Family Experiences Applying for SSI Children’s Benefits

• In Event: Access and Obstacles: Policy in Practice for Individuals with Disabilities

Abstract

Soscial Security Administration (SSA) programs have received increased scrutiny since the change in administration, and the agency has so far been the focus of many DOGE-related reforms. These changes may have a profound impact on many Americans, including the nearly 1 million low-income children with disabilities who receive monthly child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and their families. Understanding resilient policy solutions for the childhood SSI program requires not only understanding the current policy changes, but also the ways in which the program has thus far been experienced by families. In particular, prior to any rollback that may be forthcoming, there is evidence that many families that may be eligible for SSI benefits for their children may not be aware of the program and may experience barriers to applications.  For families who have been approved, some have challenges maintaining eligibility.  This study provides an in-depth look at the characteristics of families who receive SSI for a child’s disability, their experiences applying for and understanding the program, the role SSI plays for families who receive it, and the consequences of barriers for those who do not.

We use a mixed-methods design incorporating administrative data with in-depth interviews with 12 parents of children with disabilities in Wisconsin who applied for SSI for children in the past five years. Interviews focused on financial and health needs, motivations for applying, and the role SSI could or does play in the lives of these families and their children. In addition, we also analyzed administrative data to understand patterns of SSI receipt for children with disabilities in Wisconsin and nationally and the ways in which family characteristics and other systems of care, including special education and healthcare, might interact with SSI receipt.

Findings using detailed state administrative data indicate geographic and demographic variation in receipt across Wisconsin. Interviews with parents suggest that access to SSI can facilitate connections to other important resources that can support children and families’ financial and medical needs; similarly, we also find that community services act as a crucial source of information about and access to SSI. In addition to covering basic costs for children, SSI benefits help facilitate parents’ ability to provide critical care and support for children. We find that when families cannot access or lose payments, families often experience consequences that impact children’s care and resources.

Findings underscore the crucial role that SSI resources play in the lives of families of children with disabilities. Results highlight families’ different experiences of applying for SSI payments, including some who experienced multiple barriers and some who found the process straight forward. As policymakers consider SSA policy and practice changes that may impact application processes, such as field office closures and in-person application requirements, understanding the experiences of families who have applied for SSI payments prior to these changes can provide important insights that may inform policy solutions.

Authors

• Molly A Costanzo, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Presenting Author

• Lisa Klein Vogel, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Non-Presenting Co-Author