Question 3

Senario: I will be applying for SSI for my son when he turns age 18 next December. As part of his transition program the school is developing work experiences for him in the community with the goal of him having a paid job this summer working 20 hours a week.

Will the fact that he is working hurt his application for SSI? Is there something the school or the employer can provide for documentation that will help SSA see that he still has support needs even though he can work?"

ANSWER:
Work experiences and even working as part of his school program will not hurt your son's SSI application when he turns 18. It's possible it can even help. The important thing will be to keep track of any/all the assistance your son gets with any of his jobs, and to also note any special arrangements about the jobs. I realize that suggesting you keep track of these things is the opposite of what you are used to doing, namely, noticing and nurturing your son's strengths, and then assuring he has any needed support in the areas where he doesn't do as well.

The reason I suggest keeping track of the supports your son needs, and any special arrangements on the job is because Social Security (SSA) awards benefits because of what a person CAN'T do, not what the person CAN do. Unfortunately, the questions on the SSA disability forms only ask for what a person CAN do, and it doesn't ask for much in the way of specifics about what someone CANNOT do.

So specifically, what should you track? Here's a list of some possibilities that could apply to your son:

• Working more slowly
• Having a job coach
• Performing fewer duties than coworkers
• Getting extra supervision
• Any physical accommodations in the workplace due to his/her disability (e.g., making bathrooms and work stations accessible, widening aisle ways or doors, etc.)
• Needing special transportation
• Special scheduling
• A job that was carved out of a larger job so it fits with someone's disability
• Needing reminders to go to the next step, or next task, or to take a break
• Trouble getting along with co-workers or accepting supervision
• Difficulty remembering
• Trouble following more than one-step directions
• Needing help to get to work on time, and/or to be properly dressed for work
• Being easily distracted, or easily led in the wrong direction
• Having no sense of safety and safe practices
• Being too social and not getting work done (aka "not attending to task")
• Inappropriate language or other behaviors inappropriate for the workplace

If your son does well at any of his work experiences, note what makes him successful. Is he successful because he performs the job completely independently and all by himself, or does he get assistance from co-workers, the boss, or a job coach to make things work?

Remember that your son should apply for SSI in the month AFTER he turns 18, or January in your son's case. That way SSI counts only your son's income and resources, not yours. If he is found eligible, his SSI payments and Medicaid eligibility will begin as of February, the month after he applies. However, he could still be eligible for Medicaid for January, and can apply for that with the state (Office of Public Assistance in MT) while he waits for his SSI application to go through.

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