Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Fact Sheet
Why is SSI important?
- There are currently 7.4 million people receiving SSI payments.
- Individuals with disabilities, including many children with special health care needs, account for 85% of the people currently receiving SSI payments.
How does this program help children and adults with special health care needs?
- SSI helps families with limited income and resources by reducing financial insecurity for families caring for children with special health care needs by:
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- Helping families meet their basic needs such as food, rent, utilities, clothing, school supplies, etc.
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- Funding disability-related expenses such as specialized therapies, medically prescribed diets, diapers for older children, home modifications for accessibility, etc.
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- Providing Medicaid which covers essential long-term services and supports, including medical care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, etc.
- SSI benefits help to lift nearly 200,000 children with special health care needs above 50% of the poverty line.
Potential impacts of funding cuts:
- Increased rates of poverty and food insecurity among families raising children with special health care needs.
- Delays in early intervention and other medically necessary treatments.
- Negative long-term outcomes such as a decreased number of individuals able to work and care for themselves as adults.
Sources & Additional Resources
Explore these trusted resources:
- Family Voices - SSI 101 Guide
- Family Voices - SSI Application Process Guide
- Exceptional Lives - Does My Child Qualify for SSI?
- Social Security Administration (SSA) - What You Should Know Before You Apply for SSI Disability Benefits for a Child
- Social Security Administration (SSA) -SSI Program Overview
- Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) - Supplemental Security Income for People with Disabilities
- National Disability Institute - Benefits and Financial Resilience Resources
- The Arc - What People with Disabilities Need to Know About the Social Security Administration