FINANCIAL OR PERSONAL CARE MANAGEMENT

Is help needed with managing money or making important decisions?

Informal Support

Some persons who have mental health problems need someone to turn to for advice or assistance about money matters or making decisions about personal affairs.

Family members or friends are often the ones who are available to give this assistance.

Supporters make sure that those who need financial help get all the benefits available. They also help to supervise budgeting and money management, and watch to see that others are not taking advantage of those who have problems.

When it comes to personal matters, these supporters may assist in deciding about living arrangements, health care, educational and job training plans, employment, and perhaps even social and recreational activities.

For many persons, this informal family support is all the help that is needed.

Power of Attorney

Some persons who can look after their money most of the time, with just informal support, may have occasions when they become too ill to manage their own finances. An episode of psychiatric illness may affect judgement so much, that serious mistakes are made. This problem may be avoided by giving “Power of Attorney” to someone else.

Power of Attorney is authority which is voluntarily given to another person to act on behalf of the donor. It may be just for certain tasks, like banking, or it may be general to include all financial transactions. It may be for all the time, or only for those times when the person granting it is unable to act on his or her own behalf.

The person giving Power of Attorney must be considered to be “mentally competent” at the time of granting, but the authority will continue if the grantor becomes incapable of managing finances in the future. Power of Attorney may be revoked at any time, as long as the person giving the authority is “mentally competent”.

Power of Attorney could be helpful for persons who have psychiatric illnesses, as well as for their family members, if those persons were mentally well at the time, and understood that they may not always be capable of managing their financial affairs. If they know that sometimes it may be necessary for another person to take charge of their money they could give Power of Attorney to a trusted friend or relative.

It is important to note that you cannot give Power of Attorney to someone else to make decisions for you about health matters, living arrangements or other personal affairs.

Note: The Health Care Directives Act allows you to name another person to make health decisions for you under certain circumstances.

Trustee

• Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP)
  

  For persons who get SAP, but are unable to manage their own money, arrangements may be made with Saskatchewan Social Services for the appointment of a Trustee. An agreement is then made between the Social Services Department and the Trustee.

   

• Federal Income Security
  

  Canada Pension Plan, Disability, Retirement or Survivors Benefits Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement or Spouse Allowance

  Some persons getting any of these federal allowances may be unable to look after their money. Arrangements may then be made at a federal income security office to have a family member or other supporter appointed Trustee. A doctor’s certificate may be needed for this purpose. A Trustee appointed in this way will only be responsible for administering the federal benefit and not any other income or assets that the beneficiary may have.

   

• Trust Funds
  

  Anyone may put money into Trust Funds for someone else, either by means of a Will, or by a Living Trust set up while the donor is still alive (Inter Vivos Trust). The donor (person putting the money into the Trust), must name a Trustee to administer the Fund. The beneficiary of a Trust fund does not have access to money in the Trust Fund because it is administered by a Trustee who must use it on behalf of the beneficiary.

Public Trustee

The Public Trustee is appointed by the government to look after the financial affairs of persons who cannot do this for themselves, when there is no one else to do it for them.

There are two ways to have the Public Trustee take responsibility for managing someone’s financial affairs.

1. Using the Mentally Disordered Person’s Act, a person is assessed by a psychiatrist, who may decide that the person is not capable of looking after his or her own money or property.

The psychiatrist then notifies the Chief Psychiatrist for the Mental Health Unit and the Chief Psychiatrist, and writes a “Certificate of Incompetency”

• sends this certificate to the Public Trustee,
• gives a copy to the person concerned, and to the nearest relative.

A person may be assessed for competency while in a psychiatric hospital or on an outpatient basis. If determined to be “incompetent” while in hospital, the person must be reassessed at the time of discharge.

If there are financial matters that need to be looked after immediately, the psychiatrist contacts the Public Trustee about the urgency and to say that a “Certificate of Incompetency” is on the way. The Public Trustee can then deal with urgent financial matters.

When the Public Trustee gets a “Certificate of Incompetency”, any immediate financial matters can be looked after. Then the Public Trustee contacts the relatives of the person to find out if there are any family members or friends who will take responsibility for looking after the person’s financial affairs. If there is, the Public Trustee informs them about the Dependent Adults Act and advises them to apply to a Court to become the Property Guardian.

If there is no one else available to do this, the Public Trustee is appointed Property Guardian for the person.

2. Any friend or family member may apply to the Court to have someone declared to be a Dependent Adult, using the Dependent Adults Act. If the court agrees that the person is a Dependent Adult and needs a Property Guardian but there is no one else available to do this, the Court may appoint the Public Trustee to be the Property Guardian. The Public Trustee may also become the Property Guardian if the person who has been the Property Guardian dies, or is no longer able to continue, and there is no other person available for that function.

