Defy Equitable Care Fund (DECF)
The Defy Equitable Care Fund (DECF) is a predetermined amount of yearly fundings set aside by Defy that aims to facilitate equitable health care services in our community. We acknowledge that there are many in our community who may not be able to access healthcare services due to systemic injustice, lack of safe and supportive environments, and/or personal circumstances. Striving for equity means that we honour different circumstances and endevour to allocate the exact resources needed so everyone can achieve their goals! This is one part of our ongoing work to be aware of inequities in our society, and our work to provide a safe and inclusive space at Defy for as many community members as possible.
The DECF is for those who are experiencing financial hardship and/or self-identify as being part of a minority group, and would otherwise be unable to access safe or high-quality care in a timely manner without financial assistance .
Accessing the DECF can occur on a sliding scale. What this means is that you can identify if you require partial or full financial support in order to access services here at Defy. Please see the table below to help you identify which level of support you would fall into.
NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING NEEDED
- I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs
- I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
- I own my own home or property OR I rent a higher-end property
- I own or lease a car
- I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs
- I have regular access to health care
- I have access to financial savings
- I have an expendable** income
- I can always buy new items
- I can afford an annual vacation or take time off
PARTIAL FUNDING NEEDED
- I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regulary achieve them
- I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
- I own or lease a car
- I am employed
- I have access to health care
- I might have access to financial savings
- I have some expendable income
- I am able to buy some new items and thrift others
- I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden
COMPLETE FUNDING NEEDED
- I frequently stress about meeting basic needs and don't always achieve them
- I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs
- I rent lower-end properties or having unstable housing
- I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but I am not always able to afford gas
- I am unemployed or underemployed
- I qualify for government assistance including food stamps and health care
- I have no access to savings
- I have no or very limited expendable income
- I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them
- I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden
*Basic needs include food, housing, transporation.
**Expendable income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concert, buy new clothes, books and similar items each month, etc.
There is a limited amount of funding available for partial or complete funding through the DECF. Please be mindful that if you access complete support funding when you can truthfully afford partial or no support, you are limiting access to those who truly need the funds to be able to attend these services. Being honest with yourself when identifying which level of support you need, as this helps to grow a strong and sustainable community while also respecting the time and skills of your treating clinicians.
We would like to track the demographics of those accessing the DECF so that we can know which groups in our community are (or are not) utilizing this service. This is optional and does not influence your ability to access these funds. This will help us ensure different groups are aware of this program within our community going forward. Community groups include but are not limited to Racial, Ethnic or Religious minorities, LGBTQIA2+, being new to Canada, if you are unhoused/homeless, if you are living with physical or cognitive disability or significant mental health concerns, or living with addition/substance use disorder.
If you identified that you would like to access the DECF for partial or complete funding, please complete the form below.
*Thank you for taking the time to fill out this application. We will reach out within 3 business days to update you.
