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Disabled daughter faces new fight for aid
23 Jun
Summary
- Daughter hit by impaired driver in 2019, suffering severe brain injury.
- Family notified of transition from AISH to ADAP program, a $200 monthly cut.
- Reapplying for AISH requires another traumatizing medical assessment.
A Calgary father is expressing distress as his severely disabled daughter faces a transition off a key provincial support program. Aisha Strange, who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in 2019 after being struck by an impaired driver, now requires constant care.
The family was notified that Aisha will be moved from the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) to the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) starting in July. This transition will result in a $200 monthly reduction in her allowance.
ADAP is described by the province as a program to help individuals pursue meaningful employment. However, Aisha's family finds this concept jarring given the extent of her injuries, which have left her in a wheelchair with limited communication abilities.
To remain on AISH, the family would need to undergo another comprehensive medical assessment, a process Kevin Strange described as traumatizing. The alternative of having an employment counselor visit to assess Aisha's work capability was also deemed unsuitable and potentially humiliating.
Approximately 46,000 Albertans are being transitioned from AISH to ADAP. The province states that the new program offers higher employment income thresholds, allowing recipients to earn more while still receiving benefits. However, advocates and researchers express concerns about pushing vulnerable populations deeper into poverty and the policy's fit for individuals with severe disabilities.
