Social workers failing Toronto’s homeless
Posted on July 31, 2017 in Social Security Delivery System
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TorontoSun.com – News/Toronto & GTA
July 30, 2017. By SUE-ANN LEVY, Toronto Sun
“I feel way more confident now and I know I’ll be back on my feet with work and housing very soon … As cliche as it sounds I do see the light at the end of the tunnel … Thank you again — you’ve literally changed my life.” — David Masters to the Toronto Sun and its readers.
Toronto’s 1,093 welfare caseworkers are supposed to — according to their own job description — advocate on behalf of their clients to ensure they are aware of career opportunities, housing services and other supports.
That same job description for caseworkers with Toronto Employment and Social Services (TESS) says they have a duty to ensure clients are able to access “available program benefits” such as retraining programs, clothing allowances, job coaching and the like.
In fact, the Ontario Works Act says assistance provided under this program comes in two forms: Basic financial assistance and employment assistance.
Yet the one message I received consistently last week in response to the story of 32-year-old David Masters (not his real name) is that far too many TESS caseworkers are merely getting clients on welfare and then essentially forgetting them.
Masters, an experienced and educated senior web designer, found himself on the street a year ago after losing his only living relative in North America (his dad), his job and his apartment in rapid succession. Surviving on $6-$10 a day from his $330 Ontario Works (OW) cheque, he has spent his days in a city library sending out about 30 resumes a day and sleeping nights at Harbourfront, where he feels it is safe.
His efforts to get assistance from the city’s $17-million Streets to Homes program and job support from OW were futile, he told me.
As was the case with Masters — and others who took the time to contact me — caseworkers seem to think their job starts and ends with meeting a client the one time it takes to get them on OW.
What about the service plan they’re supposed to develop and regularly update to give clients the training or supports they may need to get back on their feet? That certainly didn’t happen in the case of Masters.
He told me whenever he went into Metro Hall, where his caseworker was based, he was asked if he really needed to speak to someone, or did he just need tokens (he was entitled to 10 a month).
“They never gave me a list of job openings nor suggested any kind of retraining,” he said.
Another 58-year-old who’s been on OW for about a year as well said the only time he hears from his caseworker — based at Lawrence Square — is to inform him they are taking money off his cheque if he’s lucky enough to get even the slightest bit of work.
“The system needs to be overhauled badly,” said the man, an experienced warehouse forklift operator who is finding it very hard to find work at age 58.
Masters, who has received a number of job offers as well as offers for help with meals and clothing since the story appeared a week ago, already has 50 hours of contract work for which he was paid upfront. That allowed him to find a room in a cheap motel at the end of the week and sleep in a bed for the first time in a while, get a haircut and buy some new clothes, he said.
He told me it’s “almost sad” that it took a story to be published to get back on his feet — especially since there are literally thousands of others, particularly the mentally ill, who can’t reach out for help.
“Daily I would walk by the same mentally ill people, many of which are elderly, and I know that they are not going to get help and they will eventually die on the street,” he says.
“The city and the (Ontario) government need to step up,” he adds. “People need to know that their tax dollars are going to waste on the homeless problem in Toronto … There are no workers walking the streets trying to help us … Ontario Works (people) are not doing their jobs to get us back on our feet.”
AN ONTARIO WORKS SNAPSHOT
•Number of Toronto caseworkers: 1,093
•Number of front-line supervisors: 130
•Average monthly caseload: 83,924
•Yearly salary range for a caseworker: $61,770-$67,649
•Yearly salary range for a supervisor: $86,795-$101,974
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/30/social-workers-failing-torontos-homeless
Tags: homelessness, jurisdiction, mental Health, participation, poverty
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4 Responses to “Social workers failing Toronto’s homeless”
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Entering the social service worker as an international student has helped me to start realize what barriers beset people in receiving assistance, especially the homeless in Toronto. Looking back for the article, Social Workers Failing Toronto’s Homeless, I discuss its critical points of analysis primarily focusing on what can be learned about the inefficiency of Toronto Employment and Social Services (TESS) in helping individuals such as David Masters, a homeless man who is struggling to build a stable life. We explain this through the article that despite the intentions of the Toronto welfare system, actually, it commonly leaves people behind with no effective supplies. The main issues demonstrated include the frequent absence of follow-up care and scarce attention to the needs of clients, which raises questions as to how the proposed services correspond to the goal of achieving an optimal outcome. Having been an international student, caseworkers are supposed to be an advocate for the clients, offer jobs, and link them to the needed services. That is why it is impossible to agree with the given expectations of caseworkers as, as the example of David Masters and other individuals show that many caseworkers do not go beyond the mechanics of intaking their clients into appropriate welfare programs, let alone providing them with consistent personal support or meaningful help with achieving stability.
To my mind the most eye-opening issue was the contradiction between the provided services and those offered to a client. For example, Masters’ case of exclusion from retraining programs and job training, implies that there are systemic problems in neglecting the affected persons. This topic is dear to my heart as an international student because it is not just a question of whether resources are available or not, but whether the necessary resources are effectively and appropriately available and usable.
As a future social worker, this article has opened my eyes to the fact that follow up on clients is crucial, communication should not be underestimated and the role of caseworkers in ensuring that some of our clients do not slip through the cracks. More engagement with clients hence, I would suggest to advocate for increasing passages in shopping for appropriate approaches for clients who are either homeless, youth, or who comes from discriminated groups easily gets overlooked in conventional organized care. The fact, that it is not updated often, that clients are not referred of job retraining, and the lack of concern for those experiencing homelessness mentally and emotionally are issues that are dear to an aspiring social worker like myself. Further, Masters’ observations from the perspective of workers’ absence on the streets able to assist people with mental health problems reveals an even bigger need to be present within the community and to explain, teach, and, indeed, inspire. These lessons show that there is more to social work than administrative work and convey the virtue that social work is about meeting people to giving tangible assistance to people.
