Financial Assistance

[Angelmum]

Financial Assistance



List of help from govt bodies, mainly for those low income. Some cap at $500/capita, some much lower.

 

[Angelmum]

CDC comcare - PM to mayors: Serve with all your heart

CDAC - More lower-income families to benefit from CDAC
TODAYonline | Singapore | CDAC to benefit more this year
provides free tuition for low income

MCYS - Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports

Feiyue - Fei Yue Community Services - FSC

2011 budget http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/budget_2011/pd.html#s3

CEL - http://www.cel.sg/Schemes__Special-Assistance-Fund.aspx
http://www.cel.sg/uploads/Details on SSCC and SCFA.pdf


To apply subsidy .... get money from govt pocket, you need to be thick skinned and no feeling. Some social workers can make you really depressed and frustrated. Some dont offer kind words, not flexible, unwilling to offer other resources and direct you to other support....



Hospitals and special schools and mainstream - need to meet criteria
They give subsidy based on household income - different tiers. School - free brand new uniform and text books. Think school fee for special school can go as low as $5 per month, depending on household income.

Bursary - apply half yearly bursary from your town council or church. for Primary, Secondary school and above. Think primary is $120.

 

[Angelmum]

More lower income families can attend free carnivals organised by NTUC Club
Straits Times, Jun 02, 2013

More lower income families will now get the chance to attend free carnivals at Downtown East organised by the National Trade Union Congress' (NTUC) recreation arm, NTUC Club. The organisation has raised the income ceiling for union members to qualify for these free carnivals, therefore benefitting more.


Now, households with a total monthly income of up to $3,500, or $875 for each family member can go to these carnivals where they get free food, free entry into a water park and unlimited play at game stalls, among other things.

Previously, only those in households with a monthly income of up to $3,000, or $750 for each member could qualify for the scheme.
"With the revised income criteria, we hope that more members and their families will now be able to enjoy this meaningful programme," said Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC Mr lucky Chee How, who made the announcement at the year's first carnival on Sunday.


NCSS assistance
Southwest CDC
AIC (formerly CEL) - Grants
Sheng Hong
MOE
CSCD
Catch plus


LIST OF ORGANISATIONS TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Name of Organisation​	Scheme/Service​	Eligibility Criteria​	Telephone​
Singapore Federation of Chinese Clans (CDAC)	For Chinese pupils from low-income families.	· Singapore citizen · Monthly per capita income of $300 or below	6354 4078
SINDA	Fir Indian pupils from low-income families to help defray costs of school fees, text books etc	· Singapore citizen · Household income is $1500 or below · Full-time student in government school or any educational institution/independent school	6393 7223
Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET)	Secondary School Bursary Support for Indian pupils	· Low-income families	6296 2855
Lee Foundation	Provides financial aid for the needy	· Based on referrals from the Ministry of Community Development, Family Service Centres and other grassroots organisations	6535 4055
Community Development Council (CDC)	Provides financial aid for the needy	· Low-income families residing in the Sembawang-Hong Kah GRC(Choa Chu Kang area)	6767 8130 6897 4600
Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP)	Scheme aims to give needy Muslim pupils financial assistance	· Low-income families	6346 0911
HELP Family Service	Financial assistance in cash given to families in need.	· Applicants must be from a single-parent family.	6457 5188
Darul Ihsan Orphanage	Financial assistance for single parent	· Applicants must be from a single-parent family (no father)	6746 5729
Al-Khair Mosque Development Centre (Teck Whye Crescent)	Scheme aims to give needy Muslim pupils financial assistance.	· Low-income families	6760 1139

 

[Angelmum]

If you wish to Donate:
Club Rainbow
Make-A-Wish
Wishing Well
Rare Disorders Society (S’pore)


There are many VWOs that need donations. Above are just examples. It is up to you to find out which one you prefer and most comfortable with.
We surely don't want to donate to organisations like NKF where the funds are not really to the needy. It was reported the CEO of the National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKFS), T.T. Durai, has breached the trust of the people of Singapore and all others who donate to him. He has drawn a total salary of about S$1.8 million over the last 3 years, which averages out to S$600000 per year and this money comes from the donations of people, many of whom do not even earn that amount in 5 or even 10 years.

