Social Security Disability Benefits and Communication Disorders

 

Humans use verbal and non-verbal communication each day to interact, learn, and express emotion. When a person’s ability to communicate is impaired, he or she may face a unique set of challenges.  While it is possible to overcome these challenges, living with a communication disorder requires a certain level of support. This may include therapy, assistive devices, and medical intervention.

Unfortunately, living with a communication disorder can be costly—even more so if you are unable to work or earn a living. Fortunately, individuals who have communication disorders may be eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Social Security Disability benefits.

The following article is intended to present readers with an overview of Social Security Disability benefits and to provide the background information needed to prepare for the application process.

Disability Defined

Before an applicant can qualify for disability benefits, he or she must first meet the official definition of “disability” as provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA). This definition is split into two parts—one for children and once for adults.

The adult definition of disability is based around a person’s ability to maintain employment. Consider the following questions:

 

 

For children, the SSA’s definition of disability is based on the ability to function at an age-appropriate level. To determine whether or not your child is disabled, consider the following:

 

 

Technical Eligibility
Adults and children who meet the SSA’s definition of disability may qualify for one of two disability benefit programs.

The first type of disability benefit is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI is typically offered to disabled adults who have employment history and who have paid Social Security taxes.  Children do not typically qualify for SSDI due to lack of employment history. For more information about the technical eligibility requirements for SSDI, visit the following page: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/glossary/social-security-disability-insurance-ssdi.

The second type of disability benefit is Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a type of welfare program designed for disabled individuals of all ages who earn very little income. SSI is a good fit for both children and adults. Eligibility for SSI is based solely on a person’s income and financial assets.  In the case of a child who is not responsible for his or her own income, the entire household’s income will be evaluated.  Learn more about SSI technical eligibility, here: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text-eligibility-ussi.htm.

In certain circumstances, applicants may be eligible to receive both types of benefits.

Adult Medical Eligibility

After meeting the SSA’s definition of disability and the technical eligibility criteria—the SSA will evaluate your health condition to determine if you meet certain medical requirements.  To do so, they will consult a publication commonly referred to as the Blue Book. The Blue Book is the SSA’s official guide of potentially disabling conditions and medical criteria.  As with the definition of disability, the Blue Book is split into two sections—one for adults and one for children.

If your symptoms and the progression of your disability match those listed under a condition in the Blue Book, you may be eligible to receive disability benefits.  Adult speech disorders are covered under the following Blue Book listing:

Section 2.09—Loss of Speech: Under this listing applicants will qualify if they suffer from lack of speech due to any cause—characterized by the inability to produce any speech that can be heard, understood, or sustained.

If an adult applicant does not meet this listing but suffers from a communication disorder, he or she may qualify under a separate listing related to the cause of their speech disorder or related to the affected body system.  These may include the following listings:

 

Access all adult Blue Book listings, here: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

Childhood Medical Eligibility

Childhood speech disorders are covered under the following Blue Book listing:

Section 111.09—Communication Impairment (Associated with Documented Neurological Disorder): To qualify under this listing child applicants must demonstrate the following:

 

As with an adult applicant, children who do not meet this listing may qualify under a separate listing related to the root of their impairment. These may include the following Blue Book listings:

 

Access all childhood Blue Book listings, here: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/ChildhoodListings.htm

Medical Vocational Allowance

Applicants who do not meet any Blue Book listing may still be able to qualify for disability benefits under something called a “medical vocational allowance”. Essentially, for adults, this means that the SSA will evaluate your age, your job training, your physical capabilities, and your mental capabilities to determine whether or not you qualify.

Children who do not meet a Blue Book listing will be evaluated based on their functional limitations.

Social Security Disability Application Process

Prior to beginning the Social Security Disability application process, it is important that you collect the necessary documentation to support your claim. This should include extensive medical, financial, and employment records.

If you are an adult applicant, you can choose to fill out the necessary forms on the SSA’s website or in person at your local Social Security office. If you are the parent of a child applicant, you will have to fill out several forms and attend a mandatory disability interview.  Although a portion of the child application paperwork can be completed online, many parents choose to complete both in person during their scheduled interview.
After submitting your application for disability benefits, you may wait several months before receiving a decision.  It is important that you prepare yourself to face the possibility of a denial. If this happens, you will have 60 days in which to appeal the SSA’s decision.  You should not give up at this stage because many more applicants are approved during the appeals process than during the initial application process.

For more information visit Social Security Disability Help (http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/blog) or contact Molly Clarke at mac@ssd-help.org.

Molly Clarke is a writer for the Social Security Disability Help blog where she works to promote disability awareness and assist individuals throughout the Social Security Disability application process.