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Expected to Work/Barriers to Full Employment Policy & Procedures

Published Date: October 18, 2023
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05 Limited/Ineligible Groups

Health and Treatment Facilities

AUTHORITY
Income and Employment Supports Act, section 5(1)(a), Schedule, sections 1(f) and (h), 6 and 8
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, sections 4, 8 and 9 and Schedule 4, section 3(2)(b)

INTENT

Income Support (IS) applicants, recipients or members of their household unit who are admitted on a temporary basis to an acute care/active treatment hospital, long-term care facility, provincial mental health hospitals or care center (Claresholm), or residential addiction treatment facility should not need to worry about finances and their ability to maintain their residence in the community while receiving treatment.

POLICY

Benefit Determination
The type of benefit provided is determined by the type of admission, as determined by the doctor, Alberta Health staff, or residential addiction treatment facility staff.  Admission may be temporary or permanent.

A person may be admitted to a health facility as a permanent patient or their status may change from a temporary to a permanent admission after their initial admission.

The worker determines the client type and eligibility for specific benefits based on whether it is a temporary or permanent admission not by the length of stay in the facility.

In accordance with the Supplementary Benefits policy, the circumstances of client’s who enter these facilities are reviewed to confirm that they continue to meet eligibility criteria for their existing supplementary benefits and to identify any new supplementary benefits that they may be eligible to receive.

Types of Facilities

Acute Care/Active Treatment Hospitals
IS applicants or recipients who are admitted to an acute care hospital, and intend to return to their residence, are issued full Core Benefits (Core Shelter and Core Essential) for the duration of their hospitalization.

Occasionally patients in acute care hospitals are approved by the Assessment/Placement Committee as requiring placement to a long-term care facility. These patients are usually given a 30-day notice of their change in status. For clients in these situations, the policy for long-term care facilities applies.

Long-Term Care Facilities

Temporary Admissions
IS applicants or recipients who are temporarily admitted to a long-term care facility, and intend to return to their residence, are eligible to receive full Core Benefits for the first month in the facility.

If the client remains in the facility beyond one month, and intends on returning to their residence, they are eligible to receive Core Shelter and the Comforts Allowance and an accommodation charge at the Standard Room rate.

If there are other members of the household unit living in the community, they receive their portion of Core Essential (Budget Status 2).

Permanent Admissions
IS applicants or recipients permanently admitted to a long-term care facility are only eligible for the Comforts Allowance and the accommodation charge, beyond the month of admission. However, where the client has not been able to give one month’s notice to the landlord, Core Shelter can be provided for one additional month.

If a client who is permanently admitted to a long-term care facility has a spouse/cohabiting partner in the community and both household units are eligible for IS benefits, the needs are issued on two separate files.

Provincial Mental Health Hospitals (Alberta Hospital Edmonton or Ponoka) and Claresholm Care Centre

Temporary Admission
IS applicants or recipients who are temporarily admitted to a mental health hospital and intend to return to their residence are eligible to receive full Core Benefits for the first month of hospitalization.

If the client remains in hospital beyond one month, and intends on returning to their residence, only the Core Shelter is provided. No accommodation charge is provided for clients admitted to these facilities.

The Comforts Allowance is not paid by the IS program for clients admitted to Alberta Hospitals Edmonton and Ponoka, or Claresholm Care Centre, as they are responsible for providing this allowance to their patients.

If there are other members of the household unit living in the community, they receive their portion of Core Essential using Budget Status 2.

Permanent Admission
Alberta Health determines when a hospital admission is permanent.

IS clients permanently admitted to a provincial mental health hospital are not eligible for IS benefits beyond the month of admission. However, where the client has not been able to give one month’s notice to the landlord, Core Shelter can be provided for one additional month.

If a client who is permanently admitted to a Provincial Mental Health Hospital leaves a spouse/cohabiting partner in the community, and if the spouse/cohabitating partner is eligible for IS benefits, they maybe be issued benefits on their own file.

Residential Addiction Treatment Facilities (includes Recovery Communities)
IS applicants or clients may be admitted to a residential addiction treatment facility (Alberta Health licensed facilities). If a client is entering one of these facilities and the client or their family is maintaining a residence in the community, they are issued full core (Core Shelter and Core Essential), supplementary and health benefits based on their client category and family composition for the duration of their treatment.

IS clients admitted to a residential addiction treatment facility who will not be maintaining a residence are not eligible for Core Shelter beyond the month of admission. However, where the client has not been able to give one month’s notice to the landlord, Core Shelter can be provided for an additional month.

The worker advises applicants or clients in these facilities of their allowable liquid asset limit and that if this amount is exceeded, they will become ineligible for Income Support benefits. The worker also advises that once their liquid assets are below this limit, they may reapply for Income Support. Clients who are no longer eligible for Income Support are advised of the Alberta Adult Health Benefit program if they have medical expenses.