Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is usually the first step for families who are applying for government benefits for their child with autism or other disabilities. Parents can apply when their child turns 18. (The first application is here.)
The full application process for SSI usually takes about 9-12 months, depending on whether forms are submitted properly and promptly. If parents miss a deadline, don’t complete paperwork properly, or don’t prepare in advance, their applications might be rejected. In fact, almost 50 percent of all SSI applications are rejected, and parents are forced to go through an arduous appeals process.
So, I recommend that families begin preparing a great SSI application several years ahead of that 18th birthday. A few simple steps can save families a lot of grief.
To be eligible for SSI, the recipient cannot have more than $2,000 in assets in their name. The government has the right to review bank records for up to three years before the application. So, money in bank accounts should be spent down. If there is a significant amount of money in the account, it could be shifted to an account under a parent’s name or placed in an ABLE account. For complicated situations, a personal accountant or an attorney should be enlisted to help.
Because the government has the right to a “three-year lookback,” families need to start thinking about finances before the child turns 15.
The second requirement for SSI eligibility is to have “a documented disability that will interfere with Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).” That’s a big sentence with a lot of jargon. Let’s talk about “a documented disability” first.
According to SSI, a documented disability is defined as “a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (including an emotional or learning problem) which:
- results in the inability to do any substantial gainful activity; and
- can be expected to result in death; or
- has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.”
The government doesn’t have a checklist of official diagnoses that they recognize. Autism may or may not be covered, depending on its severity, so it’s very important to build a case that shows that multiple doctors think that the disability is significant and will impact employment.
- Get documentation from multiple doctors, other medical professionals, and schools.
- Get documentation for related disabilities, like OCD, anxiety, epilepsy, intellectual disorders, dyslexia, depression, and so on.
- Start asking for these evaluations at age 17.
- Evaluations should state, if possible, that the person cannot work at a typical full-time job and explain why.
You’ll be asked to provide a list of doctors and contact information, so if you’ve taken your child to multiple doctors right before you submit your application, it will provide the government with more information.
You should do some soul-searching. To qualify for SSI, you’ll have to think about whether your child is capable of Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In other words, could your child work a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant?
It’s very hard for a parent to imagine their child at a job. Sometimes, a transition specialist or a consultant is needed to guide a parent through that thought process.
At the Cope Center for Autism, our parent consultants can help with the transition process. We can provide step-by-step instructions. You can reach out for help when crises arise. Other families prefer regular meetings.
For a general overview of the government support system, please check out my recent presentation at Bergen County’s CAPE Center.