I also doubt anybody wants to donate to Church such as City Harvest.

Recently came to know one of my brother-in-law, claimed he couldn't contribute to his parents medical because he has pledged 10% of his monthly salary to his church. If he earns $5000/month, it means $500 has gone to donation. He owns a car, a HDB mansionette, provided good tuition to his girls yet unable to spare $100 each month for his parents as central fund. It is his choice but those are his parents, it is unfair for his siblings to absorb his share. He has chosen his church and annouced he can no longer spare cash for his own Father and Mother! 量力而为 by sacrificing his parents.
Not trying to sow discord or cause a fight over religion but just want to highlight, he is the only person who has embraced Christianity.

 

[Angelmum]

CHAS card - Financial Assistance

link

More people will also be eligible for the health assist card that gives them subsidised treatments at over 800 private general practice and dental clinics.
To keep in line with growing incomes, the card will be extended to people whose per capita household income is $1,800 or less - up from the current $1,500. At the same time, the 40-year-old entry age will be removed, so all in the family can benefit.

Card holders will also enjoy subsidy when they screen for obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and colorectal and cervical cancers.
These changes aim to provide people with cheaper out-of-pocket outpatient costs.

Further help will come in the form of higher subsidies at specialist outpatient clinics. But details for this will only come next year.



This means if you are a family of 2 adults (no age limit) and 2 kids , based on per capita household income @$1,800 or less ie total combined income $7200 per application, you can apply for CHAS - orange card.
CHAS card can be used for medical and dental. There are certain terms and conditions.

I have been holding the orange card since it was launched but till date, no chance to use. I wanted to use it for tooth extraction or root canal but realised that card is useless. Now, not sure will I see the real cost savings to use CHAS - orange card. Read the terms & conditions and ask the nurse or doctor, eventually how much do you pay AFTER showing that CHAS card. Different clinic has different rate.

One thing for sure is when you use it for dental, you can see any private dentist in Spore who is registered as CHAS dentist. You can see your dentist much faster than NDC or polyclinic dentists, no need to wait for weeks or months. You can fix your teething problem as long as you can find a slot. NDC and ployclinic dentists rates are cheaper, thus CHAS card is not that useful to me. If you're visiting private GP or dentists, there's a difference in cost and time saving.

 

[Angelmum]

Re: CHAS card - Financial Assistance

Assistance schemes for needy, extracted from here



'Range of aid for needy, flexible rules'
Chan Chun Sing assures MPs worried about S'poreans missing out
By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 12 Nov 2013

SINGAPORE has many helplines for people with differing needs, and the rules are flexible when they do not meet the qualifying criteria but are genuinely in need, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing in Parliament yesterday.




This assurance from Mr Chan came amid renewed calls for Singapore to identify an official poverty line after Hong Kong set one in September.

Some MPs had argued it would focus on the state of poverty here and track how it is addressed.

But Mr Chan had rejected their argument at last month's parliamentary session. He said it risks a "cliff effect", where those below the poverty line get all forms of help while citizens who are genuinely in need but outside the poverty line are excluded.

Yesterday, he defended again Singapore's multi-pronged help strategy as Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast GRC), Ms Lee Li Lian (Punggol East) and Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong asked about the eligibility criteria of social assistance schemes.

​

Handing out a rainbow-coloured chart of a range of aid that gives bigger sums to the low-income, Mr Chan said: "It shows how we share the fruits of our success with all Singaporeans by providing more for those with less."

On one end are broad-based subsidies for essentials such as housing and health care, and for development, which stretch from early childhood care to education and training.

Such help covers a broader group of Singaporeans, and the lower-income get more support, he said, citing the Community Health Assistance Scheme for lower- and middle-income families with per capita household income of up to $1,800 a month.

