Benefits for Children

Fetal Alcohol And Drug Unit
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
University of Washington School of Medicine
&
University of Washington School of Law

Benefits for certain disabled children are provided under the SSI (Supplemental Security Income) program. There are two basic requirements for this program:

Limited Income and Assets--The Social Security Administration will consider the income and assets of the child's parents.

A Disability That Causes "Marked and Severe Limitations"--The Social Security Administration will consider what activities the child is and is not able to perform, and how those abilities compare to unimpaired children of the same age. In some instances the nature of the child's medical conditions may be sufficient to qualify for benefits.

A child who obtains SSI Disability Benefits will ordinarily be eligible as well for several different health programs: Medicaid, state Children's Health Insurance Programs, and the Children with Special Health Care Needs programs. These children will usually be eligible as well for Food Stamps, which are administered by state public assistance offices. In order to obtain these different benefits it will often be necessary to file separate applications at two or more different federal or state offices.




Back to Social Security Disability Benefits

Back to FAS/E Legal Issues Homepage