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Report: Preventing Wasteful and Inequitable Consultative Examinations in Social Security Disability Claims

Today, advocates from New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), the Urban Justice Center (UJC), and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) released a new report about wasteful and harmful Social Security policies, which discriminate against adults and children with disabilities. The report focuses on issues arising in New York State and Pennsylvania, but this is…

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Applying for SSI A Short Guide for Case Managers

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides a modest monthly income to older adults aged 65 and older, and adults and children with serious disabilities who are struggling to make ends meet. Here’s how to apply!   1. Prepare paperwork. a. Financial info: Be ready to tell the Social Security Administration (SSA) about all income (like wages,…

Report: Racial Disparities in Access to Supplemental Security Income Benefits for Children

SSI for children is crucial support for families in need. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides critical financial support to people with disabilities who experience economic hardship, including 1.1 million children. SSI income is crucial not only because it can boost families out of poverty, but also because in many states, SSI recipients are automatically eligible…

CLS Releases Recommendations for the Biden-Harris Administration

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS), one of the largest and most respected legal services programs in the nation, congratulates President-Elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their successful election. As President-Elect Biden said in a recent speech: “We must make the promise of the country real for everybody — no matter their…

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Social Security Administration Should Halt All Pending Regulations

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the U.S. workforce, leading to record levels of unemployment.  While some people will return to work in the coming months, many workers with disabilities may remain out of the workforce indefinitely.  Older workers with disabilities were thirty percent more likely to lose their jobs during the Great Recession than the…

New Rule from Social Security Limits Social Security Access for Limited English Proficient Individuals

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has published a new rule that could cause immigrants and limited English proficient people with disabilities to be denied vital income supports.  Previously, SSA considered a person with a disability’s ability to communicate in English when evaluating whether they were able to work, and thus qualify for disability benefits. With…