How Do I Apply for Passport Funding?
Contact your DSO Office today to see if you are eligible for Passport funding and other MCCSS funded services and supports.
If you live in the communities of Hamilton, Niagara, Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk, Six Nations of the Grand River, and Mississaugas of Credit First Nations, your DSO Office contact is here:
https://dsohnr.ca/en/how-to-reach-dso-hnr/
If you live outside these communities, you can find your DSO here:
https://www.dsontario.ca/find-your-dso
What Can I Use My Passport Funding For?
Passport funds can be used for:
- Community Participation Supports
Services and supports to assist people with activities of daily living (such as meal preparation and banking). People with Passport funds may also hire a worker to help them participate in social and recreational activities (ie. sports), job and work-related activities, volunteer activities and other supports.
- Activities of Daily Living
Services and supports to assist people to live as independently as possible with their family. Such supports may include hiring a worker to support the person in developing skills like meal preparation, personal hygiene, grooming, dressing and training related to using the bus, banking and other life skills.
- Caregiver Respite
Services and supports to provide caregiver relief to the person’s primary unpaid caregiver; this can involve in-home and out-of-home activities.
- Person-Directed Planning (up to $2,500)
To hire a person-directed planner who will assist the person and their family in developing a written plan about the goals they have for themselves that builds on the person’s strengths and interests. The plan also states the supports needed to achieve the person’s goals.“A Guide on Person-Directed Planning – Creating a Good Life in Community” is a free resource that explains how to create a plan.Additional person-directed planning resources are also available at the Ontario Independent Facilitation Network website. This provincial network exists to inform, support and promote independent facilitation and planning in Ontario.
- Administration of Funding (up to 10% of funds)
A maximum of up to 10% of the person’s Passport funding may be used for help managing your Passport funding like bookkeeping, payroll, scheduling support workers and bank fees for Passport-dedicated bank accounts.
More detailed information on what you can use your Passport funding for can be found in the Ministry’s “Passport Program: Guidelines for Adults with a Developmental Disability and Their Caregivers (April 2023)”.
Who can help me find ways to use my Passport funding?
Call your Passport Coordinator. They will help you find supports and services in your community.
Who decides how much reimbursement we qualify for?
The MCCSS has developed an algorithm that determines your level of Passport funding. The algorithm is based on certain information in your Developmental Services Application Package completed through your DSO.
How do I renew my funding for next year?
At this time, Passport funding auto-renews each year on April 1st.
If I have Passport funding left over at the end of the year, can I carry it over to next year?
You cannot carry over any unused Passport funding over to the new fiscal year.
What is the difference between PassportONE and Contact Hamilton?
In 2018, the Ontario government changed how Passport reimbursement claims are processed. Passport reimbursement is managed by PassportONE, a program of Family Service Toronto, for the whole province. You should submit all your claims directly to PassportONE.
If PassportONE has any question about your claim, the will ask us to follow up with you.
If you have any questions about your claims, or about how to use your funding, contact Contact Hamilton, at passport@contacthamilton.ca or 905-529-5100 or 1-866-288-9659 (toll free).
How often should I submit claims for reimbursement?
You can submit claims as often as you like, but we recommend once a month. If you submit more than once a month, be very careful not to duplicate any claims, as this will cause delays. You can decide to submit quarterly or even less frequently, but keep in mind that the more receipts you submit at once, the more likely there may be a discrepancy that holds up the remainder of the claim.
How long does it take PassportONE to reimburse my claims?
This will vary, depending on the time of year and whether there are any issues with your claim. If your claim is clear, complete, and qualifies for reimbursement, reimbursement is usually within a couple weeks. However, at the end of the fiscal year, or if receipts are missing or blurry, your reimbursement will be delayed. On average, claims are reimbursed within 30 days. It is your responsibility to track your expenses, claims, and reimbursements.
Generally speaking, if you use
eCLAIM or
My Direct Plan, payment processing is faster.
How do I confirm PassportONE received my claim?
If you use one of the free services, eClaim or My Direct Plan (MDP), to submit claims, you will be able to log on and see your claim status at any time. If you submit paper claims via email, you will receive a confirmation email reply confirming they received your claim. For status updates, you will need to contact your Passport Coordinator. We recommend waiting at least two (2) weeks before calling your Passport Coordinator to check your claim status. If you fax in your claims, you will not receive a confirmation back from PassportONE, however, after two (2) weeks you can contact your Passport Coordinator for a status update.
What if I receive only partial payment on a claim?
Some of the reasons you may receive partial payment include
- You ran out of Passport funding for that fiscal year
- You submitted a request for an item that was not allowable
- You were missing a receipt or a receipt was too blurry to read
Usually you can determine what items were not paid by reviewing your claim. If you need assistance, please contact your Passport Coordinator. If the reason you received a partial payment was because of a missing or blurry receipt, you are welcome to submit a new claim once you have found the receipt or printed a clearer copy of it.
Why was my claim rejected?
Some of the reasons your claim may be rejected include
- You had no funding remaining for that fiscal year
- The claim was for unallowable expenses
- You were missing receipts
- Your receipts do not match the claim form
- You didn’t include the appropriate pages of the Purchase of Service (POS) form
- The Person Managing Funds did not sign the form
- The Support Worker didn’t sign the form (page 2)
Whenever possible, your Passport Coordinator will contact you before a claim is rejected to try to explain what you need to do to correct it. Your Passport Coordinator can hold the claim for a limited period of time, so please be as responsive as possible to your Passport Coordinator’s request for information or documentation.
Will Passport funding affect my ODSP?
No, Passport funding is not considered income and will not affect your ODSP.
What if I work with an Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT)?
We will work with you, your supports, and the OPGT to determine the best approach to administering your funds.
