The District of Nipissing Social Services

Resolution No. 2007-137

Carried: □ Defeated: □ Date: October 10, 2007

MOVED BY: ______

SECONDED BY: ______

Whereas - the Ontario Works Task Force has given careful consideration to changes in the Ontario Works local Funeral Policy and Rates;

Be it resolved - that Local Policy 30, Funerals and Burials, be approved as recommended by the Ontario Works Task Force.

CARRIED ______

MAUREEN BOLDT

CHAIRPERSON

CARRIED ______

WILLIAM A. WHITE

SECRETARY

COLUMN “A” / COLUMN “B”
MEMBER (A) / YEAS / NAYS / MEMBER (B) / YEAS / NAYS
KOZIOL, JUDY (North Bay) /  / 
BOLDT, MAUREEN (North Bay) (CHAIR) /  /  / MAYNE, CHRIS (North Bay) /  / 
CAMPBELL, SARAH (North Bay) /  /  / McCARTHY, NARRY (EAST NIPISSING) /  / 
ETHIER, GUY (West Nipissing) /  /  / OGILVIE, BOB (South Algonquin) /  / 
GRAHAM, TOM (North Bay) /  /  / SMERDON, CLAIRE (Temagami) /  / 
JUPP, GEORGE A. (Unincorporated)
(VICE-CHAIR) /  /  / VREBOSCH, WILLIAM (East Ferris) /  / 
TOTAL COLUMN “A” / TOTAL COLUMN “B”
TOTAL YEAS / TOTAL NAYS

TO: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FROM: BILL WHITE, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

DATE: OCTOBER 2, 2007

RE: ONTARIO WORKS FUNERAL AND BURIALS POLICY AND RATES

Recommendation:

Whereas - the Ontario Works Task Force has given careful consideration to changes in the Ontario Works local Funeral Policy and Rates;

Be it resolved - that Local Policy 30, Funerals and Burials, be approved as recommended by the Ontario Works Task Force.

Background:

• The attached Policy was reviewed again at the Ontario Works Task Force Meeting of September 27, 2007 and some revisions were made to clarify certain provisions of the Funeral and Burials Policy. There was no change made to the funeral rates and disbursements from the proposal made to the September Meeting of the Board.

• The following Chart provides information on Funeral Rates and Disbursements from a 2005 Survey by NOSDA of Ontario Works Delivery Agents.

• At that time, the DNSSAB Funeral Rate Policy was in the average range of the survey.

• A telephone survey conducted in 2007 confirmed similar rates are in effect in most Districts.

…./2

- 2 -

POLICY 30 /

FUNERALS AND BURIALS

/ September 2007

REFERENCE DIRECTIVES

·  MINISTRY DIRECTIVE #1.0 – Overview of Ontario Works

·  MINISTRY DIRECTIVE #15.0 - Assets

·  MINISTRY DIRECTIVE #7.1 - Provision of Benefits

·  DNSSAB Board Resolution 2005-103, dated September 21, 2005

·  SDMT Process and Payment Funeral Job Aid, October 2006

·  Funeral Assistance Request Declaration, August 2006

·  Funeral application checklist – October 2006

INTENT

·  to distinguish between Type A and Type B funerals and payment limits

·  to outline Case Manager roles and responsibilities regarding required documentation, determination of eligibility and payment levels

·  to comply with the requirements and minimum standards as established in Ministry Directive #7.1- Provision of Benefits

·  to establish the DNSSAB Ontario Works standards

POLICY

The DNSSAB will assess requests for funeral and burial costs on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility based on specific criteria. The maximum base rate will need to be clarified by a Team Coordinator according to the annual amount as approved by the DNSSAB Board. In all cases, the DNSSAB will attempt to recover the cost of a funeral or burial following the procedures outlined in this policy. DNSSAB has approved a maximum payable amount for funerals and burials plus approved disbursements fees as listed in this policy.

