ssi

Guest Post: How to Apply for Disability Benefits for an Autistic Child

Image courtesy of ssa.gov

The Social Security Administration (SSA) does recognize autism as a potentially disabling condition; however, your child must be severely autistic in order to meet the SSA’s eligibility requirements. This is because many children who suffer from more mild forms of autism are able to function at a nearly “normal” level socially and academically.

Children with more severe forms however, do require significant supportive care, which can leave you financially strapped. Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can give you the financial resources you need to ensure your child receives the consistent support and attention he or she needs and deserves.

Supplemental Security Income

Children who meet the SSA’s eligibility requirements receive benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI is a need-based program, which means it has strict criteria regarding financial status for children to qualify. In other words, even if your child suffers from severe autism and meets the SSA’s definition of disability, he or she may not meet the financial eligibility requirements for getting SSI benefits.

The income and other financial resources you and your child have available will be thoroughly reviewed by the SSA, and must be very limited in order for your child to receive SSI benefits. The calculation of income and resources is fairly complex, with some sources counting and others not. To learn more about SSI financial criteria, visit: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/ssi.htm.

Medical Eligibility for SSI

For your child to be found medically eligible to receive SSI benefits, he or she must be severely impaired. To prove severe developmental impairment, you must have substantial medical records documenting specific information, including:

  • Severe limitations in interacting socially
  • Pronounced communication deficits
  • Inability to engage in age appropriate activities that require imagination
  • Very limited involvement in a broader range of interests and/or activities

You must also have the following information well documented in his or her medical records:

  • For children between 1 and 3 years of age, a pronounced limitation in at least one of the following areas:
    • Fine motor skills
    • Communication and/or cognitive abilities
    • Age appropriate social functioning
  • For children between the ages of 3 and 18, severe limitation in at least two of the following areas is necessary:
    • Communication and/or cognitive function
    • Age appropriate social functioning
    • Inability to provide age appropriate self care in everyday activities
    • Pronounced difficulties with concentrating, remaining focused and on task, or in completing tasks at a reasonable/normal pace

Medical Evidence and SSI Eligibility

The documentation in your child’s medical records must meet certain standards in order to prove the criteria listed above. You must work closely with your child’s doctor to ensure the right tests have been completed to satisfy the SSA’s evidentiary requirements. You may also want to consider seeking assistance from a Social Security advocate or attorney who is familiar with handling autism disability claims.

The Application Process

You can begin the application process by contacting your local SSA office and obtaining a copy of the Child Disability Starter Kit. You can also get the kit from the SSA’s website.

The kit will tell you how the application and review processes work and what information you will need to complete the SSA’s application for benefits. Required information includes your child’s medical history and school records. Additionally, as SSI is a need-based program, you must present the SSA with financial records as well.

To finalize an application for SSI benefits on behalf of a child, you must participate in an interview with an SSA representative. If you have a caseworker from family and social services with whom you work, he or she can arrange the SSA interview appointment for you, or you can contact your local SSA office directly to make an appointment.

Article by Ram Meyyappan
Social Security Disability Help

For more information on Autism and Disability, please visit: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/disabling-conditions/autism-and-social-security-disability

 

DENIED! Why am I Doing the Happy Dance?

Six months ago I applied for SSI Disability to help me provide for my Autistic son. Meeting the income guidelines for this assistance, I jumped through all the required hoops of their dog and pony show. I supplied them with a 92-page history and timeline of all Justin’s diagnoses, school records, IEP copies, behavioral and developmental assessments, medication history (yes, I at one time investigated that route out of sheer desperation – a story for another day), and every behavior slip, suspension and punishment notice he’d ever received.

I saw their doctor. I followed up, week after week, inquiring about their decision. All the while, in my journey, I was learning about my son and Autism. I was not happy with the doctor visits, the medication attempt, the rigid recommendations, the books, the cookie-cutter approaches.

In this journey I came across a book by Dr. Robert Melillo called Disconnected Kids. Along with the centers he founded, this book offered a scientifically proven theory about a hemispheric imbalance in children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette’s, and other disorders. I voraciously digested this information and began applying what I learned immediately. I tested and modified some of the sensory exercises and techniques. I expanded my research on the nutritional guidelines. I drew some new conclusions.

I began supplementing with EFT, teaching my son to tap and performing surrogate tapping when he could not. I also began graciously opening my heart and accepting the gifts of his beautiful mind. The docile nature of our beautiful Alaskan Malamute, Juno, has also had an extremely calming effect on him.

These things combined have changed our world. Oh, our journey is nowhere complete, as he still cannot tie his shoes or ride a bike; we still have days where a trip to the grocery store is a nightmare. It still takes an Act of Congress to get him ready in the morning on time for school. We are working on it, as I refine the techniques that have shown me hope and success. He is now able to smell and recognize scents; we can go to the movies and sit through an entire film; I don’t receive calls to pick him up from school early for being out of control… and he was denied for SSI.

According to my letter, “… the evidence does not show that these conditions are severe enough to be disabling. We have decided that Justin’s condition is not disabling under our rules.”

I’ve been denied, and I’m ecstatic! What mother would not want this kind of news?