I am on disability in Canada. When I was accepted for disability I had to sign an agreement to certain things. One being that I see a psychiatrist regularly, another being that I comply with medications, and a few other things.

I have been on disability for almost 7 years and I have kept up my agreement. I don't know if this is common place, I have a friend on the same disability as me, same dx, and she has no such agreement. What bothers me about this agreement is the med compliance. I have taken up many life style changes, routine, diet, therapy, behavior changes and techniques for wellness. Now if I can get myself to a point where I would like to at least try being med free, I feel like I am trapped. And I don't know what would happen in regards to my disability. I also feel like this is against my rights. But I'm really not sure about what my rights are.

Do any of you know on regards to Canada, I am on a provincial PWD disability program. Or do any of you have a similar agreement?

I really didn't know where to post this, if there is a better place, I'd be happy to move it.

Thanks, Anika

Hello Anika,

I have never heard of your situation before. I am on ODSP and have no agreements like that attached. Perhaps you could discuss your concerns with your disability worker?

Thanks Melissa, I haven't heard of this either, and I have tried online searches, but have come up empty handed. I am in British Columbia. I don't have a disability worker, unfortunately all we have is a 1-800 number (call center), and usually when I have called the people working the phones are not very knowledgeable over simple things like bus pass forms. Also I guess I am nervous to call, as I am not sure if that is opening a can of worms. I'm probably a bit paranoid.

It seems weird to me that I have been on disability for seven years and no one has ever contacted to me to see if I was meeting my agreement requirements, or if I was still in need of disability, I am, but it is a little weird that no one has spoken to me since I was accepted.

[splitimage]

Try to think back to when you signed the papers. You may have agreed to a community treatment Order, or at least that's what they're called here in ON. The rules vary from province to province, but you can be put on a CTO here in ON, if you've been hospitalized x number of times in the preceeding 2 years or if your Dr. thinks that you are capable of living within the community but may be at risk for non-compliance with your medication. In ON, most people who are on CTO's have an ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) team working with them, to ensure compliance.

If you have signed a CTO, they can be kind of hard to get out of, but there is normally a review process.

I'd start with your psychiatrist, and find out what exactly his knowledge of your legal standing is.

Good luck.

splitimage

Oh thanks Splitimage, I don't remember if it carried a title such as CTO, but I do still have a copy filed away. I'm going to dig it out and have a look. I had not been hospitalized at that point, and was just starting treatment. I do have severe mania at times including psychosis. I wonder if maybe that was why.

Thank you for that info, I didn't know about that. Gee I hope that's not what I signed. I was mailed the papers and I had to sign them and mail them back. I wasn't in a good place mentally and I think I may not really been aware of what I was signing.

[snowgoose]

Hi Anika. I was denied BC disability but accepted for CPP disability. I don't remember why the province denied me. I had applied for both hoping one would fly. I'd heard from people that CPP was hard to get; it would take at least 1 or 2 appeals. I was approved the first go round; I didn't wait long and its been a smooth sailing.

CPP is taxable. That is the only down side. BC isn't taxable. A portion of the allowance is a Child Benefit. When my son turned 18 while still in school and still living at home the child benefit is given to him directly every month. I guess it is a bonus for having to live with a crazy mum. Kinda weird how it works. Either way he is paying for his own gym pass from now on. lol

I know others on BC Disability and it does seem a little stricter. I understood it was a 3 year cycle for re-assessments. 7 years, no re-assessment - count your blessings I guess. Being cut off is a real threat but it depends on many factors. Even then it seems very few are cut off so long as their doctor indicates they are still not well enough to return to steady employment. If an attempt to return to work doesn't pan out reinstatement is immediate.

As for compliance..... I think there are a lot of definition being applied. Basically compliance means remaining under a doctor's care. I don't think it has to mean taking meds if alternative treatments have proven effective and the doctor is in agreement. Until a doctor declares you fit and ready your assistance will continue.

All of our safety nets in Canada revolve around employability. If you can work than you must work. If you can't for legitimate reasons we will help but the goal always is to be fit for work.

Compliance to me means following a treatment plan agreed to with your doctor. Meds may or may not need to be in the equation if the treatment plan without meds is effective. Depends on the doctor I expect. Depends on the assessor. I think there is more flexibility than we are led to believe sometimes. Still it is always really scary when your life is in someone else's hands. Just that alone kept me in my room for years. History had taught me the so called helping hands could drop me like a hot potatoe at any second. Trust in my world has always proven to be a naive illusion.

I wouldn't stir the pot if you can help it.... 7 years no assessment.... leave sleeping dogs lie. But see if you can't find someone to talk to in the system that might be able to give you enough answers to calm your anxiety. The more info you can find the more likely the anxiety will ease up. Its the unknowns let loose in my imagination that is always scores worse than reality. The sooner I get a real fix on the issue the better for me.

PS... maybe your doctor can be a source of info. No doubt he has a lot of other patience on BC disability and has a better understanding of how the system operates and what compliance really means. Or in my case..... ask the office nurses because they are the ones that really know what is going on.

[Perna]

It probably has to do with "Community Compliance" and you live in different areas. Not all provinces have it.

http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=5-33-179

Thanks you guys for all the info and link.

I was not aware of this at all. I cannot see why I would have a community compliance order or agreement. I have only been hospitalized once, and that was last year, well after the fact, I was very compliant with treatment. I understand that this would be put in place for your own benefit, I just don't see how this really would apply to me. I have a different pdoc than I did when I went on disability, because my old one retired. I think I'll try to get some info from him if I can, and maybe my T as well.

And I will let sleeping dogs lie, I was accepted for disability within 3 months, I didn't qualify for CPP, and I understand that if you do qualify for CPP, you do not qualify for provincial disability, I did have to apply for CPP and get rejected before I could apply to the province. I assume they must at least check in with my pdoc to see my standing. I think the only reason I got accepted quickly was because I was in serious poverty, I have children, and maybe because I carry multiple dx's. Not sure.

I leave it alone for now, I am not yet at a point where I could go med free, but you know how it can be, it's something that I would want at some point in my future if possible. I wasn't really sure about how much power I have. Since I have not been stable for more than a few months at a time in seven years, that could be a long ways off or never happen. I just want to be more aware of my rights.

I do think if I can ever get to a point where I was well enough and stable enough to be med free, then I would also be well enough to finally put some of my education to good use, and would not need to rely on disability I would hope, soo much ado about nothing ?