Note: The Public Trustee cannot be appointed Personal Guardian for anyone under the Dependent Adults Act.

Guardianship

Guardianship is an arrangement that may be made to protect a person who has impaired judgement because of a mental disorder. A person who is unable to make reasonable decisions about his or her money or property, or about day to day living matters, may be considered by the Court to be a Dependent Adult, in need of a Guardian.

An application must be made to the Court to have a person considered to be a Dependent Adult, and to have one or more Guardian(s) appointed to look after the interests of that person. Anyone who is concerned about the person may make an application to the Court under the Dependent Adults Act. There are forms which must be used for this purpose. They will provide the information the Court will need to make a decision about Guardianship.

The Guardianship Application Forms may be obtained from the Queen’s Printer for $7.50 plus tax. You may also get a Guardianship Application Kit from the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan Inc., P.O. Box 305, Regina, S4P 3A1. This Kit includes application forms as well as information about Guardianship.

There are two types of Guardianship in Saskatchewan; Property Guardianship and Personal Guardianship. Property Guardians look after financial affairs, and Personal Guardians look after personal matters such as health care and living arrangements. The same person may be both a Property and a Personal Guardian, or they may be two different people. Also two or more people may be appointed Property Guardian or Personal Guardian or both.

For each type of Guardianship, there are a number of different powers which the Court may give to the Guardian. For example, a Property Guardian might only be given the power to look after the farm property, and the Dependent Adult would still look after his or her monthly income. A Personal Guardian might only be given the power to consent for health care, or for living arrangements. The Court may, however decide that the Guardian should be given all the powers that are included in the Act.

Before a Guardian makes a decision on behalf of a Dependent Adult, it must be discussed with the Dependent, if possible, and the wishes of the Dependent have to be considered. The Guardian is instructed to include the Dependent Adult in decision making as much as possible.

A Guardian may name someone in his or her Will, to become the new Guardian when the current Guardian dies. The new Guardian will have to go to the Court within six months of the death of the former Guardian, to have the Guardianship appointment confirmed.

If there is no one else available to be a Property Guardian for a Dependent Adult, the Court may appoint the Public Trustee to be Property Guardian. The Public Trustee may also become the Property Guardian if the person who was the Property Guardian dies or is no longer able to continue, and has not made other arrangements for a new Property Guardian.

Another way that the Public Trustee may become the Property Guardian is if the person has been certified by a psychiatrist as “mentally incompetent” under the Mentally Disordered Persons Act. When this happens, the Public Trustee tries to find a relative or friend to apply for Guardianship under the Dependent Adults Act. If there is no one else available to do this, the Public Trustee becomes the Property Guardian. In any case, the Public Trustee only becomes the Property Guardian when there is no one else available for this responsibility.

The Public Trustee, however, cannot be a Personal Guardian. At the present time, in Saskatchewan, the Personal Guardian has to be a relative, friend or volunteer.

If the Dependent Adult, or anyone else concerned about the Dependent, is not satisfied about the Guardianship, an application may be made to the Court for a review. The Court may decide, for example, that the Property Guardian has to make a regular accounting to the Court, regarding the management of the property. The Court may also remove the Property Guardian and appoint the Public Trustee to continue this function.

Health Care Directives

Any person may suddenly be in a coma from an accident, stroke, brain tumor or other illness, and be unable to give informed consent for health care. Persons who have episodes of mental illness may also be too mentally confused at times to consent for needed health care. In these circumstances a person is dependent on others to decide what is best for him or her.

There is something that may be done to make sure the health care you receive when you are unable to make decisions for yourself, is what you would want. You may write out a Health Care Directive. This may also be called a “Living Will”. In a Directive, you may state what health services you wish to receive in various circumstances. You may also name someone to give consent for health care on your behalf. The substitute health care decision maker you name is called a proxy. You may choose someone that you know understands your needs and wishes and will act in your best interests.

Future Changes

It is expected there will be changes made to the Guardianship Act and the Public Trustee Act by the year 2000 or 2001. To make sure you have the most current information, check with the office of the Public Trustee. Inquiry phone number is (306) 787-5424.

1. Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits

• If you were employed in the past, you likely contributed to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) while you were working.
• If you worked for at least four of the last six years, but are now unable to work because of your disability you might be eligible to get CPP Disability Benefits. Past employment could have been off and on, as long as it totalled up to four years within the last six years.
• Some persons who have been too disabled to work since before December 31, 1997 might qualify for a Disability Benefit under the old rules. If you worked at least a total of six years between January 1988 and December 1997 but have been unable to work since then, you could be eligible, even though you worked less than four of the last six years.
• You must also meet disability criteria to collect CPP Disability Benefits. That is determined by a medical or psychiatric report.
• CPP benefits are not based on other assets you may have. Benefits will not be affected if you have other non-employment income e.g. from an inheritance.
• The amount of the CPP Disability Benefit will depend on the past contributions you have made to CPP. Benefits start at a flat rate of about $340/month (1999), plus a portion based on past earned income. The earned income portion depends on how long you worked and how much you earned while working.
• The maximum monthly CPP Disability Benefit in 1999 is $903.55. It is indexed to the Cost of Living, so it usually goes up a little every year.
• If you are getting CPP Disability Benefits you may get approval to work part-time or on a casual basis. The maximum amount you could earn in a year is about $9,000. (See CPP Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Programs.)
• To find out whether you might be able to get CPP Disability Benefits, contact a federal Income Security Office. They could also tell you how much your benefit would be, if you qualified. You will need to give them your Social Insurance Number (SIN) to get this information. The Income Security Office is also where you get the forms to apply for CPP.
• Federal Income Security is part of Human Resources Development, Canada. Income Security offices are usually in the same buildings as Canada – Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services.
• To get information about Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits, phone 1-800-277-9914.

2. Canada Pension Plan Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Programs

• The goal of this program is to help people who receive CPP Disability Benefits return to work.
• If you are able to work part-time, or on and off, but cannot manage a full-time job because of your disability, you may qualify for this program.
• When you are on this program, you are allowed to earn up to about $9,000 a year while still getting CPP Disability Benefits. The maximum earnings allowed goes up a little every year.
• You may be able to take a retraining course while you are getting CPP Disability Benefits.
• If you are able to return to work full time, or to earn more than the maximum allowed, your CPP Disability Benefits will be continued for three months, and then cut off.
• After that if you have to stop working because of your medical condition, you may have your CPP Disability Benefits reinstated immediately.
• If you are getting CPP Disability Benefits and wonder whether you could be on this program, talk to your CPP counsellor. Your counsellor may refer you to a CPP rehabilitation case manager to discuss your plans.
• To get further information about the CPP Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program, call Human Resources Development Canada, toll free 1-800-461-3422.
• A Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits Application Guide may be obtained from the Saskatchewan Voice of People with Disabilities, phone 569-3111 in Regina or toll-free 1-877-569-3111.
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3. Canada Pension Plan and the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP)

• If you are getting any financial assistance from the province (SAP), CPP Disability Benefits will be deducted from your SAP. If your CPP is as much or more than what you were getting from SAP, your SAP will be discontinued.
• Keep in mind that if your SAP is cancelled, you may lose your Supplementary Health Benefits. You may be able to get Supplementary Health Benefits, however, even if you don’t get any financial assistance from SAP, if your CPP benefits are not enough to cover your health costs. If your SAP is cut off because you are getting CPP benefits, be sure to discuss this with your Social Services worker.
• You should also be aware that CPP Disability Benefits are taxable for Income Tax purposes. SAP, on the other hand, is not taxable. If you get CPP you may have to pay income tax, especially if you have any other income.

4. Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP)

What is SAP?

• Financial assistance from the province is called SAP.
• SAP is based on financial need, not on the reason for financial need. If a person does not have enough income to meet day to day living expenses and essential special needs, SAP will provide just enough assistance to meet those minimum requirements.

Application – How do you get SAP?

• You have to apply for SAP at a Social Services office. (See Appendix VI for List of Social Services Office Locations.)
• A social service worker will assess your income and other financial resources, as well as your financial needs, to find out whether or not you are eligible for SAP, and if so, how much you are entitled to receive.

Eligibility – How do you qualify for SAP? (As of March 1999)

• Your income must be less than what is needed to meet minimum basic needs.
• If you are single, you are allowed to have up to $1,500 in savings. If you have any more than that, you will not be able to get SAP until your savings are down to $1,500.
• Persons with one dependent (e.g. a couple, or a single parent with one child) may have up to $3,000 in savings, and for each additional dependent you may have another $500.
  

