BCANDS RDSP Indigenous Navigator Program

BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society’s latest program helps disabled Indigenous individuals and their families qualify for and open the Registered Disability Savings Plan. In its short time since Access RDSP has been established, the BCANDS Indigenous Navigators have directly worked with hundreds of individuals, families and organizations. BCANDS works one on one with Indigenous individuals who live with a disability through all aspects of qualifying for and opening the RDSP. Through that work BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigators have assisted opening RDSP’s that are estimated to grow in value to be between $6million and $18,000million. The lower value represents growth from the $1,000 annual bond and the higher value represents the $3,500 annual grant and personal contributions to max the grant.

At age 6, one of our youngest clients opened an RDSP with the help of his mom and a BCANDS Navigator. By age 60 he could have up to $95,000 without ever putting any of his own money in. These future withdrawals can be spent however he sees fit. If he is able to make personal contributions and takes advantage of the matched savings from the grants he could have over $500,000. His family and him would only need to contribute $30,000 over a 20 year period. That equals $125 per month. Or $1,500 annually. Also please note these numbers are invested conservatively and do not take a growth objective into account (3% rate of return). The $500,000 would increase with added growth.

Through a coordinated effort with the BCANDS PWD adjudication program, BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator program has identified an additional 2,000 potential clients that may qualify and benefit from the RDSP. Indigenous persons living with disability within First Nation communities are the most vulnerable individuals in BC and in most need of the RDSP. Most of the programs client’s are current Persons With Disability (PWD) recipients which means that they live with severe disabilities and live in poverty. Across BC there is a potential of over 50,000 Indigenous individuals that could qualify for the RDSP given a Indigenous population of over 200,000 in BC and a disability rate twice that of the rest of Canada. It is interesting to note that while Indigenous people are born with disabilities equal to the rest of Canada, Indigenous people acquire disabilities throughout their lives at a higher rate.

Indigenous persons living with disabilities often live in poverty Indigenous persons living with disabilities often live in poverty. In 2016 it was reported that 80% of First Nations in Canada have median incomes below the poverty line. This contributes to the amplification of disability and health conditions. Statistics Canada reports that only half of Canadians with a disability have a job. The employment rate drops as disabilities become more severe. For Canadians with a severe disability, only 26 per cent are employed. This number is lower for Indigenous persons living with a disability and even lower when they reside within a first nation community.

Next to social isolation, poverty is the biggest barrier felt by Canadians with disabilities. Too many Canadians with disabilities are living paycheque to paycheque, earning too little to get ahead. To help combat poverty the Registered Disability Savings Plan came into effect in 2008. Despite the high number of Indigenous people in Canada living with a disability, there is a lack of participation in government programs such as the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and the RDSP. The BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator program was created with the support of the Vancouver Foundation and is part of the Access RDSP project

“Our partners are getting RDSPs into populations that we at one point thought might be inaccessible.” “We had to shift the program resources and move them into organizations that work with people with disabilities every day and enable them to do that work.” “Vancouver Foundation doesn’t have and never will have the connections and networks and the same degree of trust that these agencies have with the populations that they are reaching,” Kevin McCort, president and CEO of Vancouver Foundation.

Key practices Key areas of focus Connect Engage Trust Key areas of focus Relationships, advocacy, implementing Indigenous perspective and developing networks To ensure that BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator program is provided through an Indigenous perspective and designed with appropriate consideration for Indigenous culture

Relationship Building BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator Program works with all Indigenous people who live with a disability including BC’s 203 First Nation communities, BC’s 37 Metis Chartered communities, Inuit, Metis and First Nations (both status and non-status) who reside in BC. BCANDS works one on one with these individuals, their families and their communities (First Nation and non-First Nation) to foster relationships while raising awareness and support for the BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator program. BCANDS collaborates with Indigenous, disability and health organizations to provide promotion material and information about the RDSP support and services available to Indigenous disabled individuals and their families. BCANDS actively engages Indigenous, provincial, federal and local governments to raise awareness of and to promote the Indigenous RDSP Navigator Program. BCANDS also has identified limitations of the program including barriers and gaps within current policy and legislature while providing recommendations for change.

Client/Navigator Relationship BCANDS Navigators provide clients with information packages and assist clients in connecting with health practitioners. Navigators complete tax returns up to 10 years prior through BCANDS partnership with the Community Volunteer Income Tax program and assist with recovery of past tax credits and benefits. They assist clients in obtaining ID prior to opening the RDSP. They provide information and resources to health practitioners about the DTC Certificate and review the DTC prior to submission to CRA. Navigators assist with completing legal representative agreement which allow caregivers to submit the DTC and open the RDSP. Follow-up is completed with CRA when there are delays in processing and informal reviews are requested when DTC’s are denied. Clients are supported through the whole process of obtaining an RDSP.

Client identified barriers Some of the barriers encountered by the BCANDS Indigenous RDSP Navigator Program contribute to the low participation rate. The DTC cost is not covered and there is no set fee for what a doctor can charge. The financial barrier is too great for many clients who survive on PWD benefits alone. Access to health care practitioners is another deterrent such as transportation costs and limited healthcare service providers and services. There often is no access to public transportation in rural communities and clients have to travel for medical appointments. Often healthcare practitioners do not know the clients medical history as their doctor has retired, they have no GP and they use walk-in clinics, or their specialist has retired and no new specialist is available.

Client identified barriers cont’d There can be a lack of understanding of how individuals qualify for the DTC by healthcare practitioners and DTC’s are refused because their disability is not fully understood. Many clients experience delays with DTC adjudication and are unable to verify their identity when requesting updates. RDSP’s are complex registered government savings plans. There is often a lack of financial literacy to understand how the plan works and how to manage the plan. BCANDS helps clients overcome these barriers and is ensuring the success of the RDSP with BC’s Indigenous population.

The biggest barrier is awareness The biggest barrier is awareness. Indigenous persons living with a disability, their families and support workers are just not aware the RDSP/DTC exists. Another common deterrent of the RDSP is that they believe they have to put money into the RDSP to benefit from it, which is not the case.

Successes “I’ve never thought about my future before,” 22 year old client. “Are you sure there is supposed to be $10,000 put into my account,” 46 year old client. “It sure makes me feel relieved, I don’t have to worry,” grandma to three grandchildren living with disabilities. “I have never had anything offered to me like this,” grandma who is caregiver adult grandchild. “You make me feel extra special, thank you for everything that you’ve done,” 48 year old client.