Frequently Asked Questions
SDMT/SAMS Crossover Period
Q. What is SDMT?
A. SDMT is
Q. What is SAMS?
A. SAMS stands for Social Assistance Management System and is the new computer
program that will help caseworkers keep your information up to date.
Q1. What is the computer system crossover period and how long will it last?
A1. The crossover period will occur between November 6 and November 10, 2014. This
period is the time it will take for social assistance offices across Ontario to move to the
new computer system that will help us deliver social assistance programs more
effectively.
Q2. Will recipients receive their payments on time during the crossover period?
A2. Recipients will continue to receive payments on time. However slight delays in
service, such as returning your phone calls, may occur.
Q3. Why are social assistance offices changing the computer system they use?
A3. It has been over 10 years since social assistance offices in Ontario updated their
computer systems. The new computer system will better support staff in providing social
assistance, and ultimately, better serve the people who access our programs.
Q4. What are the benefits for local offices?
A4. This is a modern computer system that will allow caseworkers to manage recipients’
case information and records more efficiently. It will allow them to better support
recipient by addressing their concerns and answering their questions.
Social Assistance (SA) Online
Q5. What is SA Online?
A5. SA Online stands for Social Assistance Online. This is a secure, online self-service
section of our website for social assistance recipients. This self-serve section will be
made available to recipients in early 2015.
Recipients who choose to sign up for SA Online will be able to:
 access current information (e.g., recent payment information and local office
contacts)
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report income and changes online (e.g., address and housing expenses,
adding/removing family members and reporting income and expenses);
manage upcoming events online (e.g., appointment with a caseworker);
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receive letters from their caseworker online;
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submit an application for other social assistance programs offered by the Ministry
of Community and Social Services
Q6. How will recipients be informed about SA Online and how they may sign up
for it?
A6. The ministry will provide more details about SA Online closer to the time when it
becomes available in 2015.
Online Application for Social Assistance (OASA)
Q7. What is the Online Application for Social Assistance (OASA)?
A7. OASA helps residents of Ontario to figure out if they are eligible for Ontario's social
assistance programs, including:
o Ontario Works,
o Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP),
o Temporary Care Assistance and
o Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities.
Q8. How is OASA being affected by the new computer system update?
A8. OASA will be unavailable from October 27, 2014 until November 11, 2014 as the
computer system is upgraded. Anyone who wishes to apply for one of Ontario’s social
assistance programs during this time may call or visit their local office to begin the
application process. The ministry provides a search tool on its website for those looking
for their nearest Ontario Works or ODSP office.
New Ontario Works Statement of Income form
Q9. What is the Statement of Income form?
A9. The Statement of Income form allows social assistance recipients to report their
income on a monthly basis. After receiving the completed form, caseworkers determine
the recipient’s eligibility for that month.
Q10. Why has the Ontario Works Statement of Income form changed?
A10. The Statement of Income form has changed so that the information requested on
the form directly matches what caseworkers are required to enter into the new computer
system.
Q11. Do I need to fill out the form?
A11. Yes, unless you are told otherwise you have two options when reporting your
earnings and employment related child care expenses. You can either:
o Fill in and sign the bottom of the form and keep your paystubs and receipts; or
o Sign the bottom of the form and attach your paystubs and receipts.
Q12. What happens if the form is not filled out properly or on time?
A12. If the form is not filled out properly, the caseworker will contact the recipient to
verify the information they received is accurate. If the form is not received on time or if
the caseworker cannot confirm that information, the recipient’s case may be suspended
until the information is provided.
New Ontario Works Changes Report form
Q13. What is the Changes Report form?
A13. The Changes Report form lets caseworkers know of any changes in recipients’
life, work or school. Some examples include;
o changes to accommodations,
o housing costs,
o family changes,
o leaving the province of Ontario for more than one week,
o and assets/income changes.
These types of changes have all been incorporated into this new form.
Q14. Why has the Changes Report form been changed?
A14. The current form does not provide recipients with enough room to report all of the
possible changes that could occur within a month. The form was updated to include the
information needed to determine eligibility. This form is also another way for recipients
to tell their caseworker about personal changes.
Q15. Do I need to fill out the form?
A15. The form needs to be filled out when there are changes in a recipient’s life, work
or school. Examples can be found in Q13. Recipients can also report their changes by
informing their caseworker in person or over the phone.
Changes to Overpayment Recovery Calculations
Q16. What does “O/P Recovery” mean?
A16. “O/P Recovery” stands for overpayment recovery. There are times when
recipients are given more money than they are eligible for. When this happens, our
office needs to collect that money back. Smaller amounts are collected from recipients
each month until the all the money has been returned.
With the current computer system, Overpayment Recovery was equal to 5 percent of
Basic Needs and Shelter. In the new computer system Overpayment Recovery will be
equal to 5 percent of regular social assistance payments (i.e., the total of money
received), not including additional benefits.
Q17. Why does “O/P Recovery” appear on my Statement of Assistance?
A17. This appears on the Statement of Assistance to show a recipient the amount that
was collected from their monthly financial assistance to repay the overpayment.
Q18. Do I need to pay this money back? When do I do it and how do I do it?
A18. Recipients who have overpayments need to pay the full amount back. Our office
will take a small amount off of each payment until the amount is payed back in full. This
is normally 5 percent of the overpayment will be taken off each payment.
When social assistance is no longer needed, arrangements can be made to pay the rest
of the overpayment amount either in one lump sum or through monthly payments.
Q19. Why am I paying back more toward overpayments than I was before?
A19. Recipients who both have an overpayment and are receiving additional
allowances or payments, such as the Special Diet Allowance for example, will find that
the amount deducted from their assistance to recover their overpayment will likely
increase.
Q20. Does a higher overpayment recovery amount mean it will take less time to
pay the money owed back?
A20. Yes. Paying back the overpayments at a higher rate means that it will take a
recipient less time to pay the full amount back.
Q21. When will “O/P Recovery” stop appearing on my Statement of Assistance?
A21. “O/P Recovery” will stop appearing on Statements of Assistance when the
overpayment amount is fully repaid to Ontario Works/ODSP.
Appearance of “Temporarily Uncollectible Overpayment Balance” on recipients’
Statement of Assistance
Q22. What does “Temporarily Uncollectible Overpayment Balance” mean?
A22. A temporarily uncollectible is an overpayment that a recipient is not paying back at
this time. This may be due to a recipient experiencing extra hardships and cannot pay
the overpayment at that time.
Q23. Why is it appearing on my Statement of Assistance?
A24. Temporarily uncollectible overpayments are not something new; they just didn’t
appear on Statements of Assistance before. The reason that they appear now is so that
recipients can see that they have an overpayment that is not being collected at this
time, providing more infomration to recipients.
Q24. Do I need to pay this money back? When? How?
A24. Recipients do not need to pay back this money at this time. When the recipient is
better able to begin paying the overpayment, their caseworker will talk to them about the
changes to the status of their temporarily uncollectible overpayment.
Q25. When will “Temporarily Uncollectible Overpayment Balance” stop appearing
on my Statement of Assistance?
A25. “Temporarily Uncollectible Overpayment Balance” will stop appearing on
Statements of Assistance either
 When the overpayment recovery begins or
 When the caseworker has reviewed the overpayment and determined it does not
need to be payed back.
Recovery may start when:
 In cases where an overpayment was made temporarily uncollectible due to
hardship, the recipient’s circumstances have changed and recovery is no longer
a hardship.
The caseworker will inform the recipient of any changes.