Financial Assistance for Individuals with Chronic and Severe Mental Illness

When individuals experience mental illnesses severe enough to impede their ability to work and remain productive, it often starts a downward spiral of poverty, neglect and even homelessness that can negatively impact the individual’s ability to eventually recover from their illness.

Both the state of Washington and the federal government recognize that severe mental illness can be a disabling condition much like a severe injury or medical illness.  As a result, some individuals with severe and chronic mental illnesses are eligible for state and federal entitlement programs such as:

General Assistance- Unemployable (GAU)

GAU provides time-limited financial assistance for some adults, including those with mental illness, who are incapacitated from gainful employment for at least 90 days.  In order to qualify, the recipient must accept recommended and available medical or psychological treatment. 

General Assistance – Expedited Medical Disability (GAX)

GAX provides support to GAU recipients who are actively pursuing a disability claim for Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).  If eligible, GAX recipients are also eligible to receive Medicaid coverage under the Categorically Needy program.  Coverage continues until the recipient is either awarded or denied SSI or SSDI.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a health insurance program for those with limited income and limited resources.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI is an insurance program that employed individuals pay into over their lifetime as part of the FICA payroll tax deduction.  If an individual meets the federal criteria for disabled, has paid sufficient funds into their SSDI bank, and will be disabled for longer than five months, he or she can apply for SSDI benefits. 

Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI)

SSI is a welfare program that makes payments to aged, blind and disabled (http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify5.htm) people (including children) who can also meet the means test (based on income, resources and living arrangements).  If clients meet the federal criteria for disability and means, but have not paid sufficient funds into their SSDI bank or have exhausted those funds, they can apply for SSI.  In Washington state, SSI recipients are also co-entitled to Medicaid and do not have to make a separate application to receive Medicaid benefits.

Dual Eligibility

It is possible to be eligible for both SSI and SSDI.  If an individual’s disability and work history permits SSDI payments, but at an amount less than the SSI maximum, SSI will pay the difference between the SSDI amount and the SSI maximum if the applicant can meet the SSI means test.

Because the application processes for entitlement programs can be complicated, all CPC clients can receive counseling from a benefits specialist to assist them in making their applications and completing their periodic re-applications to ensure their continuing eligibility.  In addition, clients can also access benefits counseling when planning to return to work or make other significant, income-affecting life changes to determine how their benefits may be affected.

Another benefit available to CPC clients is representative payeeship.  A representative payee is an individual or organization that receives Social Security and/or SSI payments for someone who cannot manage or direct someone else to manage his or her money. The main responsibility is to use funds to pay for current and foreseeable needs of the beneficiary.  If a CPC client is unable to manage his or her money, he or she can enroll in CPC’s representative payee services.  At that point, CPC will receive the client’s SSI payment, will pay out his or her bills and expenses (i.e. rent, utilities, etc) based on a monthly budget drawn up by the client and case manager, and will disburse to the client a weekly cash allowance from any remaining funds.

* Note: Entitlement information provided courtesy of NAMI Greater Seattle’s Connections guide, authored by Eleanor Owen, MEd.