Purpose of the Program
The program serves as a social safety net of last resort for clients and dependents living on including Status First Nations living in Yukon. Its primary goals are to:
- Cover basic daily living expenses and special needs.
- Reduce poverty and improve quality of life.
- Support the transition to employment or education through pre-employment supports.
IMPORTANT: Financial Needs Assessment
To receive benefits, a case file must clearly demonstrate financial need.
Required Financial Documents:
- Current Bank Account Statements: These must be provided for the client and their spousal dependent.
- Income Tax Assessment: Your most recent and complete tax assessment showing total income and deductions.
- Proof of Other Benefits: Documents showing the amount received (or proof of ineligibility) for:
- Employment Insurance (EI).
- Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), Old Age Security (OAS), or Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
- Budget & Decision Forms: Completed and signed as per ISC’s procedures
Please submit these documents directly to:
Band Designated Social Worker (BDSW) | Heather Hawkins via Email H.Hawkins@tahltan.ca
Who is Eligible?
To qualify as a program beneficiary, you must demonstrate that you:
- Are ordinarily resident on reserve including Status First Nations living in Yukon (or living off-reserve primarily for medical/social
- Are eligible for financial assistance based on provincial or territory-specific legislation regarding employability, composition & age, and financial resources, financial need (income and assets) services not available on reserve).
- Have not applied for and do not receive income assistance from any other source.
What the Program Covers?
Funding is divided into five main categories:
- Basic Needs: Food, clothing, and shelter (including rent and utilities).
- Special Needs: Goods and services essential to physical or social well-being for well-being, such as special diets, children’s school supplies, and non-medical transportation.
- Disability Income Supports: Rates and benefits aligned with provincial/territorial programs.
- Pre-employment Supports: Including childcare, training allowances, wage subsidies, and help with basic skills (literacy, numeracy, driver’s licenses).
- Emergency/Hardship: Temporary measures for urgent situations.
- Funeral/Burial Costs: Up to $3,500 for costs and $6,000 for repatriation of remains if necessary.
- Service delivery: standard case management and administrative costs resulting from program and service delivery such as salaries, transportation, accommodation, office supplies, etc
Essential Application Checklists
Clients should be encouraged to use the Official Link to review these sections in full to ensure they have the most current and complete information for their specific situation. You can find the following specific information in the guide:
Detailed Eligibility Requirements
Clients can look for precise definitions and criteria regarding:
- “Ordinarily Resident” Status: Detailed explanations of what it means to live on reserve, including exceptions for those living off reserve for medical or social reasons
- Specific Group Eligibility: Rules for post-secondary students in exceptional circumstances, children living out of the parental home, and members of landless Indian bands.
- Provincial Alignment: Information on how eligibility and benefit rates are aligned with the specific laws and regulations of the province or territory where the client lives.
The Application & Documentation Process
The guide outlines exactly what a case file must contain, including:
- Mandatory Forms: Details on the application form, declaration of accuracy, and the authorization to release information.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN): The 60-day window for providing a SIN and the specific exceptions that may be allowed.
- Identity Verification: A list of all acceptable documents for proving the identity of adults and children in the family unit.
- Missing Documents: Guidance on what to do if certain documents are unavailable and how a “justification for exception” is handled.
Coverage and Benefits (Eligible Expenditures)
The guide specifies what the program will and will not pay for:
- Basic and Special Needs: Allowances for food, clothing (including children’s winter and school clothes), rent, utilities, and essential household items.
- Disability Support: How disability status is verified through medical reports and how rates are determined.
- Funeral Costs: Specific dollar limits for funeral, burial, and repatriation of remains.
- What is NOT covered: A list of ineligible items, including most medical/health services, prescriptions, and payment of fines (like parking tickets).
Pre-employment & Training Supports
Clients interested in returning to school or work can find details on:
- Personalized Action Plans: How case workers help develop individualized plans for training and employment.
- Funding for Skills: Coverage for literacy, numeracy, driver’s licenses, employment readiness training and first aid & CPR certification.
- Workplace Help: Supports for childcare, transportation, work-ready clothing, and even the potential for wage subsidies.
Client Rights and Privacy
- Appeals Process: Requirement for an Appeals Process for Income Assistance Eligibility Decisions
- Privacy Protections: How personal information is collected and protected under the Privacy Act.
- Safety Exceptions: Procedures for temporarily waiving documentation requirements if a client is in an abusive or violent situation.
Questions? Contact Heather Hawkins at H.Hawkins@tahltan.ca.