Resources: MDPH in Ile de France
MDPH stands for Maison Departemental des Personnes Handicapées. The MDPH oversees everything related to disability in France, including providing the official recognition of a person's disability to be eligible for access to benefits and allowances. Financial aid, access to in-school accommodations or assistants and priority parking passes are just some of the rights dependent on an MDPH notification to access.There is an MDPH in each department, and they provide the following services, among others:
- Receive and evaluate all applications for financial support and benefits, material needs, and any other need related to disability
- Make decisions regarding education, housing, as well as training and work placement
- Allocate the inclusion and mobility card and the priority parking card
- Decide on the level of disability to be attributed, which corresponds to allocation levels and other benefits
- Accord the right to an AVS/AESH, or in-school assistant, as well as to the accommodations granted a student according to need
- Coordinate between the different people involved in the care and treatment of an individual
- Provide information about transportation including public transportation, accessibility, and parking; accessible housing and housing modification; services available in-home; as well as help and respite care for caregivers via their website (Paris)
Importance of MDPH recognition
- Official Recognition: The MDPH is the only organization that can officially recognize disability in the eyes of French law for the purposes of receiving any sort of benefits or allowances.
- Legal Rights: Without MDPH recognition, a child does not have a legal right to educational accommodations such as extra time for tests, modified coursework, a state-funded AVS/AESH or even permission to bring in a private one to a private or public school, access to the mobility and parking cards, or any financial allowances ranging from a monthly allocation to lower CESU fees and reimbursements.
- Financial Aid, both public and private: Even if reimbursement is being sought via private insurance or directly through an employer, the MDPH recognition and “taux d’handicap” are often required to determine how much will be reimbursed and whether additional benefits can be received as a result. This can be critical for therapies that are not covered or are only partially covered through the French health system, as well as for options that are not normally covered via private insurance without a formal diagnosis recognized by the MDPH.
- Finding and accessing the right services: Without a proper diagnosis accessing the right services can be difficult. The same can be said about not receiving official MDPH recognition when it comes to getting into certain establishments or onto wait lists.
The Application
The MDPH application form changed officially in 2019, moving from an 8 page application to a 20 page one. The application includes the 20 page dossier, a medical certificate to be completed by a doctor, and a separate Geva-Sco form to be completed if academic accommodations are being requested. Forms are all accessible for download online.
Filling out the MDPH documentation can be stressful, but there are places that offer assistance. The MDPH offers assistance, although wait times could be a deterrent and may not be available in English. Public and private service providers such as the CMP, CMPP and associations such as the CRAIF may be willing to help. Translators can help if French is an obstacle. There are also paid services available via some associations.
The MDPH has a mandate to respond to applications within 4 months. The MDPH sends a confirmation of reception that is dated with the day it was received. When a decision is made, any benefits will be back dated to that date. It is possible to check the status of an application online with the number given on the confirmation of reception.
MDPH Websites for Ile de France
Filling out the MDPH documentation can be stressful, but there are places that offer assistance. The MDPH offers assistance, although wait times could be a deterrent and may not be available in English. Public and private service providers such as the CMP, CMPP and associations such as the CRAIF may be willing to help. Translators can help if French is an obstacle. There are also paid services available via some associations.
The MDPH has a mandate to respond to applications within 4 months. The MDPH sends a confirmation of reception that is dated with the day it was received. When a decision is made, any benefits will be back dated to that date. It is possible to check the status of an application online with the number given on the confirmation of reception.
MDPH Websites for Ile de France
Click on a department below to access their MDPH website.