Having an autistic child is difficult for so many parents. One way is financially. You have to pay more out-of-pocket for care and services and tend to bring in less income. If your autistic child is considered severe, they may qualify for Supplemental Security Income from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the United States. This could help a family that is struggling to make ends meet.
Is my autistic child eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
The Social Security Administration has strict eligibility requirements for SSI payments. Those requirements cover both income levels and severity of the disability. SSA considers the family’s income when the child lives with their family. It is also considers it if they live elsewhere but return home intermittently (e.g., they go away for school).
As of 2022 (income requirements change annually), children may be eligible if:
- The child or teen (not blind) is not working and not earning more than $1,350 per month. If the child or teen is blind, they must not be working and not earning more than $2,260 per month.
- The child’s medical condition or combination of medical conditions must result in “marked and substantial limitations.” In other words, the medical condition(s) must severely limit your child’s abilities and activities.
- The conditions must have resulted in disability for the previous 12 months or expected to be disabling for at least 12 months, or the disabilities are expected to result in death.
While these are some general eligibility requirements, SSA provides much more detail on their website at the link above. This includes household income limits and other information that you will want to review before determining if your child may be eligible.
How do I apply for SSI for my child?
How do I apply for SSI for my child?
If you believe your autistic child may be eligible for SSI from the Social Security Administration, then you will need to submit a Child Disability Report through their website. They also make a SSI disability child starter kit available. This can help you gather the information you will need for the submission.
A representative from SSA will call you within a few days after you’ve submitted the report to discuss whether or not your child is eligible and can continue with the application process.
What type of information does SSA review during the application process? It can include:
- Your child’s medical records
- School records
- Interviews with doctors, teachers and other professionals who work with your child and can attest to their medical condition
- Interview with you, the parent
How long does the application process take?
According to SSA’s web page, the eligibility determination can take up to three to five months, and this is completed through your state’s agency.
If your child has a severe disability and is in need of payments, they may make them immediately for up to six months. According to SSA’s “Benefits for Children with Disabilities” guide, some of those could include:
- A child with total blindness or total deafness
- Children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or Muscular Dystrophy
- Children with severe intellectual disabilities (diagnosed after age 4)
- A child with a symptomatic HIV infection
- A child with a birth weight under 2 pounds, 10 ounces and failure to thrive as infants and toddlers.
If your state’s agency decides that your child’s condition is not severe enough, the SSA notes that you would not have to pay back the payments you already received. (Double check this with your SSA contact in case this changes in the future.)
Ongoing eligibility reviews
If eligible, your child will have ongoing reviews to determine if there is any changes in their medical condition or income that affects your child’s eligibility.
Currently, the Social Security Administration will re-evaluate your autistic child’s disability at least every three years before age 18. This is especially true for those children whose autism may improve over time.
Once your child turns 18 years old, then they will be evaluated according to the adult with disabilities criteria to determine if they will continue to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments as adults.
Is applying for Social Security Income for my autistic child worth it?
If your child has severe autism and your income is limited, looking into Social Security Income for your child is worth the time to research it. Parents of autistic children can really struggle financially to provide the care and services their children need. If you are having a hard time affording care for your child, looking into SSI is a good option.
If you have more questions about Social Security benefits for disabled children, check out this page from SSA that has some links to additional information.
