. This leaves people with disabilities living in poverty in addition to struggling with the barriers imposed every day by their disability. We are pleased that Premier Brad Wall made this issue the largest announcement in his party’s platform, giving it the attention we believe it deserves.

We look forward to working with the new Government of Saskatchewan on increasing the number of people eligible for the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program as well as increasing the benefits that it provides. SAID operates independently from social assistance and is meant to be responsive to the unique needs of people with disabilities. With SAID, people with disabilities do not need to reconfirm their disability every year, and they are free from the stigma of receiving welfare.

The government intends to expand coverage to persons with disabilities living outside residential care – about 7,000 people – bringing the total number of people on SAID to around 10,000. As well, the government plans to increase benefits by $150 a month to individuals in residential care, $350 a month to single persons living outside residential care, and $400 a month to couples living outside residential care over the next four years. It’s a good start for assisting those who are currently struggling to make ends meet.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has indicated that his government intends to make the province “the very best place in Canada to live for those with disabilities.” These are indeed welcome words for our community and we are committed to working with the government to achieving that vision.

Sincerely,
Judy Hannah
Chair

You can find the platform at:

http://saskparty.com/uploads/Files/2011SaskPartyPlatform.pdf

or HERE

Please take a few momemtns to read it over.

On pages 5, 37 and 38 there are references to the SAID program.

Please find below the Election Tool Kit developed by DISC to help you effectively communicate with candidates and the general public regarding DISC and the SAID program during this election time.

Headings include:

What is DISC?
DISC Members
SAID Backgrounder
Questions to Ask Your Candidates
Advocacy Tips
Questioning Tips
One-on-One Meetings
Suggested Letter Formats
Post Election Strategies

ELECTION TOOL KIT 2011

You can find the platform at:

http://saskndp.ca/pub/document/SaskNDP-Platform.pdf

or HERE

Please take a few momemtns to read it over.

One item of interest is the following note on page 9:

“Increasing the income payments to citizens with disabilities living on their own to achieve a fair standard of living, starting with a $200 a month increase.”

From the Human Rights Radio website:

“On October 7th, we [Human Rights Radio] spoke with Anita Hopfauf who is the Director of the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan and Cindy Leggott, Rehabilitation Councillor/Peer Support Coordinator with the Canadian Paraplegic Association Southern Region.  Topic was the ongoing work to provide permanent adequate income support for persons with disabilities.” (The work DISC does)

The podcast can be found HERE:

http://humanrightsradio.podbean.com/2011/10/13/disability-income-support/

Today the Saskatchewan Party released THIS Backgrounder on “Improving Quality of Life for Persons With Disabilities:  Expansion of the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) Program”  Please take a few minutes to read it over.

SK Party – BackgrounderDisabilities Oct 2011

A media release from the Sask Party:

For Immediate Release: October 17, 2011

Premier Announces Plan To Improve Quality of Life for Persons With Disabilities

Premier Brad Wall today announced the Saskatchewan Party’s plan to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities through a major expansion of the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program.

“If re-elected it will be the Saskatchewan Party government’s vision and goal to make our province the very best place in Canada to live for those with disabilities,” Wall said. “Building on what we have already done, this is another important step in making that vision a reality.”

In 2009, the Saskatchewan Party government created the SAID program to provide long-term support that was distinct from social assistance for persons with significant disabilities.  The program currently supports individuals in residential care – about 3,000 people in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Party plan will expand coverage to persons with disabilities living outside residential care – about another 7,000 individuals – for a total enrollment of about 10,000 people.  A re-elected Saskatchewan Party government will also increase benefits over the next four years by $100 a month ($1,200 a year) to individuals in residential care, $350 a month ($4,200 a year) to single persons living outside residential care and $400 a month ($4,800 a year) to couples living outside residential care.

The expansion of the SAID program will cost $18.4 million in the first year, increasing to $33.3 million in year four.  Wall said this is the most expensive campaign promise the Saskatchewan Party will make in its 2011 election platform.

“Our campaign platform is very financially responsible, but this is an area where some additional dollars need to be spent – helping people with disabilities,” Wall said.  “I think this shows the priorities of our party, and it shows why growth is so important – because it means we can do more to help those with special needs.

“Our government has worked hard to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities through things like the new SAID program.  So many people have told us that they appreciate not only the financial assistance, but also the dignity and respect the new program provides.”

Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government will increase autism funding by $4 million over the next four years and will work with disability organizations to improve the retention and recruitment of front-line workers.

“There is more to be done, and we plan to keep Saskatchewan moving forward helping individuals with disabilities,” Wall said.

 -30-

For further information: Kathy Young, Regina
Toll Free 1.800.966.9611 or 306.359.1638
kathy.young@saskparty.com

This news piece was reported by CBC in relation to the information in the Backgrounder this morning:

DISC requested input from The Green Party, The Liberal Party, The NDP and The Sask Party on their parties position on SAID.

To date we have met with the NDP and the Sask Party.

Below please find the responses we have received. We will update this post with answers from other parties as we receive them.

NDP on SAID Oct 2011

SK Party on SAID Oct 2011