This case has solidified my interest in social work major, specifically to be an advocate for the oppressed, and vulnerable populations. This of course I will carry on with me as I delve further in my studies and in practice and it is with the spirit of this article that I hope that the clients I work with do not end up as numbers in the welfare system where many organizations lack the ability and just take the time to look at the big picture and improve the clients’ lives in a more sustainable manner and so they can have a chance at a better quality life.
I can see this issue impacting me as a social service worker as the views presented in this case has shown a lack of support for the city’s homeless population. This can impact me as I would like to provide as much help as I can to all people I encounter. It would fill me with a sense of disappointment if the people I work for feel as though I am not doing everything in my power to improve their situation as that is my job. Seeing statistics at the bottom of the article I find this will impact me as having over 83,000 cases for less than 1,100 workers seems to be a heavy caseload and I can see as a social service worker constantly battling with feelings of burnout. I should put in place a self-care plan to make sure I can best serve the needs of the people I am trying to assist. Hearing these individual stories about being refused support from Social Service Workers makes me concerned as I would like to explore all resources available for all my clients and with high caseloads, I am aware that I will have to spend more time refreshing my skills and exploring many different resources to attend to all my client’s needs. Hearing that a story had to be posted about a specific person and that was the reason they could access resources makes me feel dissatisfied with the treatment of these individuals. I hope to assist as many individuals as possible battling these day-to-day challenges in my career as a social service worker.
This issue will impact my future as a social service worker because I plan on helping homeless and addicted individuals. There is a large number of homeless people, especially in Toronto, and there is currently a struggle to get social workers. This is creating a crisis, and I want to be able to make a change as much as I can, even if that means on my days off, I volunteer to help build low-income homes.
I always wanted to help people who were homeless, and I never jumped to judge them because everyone has their own unique story and trauma. I will also devote time to finding a way to increase the funding for this cause so we will have more resources in the future to be able to get people homes, a safe place and a new beginning for them.
Overall, it will make a large impact on my future as I will devote my time and do everything in my power to make sure nobody has to be homeless or be afraid to leave their “home” if they are unsafe, and the only reason that is stopping them is that they would be homeless. Right now, I know that social workers are failing Toronto’s homeless, but as soon as I can help make a positive change, I will push hard and not give up until there is less or nobody who is homeless and there is a place where you can go to get a home before something happens
Ontario tells social assistance caseworkers to reinstate benefits to those who lost them after receiving emergency relief payments.
This issue has a big impact on social service workers and how we support clients, especially during times of crisis. As a Social Service Worker student, I see how important it is to stay informed, be an advocate for clients, and provide emotional and practical support when policies or systems cause harm or confusion.
The situation shows just how important it is for social service workers to keep up to date with changes in social assistance programs. The confusion around how CERB payments affected social assistance benefits led to some people losing their benefits, including medical coverage. As future workers in this field, we’ll need to advocate for clients when government decisions negatively impact them, making sure they receive the support they need.
In practice we need to be proactive about monitoring changes in the policies and ensuing clients understand how these challenges might affect them. In situations like this, we would also need to help clients navigate the system, appeal decisions when necessary, and make sure their benefits are reinstated.
The case of Karen Andrews son really highlights the vulnerability of people with disabilities who rely on programs like ODSP. For individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities, losing access to medications or health services can be dangerous and stressful. As social
service workers, we’ll need to understand the additional challenges people with disabilities face and offer support in both practical and emotional ways.
In future practice, it’s essential that we ensure clients in these situations don’t go without support. We’ll need to help them access emergency resources, like financial aid or medication, while the issue with their benefits is sorted out.
Losing benefits can cause a lot of stress, especially for clients who are already struggling financially or with their health. Social service workers must be prepared to offer emotional support and crisis intervention. Clients might feel anxious, confused, or even hopeless when their benefits are put on hold, and we need to be there to help guide them through that.
In future practices, we’ll need to provide emotional care by listening actively, offering empathy, and explaining the steps clients need to take. It’s important to support them not just with practical solutions, but also by helping them process the emotional toll of such situations.
The article mentions how other provinces, like British Columbia, acted quickly to protect people on social assistance by exempting CERB payments or offering extra financial support. In Ontario, as a future social service workers, we should advocate for similar protections and work with other agencies, healthcare providers, and legal professionals to
ensure clients aren’t negatively affected by gabs in the system. In practice, we might need
to collaborate with groups like ADSP action coalition to push for policy changes that better
protect vulnerable individuals, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue also shows how complex the social assistance system can be. The overlap of different programs like CERB, EI, and ODSP creates confusion, and mistakes can happen. As social service workers, we’ll need to be well versed in how these systems interact so we can support clients and make sure they don’t lose benefits due to technical issues or misunderstandings.
In practice, we need to understand both federal and provincial programs to help clients navigate the system. This might involve helping them appeal decisions, clarifying eligibility, or advocating for clearer communication between different levels of government.
The way Ontario handled the CERB payments and the impact on social assistance recipients shows how essential it is for social service workers to be proactive, well informed, and ready to support clients in confusing and stressful situations. In our future practice, we’ll need to balance advocacy, emotional support, and practical guidance to ensure that vulnerable clients get the help they need, especially when the systems they rely on fail them.