Funeral Director Responsibilities:

It is the responsibility of the Funeral Director to determine that all parties prior to a contract being signed agree to the incurred charges and payments. The contract includes an itemized list of services and details of payment. If before the contact is signed, the next of kin indicates that the costs of the services outlined in the contact may impose financial difficulties, the Funeral Director may advise of possible funding through DNSSAB. The Funeral Director could, at this time, discuss the funeral package covered by DNSSAB. If the next of kin is in agreement, they should be referred to the DNSSAB for the completion of the application. It is the responsibility of the next of kin to advise the Funeral Director of the financial difficulties prior to the contract being signed. Death certificates will not be released until funeral recovery is completed unless death certificate is required for next of kin in order to apply for other financial resources.

Requests for Financial Assistance for Funerals Type A and Type B:

The deceased must have been ordinarily a resident of this municipality at the time of their death, in order to be eligible for financial assistance. If the deceased was not a resident of this municipality, the Case Manager will attempt to determine the area that the deceased resided in and refer interested parties to the appropriate Ontario Works office for assistance. In the event of a death in a hospital or nursing home, residency is determined to be the municipality in which the patient was ordinarily residing at the time of their admission. Residency in the case of an unclaimed body is determined to be where the body was found (i.e. within the limits of a city, town, village or township). In cases where the indigent person lived in an unorganized township, the Coroner, as the inspector under the Anatomy Act, has the authority to decide which Municipality or designate office will be responsible for paying the cost of the burial.

Once residency has been determined the Case Manager will proceed with the process for Type A or Type B funeral.

Type A Funeral (OW/ODSP):

·  An active OW/ODSP recipient funeral is cost shared 80-20 % with the Province and applies to deceased recipients and those who would have qualified for Ontario Works and ODSP financial assistance at the time of their death. In cases requesting assistance with the funeral for an active Ontario Works or ODSP recipient, no additional forms are required. The data collected regarding costs will be recorded in the SDMT notes under category, Payments/Benefits, note type, Benefits, and subject Funeral Benefits

·  OW staff will contact ODSP to notify them that the next of kin has applied at the OW office for Funeral expenses. ODSP will make the necessary contact in the ODSP office to confirm that any entitlement due will be redirected to the OW office.

Sufficient Funds:

·  If there are sufficient income/assets available from the deceased’s estate to cover the total funeral amount, the Case Manager will advise the applicant of ineligibility. All of the deceased’s assets/income must be applied toward the funeral expenses, including life insurance policies, inheritances, etc. that may be payable to a beneficiary or dependant. Additionally, the value of the deceased’s estate is considered at time of death and not when all the deceased’s outstanding bills/debts have been paid by the surviving family members.

·  The Case Manager will send a courtesy letter to both the next of kin and the funeral home indicating ineligibility.

Insufficient Funds/No funds:

·  If there are not sufficient funds available to cover the total allowable funeral expenses, the Case Manager will advise the applicant(s) that any income/assets available will be allocated toward the total funeral expense.

·  The OW Coordinator or designate will complete the required assignments prior to paying funeral/burial costs.

·  The Case Manager pays the total agreed funeral costs and DNSSAB is reimbursed from any income/asset available from the estate.

·  Complete Funeral Declaration form

·  Letters will be sent to all of the deceased banking institutions along with a copy of the death certificate requesting proceeds from the stated accounts be forwarded to the funeral home.

·  Death certificates will not be released until funeral recovery is completed unless death certificate is required for next of kin to apply for other financial resources.

Type B Funeral (Indigent/Unclaimed Bodies/Non-Recipient):

·  Type B (Indigent/non-recipient) funeral/burial is paid 100 % by the Municipalities, in accordance with the Board Resolution 2005-103. It is also paid in accordance with the statutes of the Public Hospitals Act and the Anatomy Act which requires a municipality to cover the funeral or burial expenses for non-recipients of OW/ODSP and for those who would not qualify under Type A, unclaimed bodies or indigent persons who die in Nursing Homes where the deceased would normally have resided within their jurisdiction.

·  Bodies found and/or unclaimed in this municipality and in situations where there are no next of kin or persons willing to sign for the costs associated with the final internment, will be considered for financial assistance. In these cases, the OW Coordinator or designate will be required to sign the funeral purchase contract on behalf of DNSSAB and to retrieve any financial information regarding the deceased. In all cases the Police, the Funeral Home or other possible resources should be contacted to access this information.

