The Ministry of Social Services will research and pilot an assessment tool developed by the World Health Organization to determine the impact of a person’s disability on their daily life. New applicants to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program will be given the opportunity to volunteer in the pilot.
“Developing a unique income support program for people experiencing disabilities was one of our government’s first priorities,” said Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Social Services. “From the beginning, our government and the disability community agreed that SAID should support people with significant and enduring disabilities, and be sustainable over the long term. Reviewing and improving the program will help to ensure that we are adhering to those original principles and supporting those in greatest need.”
During the pilot, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 will be evaluated to assess whether it can accurately and effectively measure the impact of disability for the purposes of the SAID program. Impact refers to the individual’s difficulty with daily living activities and the supports required for those activities. The impact assessment is one of the tools used to determine eligibility for the SAID program.
“The evaluation and pilot of the assessment tool will provide a careful and measured process for determining the best approach for this very important program,” said Merv Bender, chair of the SAID program implementation advisory team. “The advisory team looks forward to working with the Minister and the government as we continue to support a better quality of life for Saskatchewan people experiencing significant and enduring disability.”
Currently, applicants to the SAID program participate in a disability impact assessment (DIA) administered by the Saskatchewan Abilities Council. Beginning on November 14, new SAID applicants will be invited to take part in the pilot. The pilot will not affect existing SAID benefits or have any impact on participants’ eligibility.
The pilot should run over the next few months. Results will inform future decisions about the SAID application process. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 is an internationally recognized instrument for measuring the impact of disability, using research done by the WHO and studies undertaken across various countries, languages, and populations.
