The current issue of the Social Security Bulletin, the agency's scholarly publication, includes an article on Social Security Administration Disability Programs and Individuals Facing Homelessness. Below is a graphic from the article. Click on the image to view full size.
4 comments:
Expedited processing... hmmm...oxymoron for SSA. My sister was homeless for 3 years, and obviously disabled... STILL had to get a lawyer...magically, as if a wand was waived, she got her award letter a few weeks later. Totally not cool... she's good now tho! Took her to her breaking point though, and that is NOT the way it should be.
In the entire time I have practiced I have not seen more hostility and neglect toward SSI applicants by this agency than today. If we are going to help people we have to give them reasonable access to this program and approve some of their claims instead of just making this process harder and harder. I just had three of my cases grabbed up by the National Hearing Center when my local ODAR needs more work from what I understand. I suspect this is Saul and the Heritage Foundation in action and part of their master plan to drive down approved decisions at the hearing level. I have been told more of these transfers are coming in the future. Meanwhile, in my midwest mid size city the homeless population continues to grow. Worst of all the number of obvious schizophrenics on the streets of my town is growing. I'm referring to people yelling and screaming at the wind and mentally ill people punching and flailing at the air in front of them. I suspect they stay on the street until they end up incarcerated. Looks like very little change also since the democratic party dog managed to catch the car again for a couple of years. SSA talks a real good game! I'll believe it when I see it!
I have this hunch that majority of homeless people suffer from a psychological or physical disability. Especially here in California, there are a lot of homeless military veterans probably suffering from PTSD. Heard it is somewhere between 20-25 percent.
The biggest hurdle to getting them SSI seems to be:
1. Getting around drugs or alcohol abuse.
2. Many do not want to follow rules when it comes to housing or treatment.
Some just do not think they could get on SSI. They just need some help treating and abiding by the rules. This would help immensely.
I have been doing social work with low income, homeless, disabled and aging for more than 20 years. There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are stars in the sky. And that is just the folks that people traditionally think of homeless that they see out in the community. It doesnt count the working homeless, the couch surfers, the children and young adults and Veterans receiving benefits and health/mental care.
Thinking a SSI check will fix homelessness is absolutely nonsensical. Many homeless are getting benefits, they have the ATM card and use it. I have seen retirement benefits and DIB payments of nearly $2000 per month.
Until we decide to value social services, fund them and make allowances for physical and mental healthcare, there will be a significant homeless population. Right now it is not a concern of the average citizen. They walk and drive past them like a discarded Egg McMuffin wrapper. They are more outraged about feral dogs than people. The eroded moral center of the country has many, many costs. This is one of them.
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