| There is money available in the form of Supplemental Security
Income from the Social Security Administration for low-income children with disabilities.
To be qualified an individual must be under 18 and have a medically determinable physical
or mental impairment which results in marked and severe functional limitations, and which
can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a
continuous period of not less than 12 months, and the child cannot work at a job that is
considered substantial work. Child advocates need to take note of this benefit because
many children who qualify as disabled are not receiving money.
To be eligible to receive benefits the child must be disabled, meet certain residence
requirements, have citizenship or qualified alien status, and meet financial resource and
financial income qualifications.
As a result of recent welfare reform, the definition of disability for children has a
higher standard than before. Now the child must have a marked and severe functional
limitation from a physical or mental condition. Social Security defines marked and severe
functional limitations as requiring a child to prove "listing-level severity."
This means that a child's condition or combination of conditions must meet or medically or
functionally equal one of the conditions in Social Security's "Listing of
Impairments."
Social Security's "Listing of Impairments" describes common physical and mental
conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, sickle cell
anemia, spina bifida, mental retardation, autism, eating disorders, anxiety disorders,
schizophrenia and many other conditions that are severe enough to disable a child or
adolescent. More details about the listings are available from the Social Security office.
Social Security will also look at how the child functions in various specific areas,
depending on his or her age - how he or she communicates, concentrates, engages in
self-care and physical activities, and interacts with others. So it is very important to
collect information, including records, reports and letters, about what the child does
every day.
There are two ways to apply for SSI benefits. The best way is to go to the local Social
Security office and file an application in person. The location of the local office can be
found in the government blue pages of the phone book. The second way to apply for benefits
is to call 1(800)772-1213 and apply over the phone. Social Security needs a complete
medical and functional history of the child. The parent or representative payee does not
need to have all possible information before his or her appointment at the Social Security
office, though it is helpful to take along as much as has been collected. What is not
available, the Social Security office will obtain.
The Social Security Administration will eventually want all information relevant to the
child's disability. The parent or representative payee should collect all the materials
that show how the child's condition interferes with his or her everyday activities. That
includes medical and other written reports from doctors, nurses, therapists, child care
providers, teachers, friends and family and anyone else who knows the child. It is now
very important to show how behavior problems caused by a child's mental or emotional
condition affect the child's ability to get along with parents, adults, teachers, friends
and classmates.
Continuing Disability Reviews to determine whether the child is still disabled will be
conducted at least every three years for recipients under age 18 whose conditions are
likely to improve and not later than 12 months after birth for babies whose disability is
based on their low birth weight. At the time of the review, the parent or representative
payee must present evidence that the child is and has been receiving treatment considered
medically necessary and available for his or her disabling condition.
Children under 18 who live, throughout a calendar month, in certain medical care
institutions where private health insurance or Medicaid pays for their care are also
eligible to receiving limited benefits. The monthly SSI benefit payment for these children
is $30. Juveniles are not eligible for benefits if they are in a "jail or other
facility where the personal freedom of anyone who lives there is restricted because that
person is a prisoner, is being held under court order, or is being held until charges
against that person are disposed of." Depending on the length of incarceration, a
child's case may still be open or they may re-apply for benefits upon release.
The SSI program is a legal entitlement for low-income children whose disability is severe
enough to meet Social Security standards. Advocates should become familiar with the
childhood disability rules so that they can help families whose children qualify for
Social Security benefits. Families who believe that their children have severe functional
limitations should apply at their local Social Security office.
You can receive more information about Social Security coverage either by calling
1(800)772-1213 or http://www.ssa.gov
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