After a client has completed an assessment, we are often asked “do I qualify for the disability tax credit or other forms of ‘disability’ status?”
The reality is that there are very few mental health conditions that qualify for disability status with the Canadian and BC governments.
One way to look at this is: ‘disorder’ does not mean the same thing as ‘disability.’
Disorder ≠ Disability
For instance, in the case of autism spectrum disorder—most individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder would not be classified as being disabled by the definitions used by the Canadian government.
The Canadian government is very specific—a mental ‘disability’ is a condition that leads to the individual taking three times as long as the average person to do tasks. This means that people who are diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability would basically never qualify for disability status.
Typically, the mental health conditions that are deemed ‘disabilities’ are things like:
- Severe intellectual developmental disorders (also called “intellectual disability”)
- Autism spectrum disorder with accompanying intellectual impairment [1]
- Major neurocognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In some cases, an individual bipolar type I disorder may qualify for disability status—this is typically the case when the individual’s disorder is accompanied by episodes of severe mania that do not respond well to medications and other forms of treatment.
One thing you will notice about these conditions: they are, by definition, permanent. There are treatments and strategies the individual can use to function well and improve their quality of life, but these conditions are ‘incurable.’ By contrast, conditions like depression are typically fluctuate, and can often be ‘cured’ completely. In this respect, most disabilities are considered lifelong conditions that permanently limits the individual’s ability to function.
Can My Psychologist Help Me Claim Disability?
Psychologists must not fill out disability paperwork for people who do not fit the Canadian government’s specific definition of disability.
It damages the psychologist’s reputation to do this, and it can even lead to punishment, or the psychologist’s license being taken away.
Ultimately, if your psychologist tells you that they cannot fill out disability paperwork for you, it does not mean that they want to let you down or disappoint you. In fact, it is just because of the government’s specific definition of disability.
We understand that mental health disorders can have a very significant impact on a person’s quality of life and functioning. However, this impact rarely meets the specific definition of ‘disability.’
[1] With autism spectrum disorder, there is one important exception: the Canadian government will often allow the parents of a child with ASD to access the disability tax credit, even if there are no intellectual impairments. It seems that the Canadian government, in this regard, is attempting to help families access additional financial support, so they can invest in their child’s quality of life.