·  Only the costs associated with the final interment will be considered for payment.

·  If the person was not in receipt of OW or ODSP, the OW Coordinator or designate will complete the application for assistance (part 1 only) to the best of their ability and the consent securing information from a relative or funeral home as the case may be, and enter the case in SDMT. In addition, if the deceased was in receipt of CPP survivor benefit, the SIN for the deceased spouse will also be collected in order to properly complete the death benefit form.

·  The OW Coordinator or designate will complete the required assignments prior to paying funeral/burial costs.

·  Letters will be sent to all of the deceased banks along with a copy of the death certificate requesting proceeds from the stated accounts if applicable.

·  Assistance for a burial will only be provided where approval is sought in advance of the expenditure. The OW Coordinator or designate will document the circumstances of each request noting the agreed to costs. Upon receipt of an itemized invoice it will be compared with the approved notes recorded by the OW Coordinator. Any amounts billed in excess of the amount approved by the OW Coordinator will not be paid by the DNSSAB but will remain the responsibility of the funeral home.

·  In the event that the total costs exceed the maximum amount allowable and the funeral director and the person agreeing to pay the costs do not terminate or cancel the original contract, the person(s) signing the contract will be responsible for any outstanding balances. Any payments already made towards the funeral costs will be deducted from any OW payment.

No consideration will be given to an application beyond two months from the date of death, unless there are extenuating circumstances approved by the OW Coordinator.

Note: If a deceased person was living on a reserve within the past 12 months the IWS indicator will need to be checked off in SDMT. This will allow expenses to be recoverable at 100%.

APPROVED GOODS AND SERVICES:

It is expected that the funeral homes will advise family members (or interested persons), who may be required to apply to Ontario Works for assistance with any of the funeral/burial costs of DNSSAB policies regarding the maximum amounts considered, disbursements not to be considered and the need for authorization prior to the person signing the contract for service.

The following goods and services will be considered for payment up to the ceiling established by this policy:

·  Casket: 19 hinge plate, flat top, cloth covered or equivalent. If a cremation container is purchased instead of a casket, the cremation container and a cremation urn can be exchanged for the casket, up to the cost allowed for the casket.

·  Basic Services: Professional services of a licensed funeral director for consultation with the purchaser and family, coordination of all arrangements with clergy. Cemetery, crematorium, church, hospital or nursing home prior to, during and after the funeral. Also, support staff for general staffing, assistance during the funeral service, clerical support, cleaning and maintenance and 24 hour availability.

·  2 hours of visitation: Funeral director and staff supervision during visiting, receiving and setting up flowers, coordination of donations, preparations for funeral service and staff to assist with and direct the service.

·  Documentation: Prepare contracts with the purchaser, prepare any municipal and provincial registrations, prepare and submit newspaper notices, obtain coroner and medical certificates, prepare and submit cemetery or cremation forms, and preparation and distribution of any other required documentation.

·  Embalming: The preservation, sanitation and restoration of the body to allow viewing or sheltering of the remains, only if requested by the next of kin or if the arrangements are in excess of 48 hours from the time of death, as required by Funeral Home policy.

·  Other preparations: Includes dressing, hair styling, cosmetics, casketing and exterior disinfection when no embalming is authorized.

·  Basic Facility: The use of the facilities and equipment required to operate as a licensed funeral services establishment and including any public areas, parking, and arrangement office and selection room.

·  Visitation and Service: The use of the facilities, equipment, furnishings, flower and donation stands, sound systems and religious equipment for the reception of family and friends during the visitation period. Use of facilities, furnishings and equipment for funeral service in chapel, or any extra staff.

·  Preparation Room: Use of a designated room monitored by the local Health Unit for professional sanctuary care and/or shelter of the remains and use of necessary specialized equipment.

·  Initial Transfer: Use of vehicles and equipment to transfer the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home within 80 km.

·  Service Vehicle: Use of errand vehicle for delivery of floral tributes, to secure death certificate and for any other tasks related to the services provided. Funeral Coach to transfer the deceased from the funeral home to the place of burial