  
  

  Family Size Allowable Savings
  

  Single Person $1,500
  

  Two Person Family $3,000
  

  Each additional family member $ 500

   

• You may own the house you are living in, and the furnishings, as long as it is not more than you need.
• You may be the beneficiary of a Trust Fund up to $50,000, which has been established by the Court from the estate of a parent under the Dependents’ Relief Act.
• You may be the beneficiary of a Discretionary Trust which has been set up by a Will, or by family members or friends while they are still living. You do not have access to the money in a Trust Fund. The Trustee must spend the money on your behalf.
• Note: Income from a Court established Trust Fund will not affect your SAP, but it may only be used to assist you in becoming more independent, for special needs or occasional gifts, and not for ordinary maintenance.
• Note: Income from a Discretionary Trust Fund could affect your SAP, if the Trustee gave you regular income from it, for ordinary maintenance. If you have a disability, the Trust Fund may be used to help with your special needs, occasional gifts or to help you become more independent.
• You are also allowed to have certain other assets, such as a life insurance policy, prepaid funeral expenses up to $2,500, wedding, engagement or family rings, a car (if you need one), compensation payments (other than for lost income) from insurance up to $10,000, tools for employment, personal belongings that could not be sold for more than $500 and anything else that “in the Minister’s opinion, should not be included in the calculation of financial resources.”

Benefits – What do you get from SAP? (Rates as of March 1999)

• Living in Own Accommodation
  • Basic maintenance for food, clothing, household and personal expenses.

    Maximum monthly rate for each adult $195

  • Disability Allowance – you will need a medical or psychiatric report to claim this benefit.
  • Maximum monthly allowance $ 40
  • Shelter Allowance – for rent or mortgage payments.

    Maximum rates vary depending on community and family size

  • Utilities – actual cost for necessary utilities such as power, gas, water and sewer.

   

• Living in Room & Board Accommodation
  • Room and Board and Personal Living Allowance for each adult.

    Maximum monthly rate $270

  • Disability Allowance – you will need a medical or psychiatric report to claim this benefit. $10

   

• Living in a Group Home or Special Care Home
  • Actual resident charge
  • Personal living allowance $85

   

• Living in an Approved Home
  • Level of Care Allowance (monthly rates, May 1999)
    

    Approved Home
    

    Level 1.0 $460
    

    Level 2.0 $652
    

    Level 2.5 $800
    

    Level 3.0 $910
    

    Level 3.5 $1060
    

    Level 4.0 $1210
    

    Level 4.5 $1360
    

    Level 5.0 $1510
    

    Living in a Personal Care Home
    

    Levels of Care Allowance (May 1999)

    
    

    Level 1 $520
    

    Level 2 $661
    

    Level 3 $844

    Living in a Family Home

    (Living with relatives who provide care and supervision)
    

    Levels of Care Allowance (May 1999)

    
    

    Level 1 $422
    

    Level 2 $549
    

    Level 3 $721

     

  • Personal Living Allowance $85

   

• Special Needs:

  For someone with a disability, this could include items such as:

  • Special diets
  • Telephone allowance
  • Transportation allowance
  • Special Care allowance $25

    (to pay for tasks needed so that a person with a disability can live at home)

  • Approved Home Activity Allowance $25
  • (for persons living in Approved Homes)

   

• Rehabilitation Allowance $30
• Supplementary Health Benefits

  
  

  • Assistance to pay for certain health services that are not covered by your basic Saskatchewan Health Services Card. That could include items such as dental care, eye examinations and glasses, and prescribed medication.

    Note: See section on Who Pays for Mental Health Services for more information on drug coverage.

     

Other Allowable Income (as of May, 1999)

When you get SAP, most other income or financial help you receive will affect the amount of SAP you get. There are some kinds of income, however, that won’t make any difference to your SAP benefits. Some examples of allowable income include:

• Canada Child Tax Benefits;
• Saskatchewan Child Benefits;
• Saskatchewan Employment Supplement;
• casual gifts up to $200/year or not more than $25/month;
• money from an inheritance, up to $1,500 for a single person, up to $3,000 for someone with one dependent, and $500 for each additional dependent;
• up to $50,000 from the estate of a parent, in a Trust Fund ordered by the Court under the Dependents Relief Act, for a person who has a disability; income from this Trust may not be used for ordinary maintenance, but may be used:
  
  • to help the person become more independent;
  • for special needs;
  • for occasional gifts;
• contributions, e.g. from family members or friends, other than for ordinary maintenance, for persons who require special care; for persons with disabilities that may include:
  
  • household items to assist the person to be more independent, such as a microwave oven;
  • items to assist with vocational rehabilitation, or to improve the quality of life, such as a computer, art supplies, musical instrument, sports equipment, social, recreational or entertainment activities, and annual vacations;
• some earned income from employment, which for a person with a disability may be up to: $100/month plus 20% of the remaining monthly earned income to a maximum exemption of $175/month.

