Re: I'm frustrated! The politics of autism....darn! OT

[Guest guest]

Hello

Here is the official SSI link.

http://www.ssa.gov/notices/supplemental-security-income/

If you go to the " listing of impairments " section, you will discover

mental and neurological impairments. I scanned the list briefly and

noticed that depending on your child's diagnosis and manifestation,

she would qualify under either, but at least under the " mental

impairment " section. I have been able to counsel Asperger adults in

how to receive SSI, so I know it can be done and with a " lesser "

diagnosis than autism.

If you need help in receiving SSI [there are several income

exclusions you can use], here is my site section with links to

organizations that can help you receive it if you are in fact entitled

to it.

http://home.pacbell.net/cscomp/parentin.htm#insurance

CCS will cover your child depending on other issues, but that program

deals primarily in physical disabilities, so you should be able to get

OT, PT, sensory, etc through that program if you can get your doctor

to write up individual disabilities like that, instead of the

catch-all of " autism " .

You can also apply for California Healthy Families, which does have

income restrictions but they are much higher than SSI, and covers most

all medical issues. At least this will allow your children to be

covered under a health insurance program without you having to pay

more than $27 per month. Here is the link for that.

http://www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/

If you " just missed qualifying " , and it would make a difference, your

husband can ask his employer to reduce his income to just the limit,

which I have seen done in some cases because it did result in

qualifying for SSI [generally for more than one child in the family],

and the reduced income plus the SSI ended up being more than the prior

income.

Just some ideas for you.

> Today I applied for SSI for , hoping for just a little extra

help

> financially. I've heard you get Medicare for your child too if you

qualify.

> We didn't qualify based on my husband's income. We just missed

qualifying!

>

> So the lady referred me to an agency called California Children's

> Services....they ususally help disabled kids. BUT THEY DON'T COVER

> AUTISM!!!! It is considered a mental illness...or at least because

it isn't

> a MEDICAL diagnosis, they don't cover it! Doens't that just fry

you! So

> basically my baby has a mental illness tag for life, even though she

is

> clearly not mentally ill. And how do people mangage whose children

do have

> major mental illnesses? Sometimes I think we are still back in the

dark

> ages!

>

> Thansk for letting me vent!

> H, mommy to 3 1/2 yrs, PDD; and 2 yrs, NT (5 months

GFCF)