About 340,000 cardholders qualify for subsidies of up to $18.50 for a visit to the doctor for common ailments like a cold, and up to $80 a visit for chronic conditions like diabetes, with caps that rise to $480 a year.

On the other end are targeted schemes for a smaller lower-income group who need more help.

For instance, with ComCare, more than 8,500 citizens receive up to $108 a month in kindergarten subsidies, and more than 10,000 get wage supplements of varying amounts.

To be eligible for ComCare, the household income ceiling is $1,700 a month or per capita income of up to $550.

But Mr Chan assured Mr Yee that ComCare has no "cliff effect" as those who apply are assessed not only by income, but also by family size, number of children in school and medical status.

"It is not the case that everyone under ComCare gets the same amount," he said, adding that more than 1,500 households who did not meet the income criteria got ComCare last year.

While MPs acknowledged the Government's efforts, Ms Foo, Mr Zaqy Mohamed (Chua Chu Kang GRC) and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio GRC) said such help did not always reach the needy, because they might not know of it or are daunted by the application process.

Dr Intan said a wait of two to four weeks for ComCare frustrated her residents. She called for front-line staff to be trained to be flexible in giving help, and for better coordination among government agencies.

Agreeing that more could be done, Mr Chan said: "I urge all Members of the House to join us in this, to mobilise the volunteers, to reach out to these groups of people so that... they do not need to go through the difficult moments in life alone."













‘Limitations’ in having a single poverty line
By Ashley Chia, TODAY, 12 Nov 2013

A single poverty line is “one-dimensional” and inadequate for identifying the poor or assessing the effectiveness of assistance schemes, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing yesterday.

Hence, the Government has opted to have different criteria to identify groups of Singaporeans who require support, “depending on the purpose”. “In other words, we have multiple lines of assistance instead of a single poverty line,” he said.

Mr Chan was responding to a parliamentary question for written reply from Nominated Member of Parliament Laurence Lien on whether the Government would review its stand on defining a poverty line for Singapore.

In his reply, Mr Chan noted that a poverty line has its limitations — it could lead to a cliff effect where those below the line are guaranteed a whole range of help and those above receive none, regardless of actual needs. Neither does it provide “useful information on the depth or intensity of needs of low-income families”, he said.

Yesterday, several Members of Parliament (MPs) had raised concerns about the eligibility criteria of various social assistance schemes and their impact on the needy, with Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Intan Azura Mokhtar rising to speak in an adjournment motion on social assistance and affordability.

Responding, Mr Chan assured that there is no cliff effect in the national assistance scheme, Comcare, as “overall circumstances beyond income” are taken into account when assessing applications.

These factors include household size, number of schooling children and medical conditions.

He added that the Government takes a “flexible” approach in ensuring that help is rendered to those who need it most.

He also pointed out that last year, more than 1,500 households received assistance despite not meeting Comcare’s eligibility criteria. As of June, 11,800 households have received short- and medium-term Comcare assistance.

Mr Chan also stressed that those with the lowest incomes should always get the most. “We should not be in a situation whereby because of politics, the middle income group end up getting the bulk of it and we neglect the lowest-income group,” he said.

In her speech, Dr Intan suggested refinements to various assistance schemes, such as paying Medisave Maternity Package subsidies for pre-delivery expenses upfront to low-income mothers, instead of reimbursing them after delivery. She also called for better coordination between agencies for effective assistance.

Mr Chan acknowledged that more could be done on this front. Earlier, he also said the planned national database for the social services sector could help streamline processes and that social workers will be trained to understand the types of help available.

Two questions on the Government’s stance on a single poverty line have been tabled for today’s Parliament sitting.

 

[Angelmum]

Read this, if the income cap is raised by other VWOs, it would make more households eligible. Now, based on Sg Enable, the cap is $1900 per household. To help special needs families, there shouldn't be any income cap. If it is a must, then probably S$8000 per household would be better in terms of humanity. After all, we didn't choose to give birth to special needs children. Putting so much restrictions on us and made us paid extra (few times more than normal families) for education, medical, equipment, etc is indirectly punishing parents for giving birth to non pillars of Spore.

