A recent report from Alberta’s ombudsman is the latest indicator that the province’s programs for vulnerable people face widespread and systemic problems, says St. Albert MLA and social services critic Marie Renaud.
The report, published July 16, reveals barriers facing Albertans who try to access the Alberta Adult Health Benefit and the Alberta Child Health Benefit programs. The benefits help low-income Albertans and families with children pay for prescriptions, eye exams, dental care, ambulance services and more.
Alberta ombudsman Kevin Brezinski discovered flaws with the programs’ processes, including that the programs lack an online portal, rely on “obsolete and ineffective technology” that regularly drops clients, fail in some cases to notify clients that clients can appeal decisions and lack effective training for assessors, among many others.
Taken with a report from May, which found Albertans with disabilities were denied supports based on IQ-test scores; a report from March, which found that the province has failed to track outcomes for people on income support; and a report from 2022, which found that the AISH appeal process was unfair for people with disabilities, this latest report is more evidence that the province is failing to provide support to its most vulnerable, Renaud said.
“There's no real legislative framework in Alberta,” she said. “If [supports are] accessible, sometimes it's just by luck. There's no systematic approach to making support accessible.”
The province isn’t making deep financial cuts to its support programs, Renaud said.
“But it’s excluding so many people that, in essence, it is like a cut, and what it's doing is putting pressure on the system as a whole,” she said. “How can we live in Alberta, such a wealthy province, and be ignoring these really serious issues that the ombudsman keeps bringing up, that make really vulnerable disabled and low-income people even more vulnerable and cost us all more money in terms of hospital visits, or so many things.”
Renaud said her office has faced challenges trying to communicate with the health benefit programs’ office and in some cases must go through the health minister or the minister of community and social services to get a response. The problem also extends to other programs such as AISH and income support, she said. “It is a widespread, systematic problem of exclusion and barriers,” she said.
She said she has not seen the government make progress on past Ombudsman recommendations involving the province’s support programs.
Wait times to appeal a decision on whether an applicant can receive government supports have not been improving, Renaud said.
The office of the minister of health said in an email that the government understands that Albertans depend on health benefits for prescription drugs, dental care and other health services.
“We understand the importance of these services to their health and wellbeing, and we strive to help them access this care in a timely way,” they said.
“We are reviewing the recommendations from the Ombudsman’s investigation into the Alberta Adult Health Benefit and Alberta Child Health Benefit.
“As these programs are delivered in partnership with Seniors, Community and Social Services, we will work with that ministry to develop a plan for moving forward and ensuring Albertans get the services and support they need.”
In a letter to ombudsman Kevin Brezinski, deputy minister Cynthia Farmer said that the ministries “value continuous improvement” and cooperated extensively with the ombudsman’s office.
“The ministry will consider the report’s findings and recommendations and is reviewing the investigation report to develop changes to operational processes,” she said.
The Gazette contacted the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services for comment but did not hear back before press time.
