Community Update Re: Zyprexa Class Action

February 1, 2012 by DABC

People receiving basic income assistance or disability benefits (PWD or PPMB) who are part of the Zyprexa Class Action are starting to receive cheques for amounts of up to $10,000 and in some cases more.

Benefits recipients are required to declare this payout to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), however small it may be.

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) has contacted MSD’s Vancouver Regional Office to determine how the Ministry is going to treat this income. We have been advised that MSD considers this payout as a one time financial award that will be exempted up to a family unit’s asset level. [Please see Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation Schedule B, Section 7(c)]

This means that if, for example, a single PWD recipient receives a payout of less than $3,000 through the class action it will not affect their disability benefits. When a payout is over the allowed family unit asset level, benefits will be reduced or stopped for at least one month depending on the size of the payout. However most recipients who receive a payout that is more than their asset level should not have their benefits reduced or stopped for more than one month.

The MSD rules on asset and income exemptions are complex. We know from clients and other organizations that there is confusion and misunderstanding in the community about how Zyprexa payouts impact benefits. Consequently some people may have not reported their payout or spent all the money they received.

If you hear from people concerned about how Zyprexa class action payouts affect their benefits we strongly recommend that they speak to an advocate.

Please feel free to contact or refer them to Robin Loxton at 604-872-1278, or toll-free long-distance: 1-800-663-1278.

 

BCCPD Volunteer Missing

January 31, 2012 by DABC

photo of Violet Puskas

Please contact the police if you have seen Violet.

January 24, 2012 For Immediate Release

BC Coalition of People with Disabilities issues plea for help finding missing woman, Violet Puskas

VANCOUVER – The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities is issuing a plea for public help to find a missing Vancouver woman last seen on January 3.

BCCPD Executive Director Jane Dyson says the sudden disappearance of Violet Elizabeth Puskas, a long-time volunteer with the organization, has been reported to the Vancouver Police Department by her family but she remains missing.

“Violet is an extremely dependable volunteer and when she didn’t call us or answer her phone we knew something was wrong,” said Dyson. “We are all really worried about Violet and are doing everything we can to try and find her.”

Dyson said the VPD has issued a Missing Person’s Advisory for Puskas after her family reported her missing. The advisory can be found online at:

http://vpdreleases.icontext.com/2012/01/10/missing-person-for-location/

Dyson said Puskas family last spoke with her on January 3 at her home in the Killarney neighbourhood of Vancouver and urgently want her to be found.

“Please Violet contact me and let know where you are,” says Violet’s frantic mother Antonia Winkelnen. Violet’s family and friends are distraught about her disappearance and are urgently asking the public to look out for her and contact the police if they have any information about her possible whereabouts.

Dyson said the BCCPD became concerned when Violet did not show up for her shift answering phones on January 4.

BCCPD staff has mounted a poster campaign to help Violet’s family find her, providing posters to over 200 non-profit organizations and women’s shelters and using social media and the BCCPD website to help the search for Violet.

For more information, contact the BCCPD at 604-875-0188.

 

 

 

Council for Canadians with Disabilities: Celebrating our Accomplishments

January 26, 2012 by DABC

The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) has published a new book called “Celebrating our Accomplishments.”

The book describes 30 years of progress by people with disabilities in the areas of inclusion, transport, access, social policy and human rights.  The various authors are a veritable “who’s who” in the disability community.

It is a great read, and highly recommended. The book can be accessed on
line at www.ccdonline.ca.

Here is an excerpt from the forward by Laurie Beachell, Executive Director
of CCD:

“Today the expectations of Canadians with disabilities and their families
are decidedly different. Canada has become more inclusive and accessible
because people with disabilities have spoken out and ensured that their
voices were heard in public policy debates. The voices were heard at every
level of Canadian society, local, provincial, national and beyond our
borders. Canadians with disabilities today seek equality not charity. They
expect to attend their local school, get a job, have relationships, raise
their families, and contribute to Canadian society in the same ways as non-disabled Canadians. They expect barriers to be removed and no new
ones created. The changes that have come about have been made a reality because of the disability rights movement. Equally true is the fact that
this could not have happened without governments’ support of that
movement. That support must never erode for new challenges emerge
every day as our society and world find new ways of functioning and governing.”