ComCare: With effect from 1st July 2014, the income criteria for ComCare Short-to-Medium Term assistance have been enhanced. Families with a monthly household income of $1,900 and below, or a per capita income of $650 can also qualify for assistance if they meet all other criteria.
Youth: [url]https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-youths/education-learning/
EIPIC fee: https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/EIPIC Fee SC.pdf



Sinda revises income criteria for fee waivers, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times[/URL]
PUBLISHED: 27 NOV 2016

Self-help group Sinda has tweaked the criteria for fee waivers of its programmes.
Families with a per capita income of $650 (eg family of four, new criteria $650x 4 pax = $2600 household income) and below will enjoy a full fee waiver when they enrol in any of Sinda's programmes, the group said yesterday.

The new rules will apply to all pre-school, educational, youth and family programmes organised by Sinda, and are applicable only to Singaporeans and permanent residents of Indian origin.

The changes will take effect from next year. Sinda last revised the income criteria for subsidies in 2014, from $450 to $650.
The group is also extending its support to families whose per capita incomes fall above $650 but below $1,000. These families will now have to pay only a nominal commitment fee when they join Sinda's programmes. Households with a per capita income that is above $1,000 will continue to enjoy subsidised rates of between $10 and $30.

With the latest changes, more participants enrolled in education, youth and family programmes will be able to enjoy greater subsidies and can continue to benefit from Sinda's programmes, the group said. When changing the subsidy criteria, Sinda said it took into account the current financial landscape.

It added that it aims to ensure that its programmes and services continue to remain affordable for all participants.

 

[Angelmum]

More than a village needed to raise youths with complex care needs
Channel News Asia, 17 Jun 2017

Thirty years ago, the line between paediatric and adult medicine was more clearly defined. Children either made it to adulthood, or they didn’t. But over the years, medical advances meant that more and more children with severe congenital or acquired conditions are surviving into adolescence and even early adulthood.

Yet the reality is not plain-sailing: Many live longer but with issues when it comes to walking, swallowing and even breathing. Some have life-threatening complications. So in some sense, these youths are “life-limited”.

Moreover, because these young people have a congenital condition, it is difficult to transit them into adult services, even when they are no longer children, going by age criteria. Many of them need constant care and are dependent on medical technology. So paediatric services all over the world have developed ways to deliver complex care.

COMPLEX CARE PATIENTS HAVE MANY NEEDS
There is no universally agreed definition of complex care, but in general, the term refers to the care afforded to children and young people who, as a result of their underlying conditions, have multiple care and treatment needs.

Youths who fall under this category have conditions such as severe cerebral palsy, a complex metabolic or cardiac disease, progressive neurological conditions. or some form of chronic disease involving the failure of one or more organ systems. Their needs are many and may include dependency on multiple medical technologies including mobility aids, feeding tubes, oxygen machines or assisted breathing devices.

COMPLEX CARE PATIENTS ALSO REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SUPPORT
It comes as no surprise that a number of these youths end up being home-bound. Often, the only time they leave the house is to go to the hospital. They may have to give up going to school, which increases their risk of social isolation.

But that is not all. There is often a need for home physiotherapy, psychosocial support and financial support. Home equipment is expensive, and along with the costs of consumables such as suction catheters and medications, there is also the additional costs of caregiving which requires either hiring a domestic helper or a family member stopping work to provide care. So there is considerable financial burden. While some financial assistance is available from government and charity sources, many families still end up financially and emotionally drained.

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
As these youths are largely home-bound, they are essentially “invisible” to the community at large. Some are fortunate to be linked to support organisations like the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore or Club Rainbow, but there are many more who cope as best as they can on their own.

One might also argue that severely disabled children are less “appealing” to donors than a child with cancer. While thousands queue up to shave their heads to raise funds for children’s cancer, there is barely any public awareness of youths with complex care needs.