5. Saskatchewan Child Benefit, National Child Benefit Supplement and Canadian Child Tax Benefit

• These benefits, which came into effect July 1998, are combined and paid to lower income families, based on the number of children under 18 years of age in the family, and their family income as reported to Revenue Canada on their Income Tax returns for the previous year.
• No application is necessary. Eligible families are identified by Revenue Canada, and benefits are issued automatically.
• For families on social assistance (SAP), these combined Child Benefits replace the basic allowances for their children.
• The combined Child Benefits range from $76/month for a family with one child and income of $30,000/year, to $1,071 for a family with 5 children and annual income under $15,900.

6. Saskatchewan Employment Supplement (Rates as of May 1999)

• This is a supplement to assist low-income working families.
• It provides monthly payments to supplement income earned by lower income parents.
• It assists parents with the child-related costs of going to work.
• It ensures that families will be better off financially when working, than when on social assistance.
• For families who are receiving social assistance, it will help the parents with the transition to self-supporting employment.
• Families who receive the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement may also be eligible for the Saskatchewan Child Benefit.
• Eligibility for the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement depends on the number of children under age 18, and the employment income. A family may be eligible for some supplement if their income from employment is less than:

  
  

  $1,750/month 1 child
  

  $1,900/month 2 children
  

  $2,050/month 3 children
  

  $2,175/month 4 children
  

  $2,325/month 5 children

   

• The amount of the supplement is also based on employment income and the number of children under age 18.
• Monthly benefits range from $6.25 for a family with one child and earned income of $1750/month, to a maximum of $315 for a family with five children and earned income of $1,000/month.
• Application for the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement is made through a toll-free telephone call centre 1-888-488-6385; in Regina 787-4723.

7. Family Health Benefits

• Families who receive the Saskatchewan Child Benefit or the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement will also receive Family Health Benefits.
•  
• This provides Supplementary Health Benefits for children who are under 18 years of age.
•  
• Benefits for children include:
  • Dental coverage
  • Drug coverage – no charge for prescription drugs that are on the Saskatchewan Drug Formulary
  • Optometry Service – eye examination once a year and basic eyeglasses
  • Emergency ambulance
  • Medical supplies – prescribed by a doctor
  • Chiropractic services

   

• Benefits for parents include:
  • Drug coverage – reduced semi-annual deductible for prescription drugs to $100 (from $850). After the first $100 every six months, there is a co-payment of 35%.
  • Optometry Service – eye examination every two years.
  • Chiropractic Service – fully covered
  • Dental Service – no coverage for parents
  • Emergency ambulance – no coverage for parents
  • Medical supplies – no coverage for parents

8. Provincial Training Allowance (Rates as of May 1999)

• This monthly allowance is for low income students who are enrolled in adult basic education or related courses. It assists persons or families receiving social assistance to move into the workforce.
• The amount of the allowance depends on family size and whether or not the student is living with parents.
• A single adult receives $300/month when living at home with parents, and $480/month when living away from home. Two adults, both in training receive $915/month, but only $885/month if only one is in training. The allowance for each dependent child is $165/month.
• Northern food allowance of $50 is included where applicable.
• Supplementary Health Benefits are included for students and family members

This program is administered by Saskatchewan Post Secondary Education and Skills Training.

9. Employment Assistance for Persons with Disabilities (EAPD)

Formerly Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Persons (VRDP) Program.

EAPD is a joint Federal-Provincial program. It provides assistance to adults who have disabilities, to help them get into employment. Financial assistance may be given for assessments, training and education to assist disabled persons to gain skills necessary for employment.

Funding is available under EADP to pay for:

• Assessments, including;
  • vocational evaluation, and work assessment,
  • disability assessment,
  • educational assessment.

  
  

• Training and Education, including;
  • basic skills training,
  • adult basic education,
  • courses at regional colleges or technical institutes,
  • university programs,
  • training-on-the job.

  
  

• Support Services, including;
  • employment support,
  • job coaching,
  • tutoring,
  • interpreter or notetaking services,
  • attendant services.

  
  

• Technical aids, including;
  • special transportation,
  • special equipment or tools.

  
  

• Training allowance; (May 1999)
  • single adult $480/month
  • 2 adults, 1 in training $885/month
  • 2 adults, both in training $915/month
  • single parent $720/month
  • each dependent child $165/month
  • northern food allowance $ 50/month
  • Note: for trainees who are living at home with parents, the training allowance is reduced, e.g. for a single adult, the allowance is $300/month.

To be sponsored under this program, adults with disabilities must apply to approved EADP referral agencies. That includes all Mental Health Clinics, Social Services offices and Canadian Mental Health Association centres.