BRINGING CARE HOME
The National University Hospital's (NUH) Paediatric Home Care Programme has cared for over 40 patients since its inception in 2014. About 30 per cent of patients admitted to the programme are over 16 years of age, and the oldest is 37 years old.

All of them have complex medical issues and are dependent on machines including ventilators, suction machines, oxygen machines or feeding pumps. Only patients with the most complex cases are accepted into the NUH programme, because they face the most challenges, medically and socially, and are in desperate need of help.

Check-ups at the hospital are a major logistical exercise – requiring not only an ambulance transfer, but also the ability to bring along all equipment. In the past, this would have meant parents delaying going to the hospital until there was “no choice”, for instance, if the child was severely unwell.

Home visits by doctors were a ray of hope in this regard. These could ensure that the child received not only regular reviews, but also timely assessment and treatment if he or she became unwell. Hospitalisation, if required, could also be arranged via a direct admission, rather than having to go through the Emergency Department.

PAEDATRIC PALLIATIVE CARE IS NOT END OF LIFE CARE
Palliative care is not merely end-of-life care. This is especially true for children and young people with a life-limiting illness. Paedatric palliative care (PPC) should be seen as providing an extra layer of care, as one of many partners in supporting youths and their families through the stages of the patient’s illness and growth, and all the way until death.

In countries like the UK, PPC teams often care for children over a number of years, working with the child’s community- and hospital-based care teams. Children’s hospices provide day care, home visits and much needed respite care, while community care teams usually takes over for one to two weeks, to give family caregivers a chance to take a break, and spend quality time with the patient as a family without the worries of day-to-day caregiving.

Senior Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat said that the ministry was working with non-governmental organisations to improve public awareness, as well as enhance the quality and accessibility of palliative care, at the Committee of Supply debates in April. (Photo: Reuters)

PPC services also help families clarify wishes for care and treatment, and gradually to decide on an end-of-life care plan, so that every child can be treated with dignity and respect. In Singapore, this is provided at home by StarPALS, the Paediatric arm of HCA Hospice Care, and they will continue to provide bereavement support to the family following a child’s death.

The experience of StarPALS is worth mentioning as it does reflect the world of complex care. Over a five-year period, no fewer than 49 patients referred were older than 19 years of age. Fortunately, nearly half have been discharged as their condition have stabilised to some extent.

MANY HELPING HANDS, LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND
In 2015, Minister Chan Chun Sing said: “In a hyper-competitive society, what unites Singaporeans is a spirit that no one is left behind”. He was referring to social determinants like poverty, but the reality for complex care children is that they and their families are already left behind. They are excluded from society and normal social activities. They are excluded from the dreams of ordinary Singaporeans.

If a society is defined by how it cares for its weakest and most vulnerable, then we need to acknowledge this “invisible” group and their devoted families. As a group, they show great heterogeneity: Their underlying illnesses are different, and each young person and family is unique.

What is certain is that this is a journey that evolves over time, and with it comes the challenges of changing needs and aspirations. There is a saying “it takes a village to raise a child” and for a complex care child, it takes several health disciplines and multiple agencies to provide continuing support. But that support should come not just from hospitals, or from charities, but from society as a whole, because they are Singaporeans too.

Dr Noreen Chan is head and senior consultant, at the National University Cancer Institute of Singapore’s Division of Palliative Care. Dr Chan also acknowledges the contributions by Dr Thong Wen Yi who is a consultant at the National University Hospital’s Division of Paediatric Critical Care and Dr Chong Poh Heng who is the medical director at HCA Hospice Care.

This is the seventh commentary in Channel NewsAsia's series exploring key issues and challenges facing patients with terminal illnesses and care at the end of life.

Read the first commentary on what well-being means for someone with terminal illness here.

Read the second commentary on the challenges faced by youths who contract terminal illness, for whom growing old isn't an option here.

Read the third commentary on the debate on whether at life's end, people should spend their last days in the hospital here.

Read the fourth commentary on how hospice care can offer the terminally ill a ray of hope in those last days here.

Read the fifth commentary on why and how Singaporeans should go about planning their passing here.